Jesse James one of the most notorious robbers of the 18th century. Jesse and his gang traveled all over the mid-west robbing trains, banks, and the people they came across. Something very interesting happened to Jesse at the end of his life. Have you ever heard of Jesse James?
Jesse Wooden James born September 5th, 1843, in Clay County, Missouri. To Kentucky natives Zerelda and Robert James. Jesse was the third of the four children they had together. Jesse had an older brother Frank, another brother Robert but unfortunately, he passed away during infancy, and a little sister named Susan. Jesse’s parents were hemp farmers and they owned six salves. Jesses father was a Baptist Minister in Clay County. He preached to gold miners, he left when
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Their target was the northern bank. The Mankato was their first target on their trip north. Jesse was recognized so they left the town without causing any harm. When they left the town, they rode in pairs heading for Northfield. They met up on the outskirts of town on September 6,1876. They were planning on robbing the First National Bank in the morning. September 7, 1876, the James Younger gang attempted the robbery. The bank teller Heyman refused to open the safe, so Jesse shot him in the head. The banks alarms went off and the citizens opened fire on the gang. Charlie and Bill were killed, the Younger brothers were badly wounded, and the James brothers were …show more content…
All three of them were sentenced to life terms in prison. New gang members filled their place and the robberies continued for several years after. Some of the robberies included a stage hold up near Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, robbery in Muscle Shoals Alabama, robbery in Winston Missouri. The gangs last robbery was on September 7, 1881, in Glendale, Missouri.
Jesse promised his wife that he would go onto have a better more normal life. Jesse moved his family to St. Joseph Missouri. They rented a house on 1310 Lafaytte St. on December 24, 1881. Jesse rented the house under a fake name, the fake name Tom Howard. Jesee agreed after one last bank robbery he would retire and life a crime free life after.
It was the morning of April 3. Jesse was unarmed and was going to discuss plans for another robbery. He was talking the Robert and Charley Ford. Jesse noticed that a picture on the wall was off. He goes and starts to fix it, and Robert pulled his pistol shot Jesse in the back of the head. Charley and Robert fled the scene. Jesse was 34 years old when he died.
The Ford brothers enjoyed the fame of killing Jesse. Charley committed suicide in 1892 no one knows exactly why. Robert opened a saloon in Creede, CO. In June 1892, a guy named Edward O’Kelly walked into the saloon greeted Robert. Then out of nowhere Edward shot Robert dead with a sawed-off