Frank and Jesse James

The two men pictured above are probably the most notorious outlaws in the 19th century. They have been the focus of multiple movies and books. Young boys dreamed of becoming lawmen and chasing the James brothers throughout the old west. What most people don't know is that Frank and Jesse were vital parts of the guerrilla war. Frank and Jesse James were born in Clay County, Missouri. Frank the oldest was born in 1843. Jesse the youngest was born in 1847. They were born to an average farm family. Both boys preformed daily tasks around the farm. It wasn't until the Civil War that the James brothers turned to a life of crime. Missouri at this time was a border state. Some citizens sympathized with the Union, others however wanted to secede and join the newly formed Confederate States of America. Frank and Jesse were Confederate supporters and favored secession. At this time William Quantrill was forming his band of guerrilla raiders. Eighteen year old Frank James joined this group known as "Quantrill's Raiders." Frank was put under the command of Bloody Bill Anderson. Frank James and Bloody Bill Anderson's relationship withstood the test of time. After the fallout between Anderson and Quantrill, Frank stayed loyal to Anderson and his band of guerrillas. When Frank and Bloody Bill returned to Missouri, sixteen year old Jesse James joined the band of fighters. Both the James brothers participated in the Centralia Massacre. When Bloody Bill Anderson was killed the brothers went separate ways. Frank went with Quantrill to Kentucky, and Jesse went with Archie Clement to Texas. By the end of the Civil War both brothers had become notorious outlaws. Jesse is most remembered for his actions. Frank took part in some minor robbery, the most notable being at Northfield, Minnesota. Frank eventually turned his gun in to Governor Thomas Crittenden. For the last few years of his life, Frank James worked as a shoe salesman, a ticket taker at a local theater, and even as a telegraph operator for AT&T. Frank James died on February 18, 1915. Jesse James however did not settle down. He formed a strong bond with Cole and Jim Younger. The Younger brothers had also been guerrillas in the Civil War. Together they formed a band that became known as the "James-Younger Gang." The gang went through Missouri engaging in acts such as robbery and murder. Before the surrender of Frank James, the two brothers went to Nashville, Tennessee where they went by the names of Thomas Howard (Jesse), and B.J. Woodson (Frank). It is not known however what the two brothers did in Nashville. Jesse James finally met his demise on April 3, 1882. James had befriended the Ford brothers, and they had accompanied James on his raids. Unknown to James however was that Bob Ford had secretly negotiated a reward with Gov. Crittenden for the capture of Jesse James. On the morning of April 3rd the three men had just got finished having breakfast at a house in St. Joseph, Missouri. The three men went outside to prepare the horses. It was a hot day so James took off his coat and his gun. He noticed a picture that was dusty. James decided to go clean it. As he was cleaning it Bob Ford shot him in the back, killing James instantly. One of the old west's most notorious outlaws is dead.

The story of Frank and Jesse James was quickly picked up by Hollywood. Above is a poster for one of the many movies that was made about the James brothers. The brothers have also been the subject of many books. The genres range from historical to even comic books. Country singer Toby Keith referred to Jesse James in his hit song "Should've Been a Cowboy." The James brothers, even though they are deceased, are still having an impact on our culture to this day.

Stay tuned for more blog posts about other tales from Tennessee and beyond.