The Infamous James Brothers: My Notorious Ancestors Jesse and Frank James

When researching family ancestry, you’re bound to discover both admirable and infamous relatives. In my case, one shocking discovery stood out — my distant cousins, Jesse James and Frank James, two of the most notorious outlaws in American history.

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Early Life of Jesse and Frank James

Jesse Woodson James was born on September 5, 1847, and his older brother, Alexander Franklin “Frank” James, on January 10, 1843. They were the sons of my 20th cousin, three times removed, Zeralda Elizabeth Cole, and her husband, Robert Salle James.

The James family lived on a farm in Missouri, where the brothers were raised in a devoutly Baptist household. However, their lives took a dark turn during the American Civil War. Sympathetic to the Confederate cause, both brothers joined different groups of Confederate guerrillas.

Frank James joined William C. Quantrill’s Raiders, where he met Cole Younger, a man who would later play a major role in their criminal career.

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From Guerrillas to Outlaws

At the end of the Civil War, the guerrilla fighters disbanded. Jesse was reportedly shot and severely wounded by Federal troops during the surrender.

Soon after recovering, the brothers turned to crime. On February 13, 1866, Jesse and Frank James, along with eight other men, robbed a bank in Liberty, Missouri — one of the first daylight bank robberies in U.S. history.

That same year, Cole Younger joined their outlaw group, and over time, his brothers John, James, and Robert Younger also joined. Together, they became known as the James-Younger Gang.

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The Rise of the James-Younger Gang

Between 1866 and 1882, the James-Younger Gang became one of the most feared outlaw gangs in the Wild West. They robbed banks, trains, stagecoaches, and stores from Iowa to Texas, stealing an estimated $200,000 — a massive sum for the time.

In 1873, the gang began robbing trains, further cementing their infamy. Despite their violence, many Missouri citizens viewed Jesse James as a folk hero, romanticizing his crimes as revenge against the federal government for his Confederate loyalties.

Writers of the day exaggerated and glorified the brothers’ exploits, turning them into legends of the American frontier.

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The Northfield Raid and the Fall of the Gang

The beginning of the end came on September 7, 1876, when the gang attempted to rob the First National Bank in Northfield, Minnesota. The raid went horribly wrong — most members were killed or captured, with only Jesse and Frank James managing to escape.

By 1879, the brothers regrouped with new recruits and resumed their string of robberies, but their luck was running out.

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The Death of Jesse James

In 1881, Missouri Governor Thomas T. Crittenden offered a $10,000 reward for the capture of the James brothers, dead or alive. This bounty tempted one of their new gang members, Bob Ford.

On the morning of April 3, 1882, while Jesse was hanging a picture on the wall at home, Bob Ford shot him in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Jesse was only 34 years old.

Missourians were outraged by the cowardly killing, and Bob Ford was forever branded “the coward who shot Jesse James.”

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The Later Life of Frank James

After Jesse’s death, Frank James went into hiding but eventually surrendered to Governor Crittenden five months later.

Frank was tried for two robberies and two murders but was acquitted of all charges. He lived quietly for the rest of his life, working various odd jobs. Frank James died on February 18, 1915, at the family farm in Missouri, at the age of 72.

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The Legacy of the James Brothers

The legend of Jesse and Frank James endures to this day, often distorted by folklore and Hollywood into tales of daring rebellion and heroism. The truth, however, is far darker.

Though they became icons of the Wild West, the James brothers were thieves, murderers, and outlaws — not heroes. As distant paternal cousins of mine, their story serves as a stark reminder that not all family history is honorable, but it is history nonetheless.