Jesse James, 1847-1882

Preacher Robert went anyway--to the California gold fields. Some say he went to get rich, others say he went to preach to the miners and to start up some Baptist churches, much as he had done in Missouri. Whatever his motive, he went, never to return. He fell ill within weeks of reaching California and died.

Zerelda James, now a widow with three small children, soon remarried. Her new husband was not kind to her two boys, even beating Frank, the oldest. She left him and he died a few weeks later. Once again Mrs. James was a widow.

When Jesse was eight, Mrs. James became Mrs. Samuel (usually recorded as Samuels). Dr. Samuel, a physician, was a mild man who loved the James children as much as the children he and Zerelda produced.

Jesse and Frank worked as much as small boys could on the farm, helping to plant, and then to hoe corn and other crops. They also cared for the horses and learned all about guns and hunting.

The family attended church regularly, often thanks to small Jesse, who insisted they go even when the family preferred to pursue other activities. Once, while still quite young, Jesse got up in a prayer meeting and solemnly prayed aloud for his brother Frank, who was a doubter (and who remained so throughout his life, Jesse's prayer not withstanding).

Despite his religious devotion Jesse was a "regular guy," no different in most ways from other farm boys in the area. Vehemently pro-South, Jesse had a temper with which to promote his point of view--both of which he "inherited" from his mother, who spoke first, thought later, and often suggested to Northern-sympathizing neighbors that they ought to go to a place much warmer than the South.

During Jesse's childhood, the border warfare between Kansas and Missouri was at its height. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 had started the race between the slaveholders of the South and the abolitionists of the North to get more folks of their points of view to settle Kansas. Each group had border gangs of guerillas who raided citizens of the other group and each raid spurred the other side to an even more vicious attack of their own. Such violence threatened even the most peace-loving citizens of the area.

Imitating the news they heard, boys played "Hang Old Jim Lane" and pitched rocks at tree stumps they named "John Brown." After Fort Sumter was fired on, Frank joined the Confederate army. He soon returned to the farm covered with glory after taking part in the Confederate victory at Bull Run.

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