Jesse Woodson James is considered one of the most famous American criminals of the XIX century. During his life he managed to commit many robberies, robberies and killings. At that time, the Civil War was raging in America, in parallel with which the conquest of Western territories took place. It is known that Jesse James was a member of the gang of "Bloody Bill" Anderson - a partisan criminal group famous for extreme cruelty.
Early biography
Jesse James (photo below) was born in the Midwestern United States, Missouri. His father was Robert James, originally from Kentucky; he was engaged in farming and was a supporter of Baptism. Robert moved to Missouri with his wife, Zerelda Cole, with whom he lived together for three years.
Interesting fact: Jesse James's father was among the founders of the College of William Jewell, which is located in the city of Liberty to this day.
In addition to Jesse, Robert and Zerelda had two more children - the eldest son Alexander Franklin and the youngest daughter Susan Lavinia. When the Gold Rush began, the head of the family went after his flock, who decided to try their luck in search of gold. So James ended up in California. A few years later, Robert was gone and Zereld was left alone with three children (at that time Jesse was only three years old). Soon the woman was again married. First for a certain Benjamin Simms, and then for Dr. Ruben Samuel. From the last Zerelda gave birth to four more children, who became for Jesse half-relatives.
Civil war period
The unleashed war of the North and South put an end to the serene life of Samuel James. At that time, the family managed to acquire seven slaves who were engaged in tobacco cultivation for their use. About 75% of the Missouri population considered the Upper South to be their homeland and had a culture and mentality. During the Civil War, this state was literally between two fires - between the North, with its liberal views, and the South, where slavery flourished.
At first, Samuel James joined the Confederates. Jesse Franklin's older brother joined the state militia, but after some time was forced to return home due to illness. In May 1863, a family farm was attacked by a detachment of unionists who suspected Franklin of aiding guerrillas. There are several versions of what happened that day at the Samuel James site. According to one of them, the adoptive father of Jesse and Frank, Ruben, was injured at the hands of the unionists, he was subjected to torture, and then uprooted in a tree. According to another version - a cruel fate awaited Zerelda Cole. It is believed that young Jesse also did not escape the wrath of the detachment and was hewn with whips.
The end of the war and the wound
After what happened on the farm, Jesse went in search of his brother, who at that time had already managed to join the local partisan movement. In the summer of 1864, the squad leader was seriously injured and the James brothers had to go in search of another group.
Together with Franklin, Jesse participated in some of the most brutal operations against the Allied forces.
At the end of the Civil War, he was seriously injured in the chest and was forced to go to his uncle to recover. There, Jesse met his cousin Zerelda Mimms, with whom he began a romantic relationship. Nine years later, the couple played a wedding.
Gang activity
While James Jr. spent time restoring his health, his partisan colleagues began to engage in outright robbery. According to legend, the first serious crime of the Jesse James team was a bank robbery that occurred in Clay County. However, this version does not have any official confirmation, since during the attack Jesse himself still had to be undergoing rehabilitation.
True fame overtook the James brothers after robbing the Davis County Savings Association in Gallatin, Missouri. They almost did not earn money, but Jesse personally dealt with the cashier, in which he saw the killer of the former captain of his gang. Local newspapers quickly picked up the story of daring outlaw criminals driven by revenge rather than profit.
A little later, Jesse joined the new large gang and became one of its leaders. The James-Younger campaign attracted the attention of Pinkerton agents. Alan Pinkerton himself regarded Jesse as his personal enemy, but all attempts to catch the bandit ended in failure.
Betrayal
Jesse overtook the unexpected end in April 1882 when the Ford brothers visited his home. As it turned out, Robert (Bob) Ford made a deal with the local authorities and promised to give them the famous James. His terms were simple - amnesty and the award of an additional award.
That day, Jesse, along with the Ford brothers, was preparing to prepare for the upcoming robbery. After breakfast, they decided to go outside to inspect the horses. Before leaving the house, Jesse took off his coat, because the weather was too hot on the street, and invited the brothers to leave their guns so as not to attract too much attention. Suddenly a dusty picture caught his attention and he headed in her direction to clean it. At that very moment, Robert grabbed his gun and shot Jesse right in the back. It is noteworthy that the weapon that Bob Ford used during the murder was donated to him by James himself.
Death Legends
The news of the death of the famous bandit turned into a real national sensation. Fords did not deny their involvement in the incident, moreover, Bob still believed that he should have got a reward. The brothers were even sentenced to be hanged, but a little later, after the trial, the governor personally apologized to them. Many believe that the deal with the Fords initially involved the assassination of Jesse James, and not his detention.
"The hero is timeless"
About the life and death of the famous American bandit, many different films were shot. One of the first such films was the biographical western "Jesse James. Hero Out of Time", released in 1939 and directed by Henry Quint. A romanticized story about the first steps of the protagonist in the criminal field, which served as a model for all subsequent films. All the events shown in "The Hero Out of Time" are based on well-known historical information about the era in which the real Jesse James once lived. Actresses and actors who performed the roles in the film made up a wonderful star ensemble: here are Tyrone Power, and Nancy Kelly, and John Carradine, and even the scorching Henry Fonda. "Hero Out of Time" is recommended for viewing to all lovers of American classics and good old westerns.
"How the Cowardly Robert Ford Killed Jesse James" - Andrew Dominic Film
This is perhaps one of the most popular and most recognizable biographical paintings telling about the life of a famous bandit. The film was released back in 2007; Andrew Dominic was in the director’s chair, and stars like Brad Pitt, Jeremy Renner, Sam Rockwell and Casey Affleck starred in the lead roles. The Australian musician Nick Cave put his hand to the creation of the soundtrack, who, moreover, got a small episodic role of the man singing "Jesse James's Ballad of the Criminal."
The painting was based on the novel of the same name by an American writer and professor Ron Hansen. The film was presented at the Venice Film Festival, where it won two nominations and one victory in the Best Actor category (the award went to Brad Pitt, actor Jesse James). After that, the work of Andrew Dominic was presented at the Oscars, where she also received two honorary nominations.
It is recommended to get acquainted with this beautiful psychological drama not only to those who are interested in the story of Jesse James, but also to those who simply love a good movie. According to Brad Pitt himself, the role of the famous bandit is the most beloved in his entire career.