Jesse James
| Jesse James | |
|---|---|
Jesse James c. 1882
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| Born |
Jesse Woodson James September 5, 1847 Kearney, Missouri, United States |
| Died | April 3, 1882 (aged 34) St. Joseph, Missouri, United States 39°45′28″N 94°50′39″W / 39.757813°N 94.844087°W |
| Nationality |
United States Confederate States of America |
| Occupation | Criminal |
| Years active | 1866–1882 |
| Known for | Bank and train robberies |
| Spouse(s) | Zerelda Mimms |
| Children | Jesse E. James, Mary James Barr |
| Parent(s) | Robert S. James, Zerelda Cole James |
Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847 – April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, guerrilla, gang leader, bank robber, train robber, and murderer from the "Little Dixie" area of western Missouri. He was the most famous member of the James-Younger Gang. Jesse and his brother Frank James were Confederate guerrillas or bushwhackers during the Civil War. They were accused of participating in atrocities committed against Union soldiers, including the Centralia Massacre. After the war, as members of various gangs of outlaws, they robbed banks, stagecoaches, and trains.
The James brothers were most active as members of their own gang from about 1866 until 1876, when as a result of their attempted robbery of a bank in Northfield, Minnesota, several members of the gang were captured or killed. They continued in crime for several years, recruiting new members, but were under increasing pressure from law enforcement. On April 3, 1882, Jesse James was killed by Robert Ford, a young member of his gang who hoped to collect a reward on James' head. Already a celebrity in life, James became a legendary figure of the Wild West after his death.
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Wikipedia