Jesse James was the most violent and evil man who ever lived! He murdered at least sixteen people and terrorized thousands! He raided banks and trains! He drove the country into fear with the prospect that they might be next. How was he able to commit such treacheries with no remorse? One must observe his past to uncover the answer. Born in Missouri, in 1847, James lived during the Civil War throughout part of his childhood. During the California Gold Rush, his father departed, and died of cholera. This left his mother, Zerelda, to care for Jesse and his siblings, Frank and Susan. His mother soon remarried and became the owner of seven slaves and a tobacco plantation. The James family was very proslavery. As a result of this, Frank James …show more content…
Because of the Union soldier’s poor treatment of Jesse and his step-father, he was full of revenge. This vengeance was left boiling inside him, and, eventually, he let it all out. He rode into towns, burned all the buildings, looted the bank and houses, and Horstman #2 slaughtered anyone who stood in his way. After doing this for a while, he went back home to see his parents. However, when he got home, he was in for a shock. His house was in ashes and his parents had fled. This filled him with so much animosity that the lives that had been taken by his own hand no longer weighed on his conscience. He rode all over the country, plundering, and massacring. Rather than forgive the Union soldiers for what they had done to him, he bottled it up and let the anger consume him. As a result, he soon became one of the most dreaded people in the entire country. These motives might show why he did these things, but they absolutely do not excuse …show more content…
After all of the events described above, he settled down and got married. However, he only settled for three short years. He kept in contact with his gang. Eventually, they decided to go back to their old ways: pilfering and slaying. One night, they decided to rob another bank. However, when he pointed the gun at the man behind the counter, the man refused to give up the money. While this was going on, masses of people were congregating outside. Again, they threatened the man, and, again, he refused. Finally, they decided to flee. Jesse killed the banker and went to his horse. They all mounted and began to ride away. However, the mob started shooting them and Jesse was the only one able to get away alive. Nevertheless, James found a new band. Despite this, he was still untrusted. One of his friends decided Jesse was far too dangerous to be left alive and shot him in the head. Thus, concludes the life of a notorious