Frank and Jesse James: The Story Behind the Legend
- ISBN-10
- 1581823258
- ISBN-13
- 9781581823257
- Category
- Biography & Autobiography
- Pages
- 480
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2003-02
- Publisher
- Cumberland House Publishing
- Author
- Ted Yeatman
Description
To some he was a Robin Hood, a mythic figure of righteous retribution. To others he was the devil incarnate, a bloodthirsty hooligan and cold-blooded killer. The disparity between these views of the outlaw Jesse James is often attributed to an almost invisible line between marauding Missouri guerrilla bands of the Civil War and the general lawlessness that plagued the Old West. The beginning of the legend of the James brothers, which began in 1866 - the first successful peacetime daylight bank robbery - is somewhat murky. But once their careers in crime commenced, the James brothers eluded capture for sixteen years, until Jesse was killed in 1882 by Bob and Charlie Ford while the three of them planned the robbery of the Platte City Bank. Frank was never apprehended but surrendered voluntarily to the governor of Missouri. Since then the exploits of the James gang have become legendary. Frank and Jesse James is a complete account of the James brothers during the Civil War, the following sixteen years of notoriety, and the lives of those who outlived Jesse. Yeatman has created a thoroughly documented popular narrative. Also included are dozens of heretofore unpublished illustrations and photographs of the people, places, and artifacts associated with the notorious brothers. Ted Yeatman began researching this book twenty-five years ago, reviewing materials in Missouri, Tennessee, Maryland, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Minnesota, Illinois, and the District of Columbia. He discovered items that had never been published, particularly a cache of Pinkerton letters concerning the firebombing of the James farm in 1875 (somewhat analogous to the FBI's role in the Branch Davidian crisis near Waco, Texas, in 1993) and heretofore overlooked papers in the National Archives regarding the Civil War activities and later banditry of the James brothers. Yeatman also assisted in the 1995 exhumation and forensic examination of the remains of Jesse. The result is a complete account of the James brothers during the Civil War, the following sixteen years of notoriety, and the lives of those who outlived Jesse. Yeatman has created a thoroughly documented popular narrative that will be satisfying both to readers who know little or nothing about the James brothers and those who have read everything. Also included are dozens of heretofore unpublished illustrations and photographs of the people, places, and artifacts associated with the notorious brothers.
Get the book
Other editions
Similar books
-
Frank and Jesse James: Friends and Family
By Freda Cruse HardisonNever before told stories in the voice of older brother Frank of the early of the friends and family of Frank and Jesse James
-
Jesse and Frank James: The Family History
By Philip W. SteeleIndividuals who believe they may share a blood tie with the James brothers will find this book invaluable in authenticating their claim; those who are merely captivated by the romance and mystery of two of America's most wanted men will ...
-
The Escapades of Frank and Jesse James
By Carl W. BreihanThe Escapades of Frank and Jesse James
-
Chasing Frank and Jesse James: The Bungled Northfield Bank Robbery and the Long Manhunt
By Wayne FanebustFrank and Jesse James, the infamous brothers from Missouri, rode with marauding Confederate guerrillas during the Civil War.
-
Life and Adventures of Frank and Jesse James...
By Joseph A. [From Old Catalog] DacusUnlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there...
-
Jesse James Was His Name: Or, Fact and Fiction Concerning the Careers of the Notorious James Brothers of Missouri
By William A. SettleEarly the next morning a party made up of Farr , James , Edwards , and Frank O'Neill , a reporter for the St. Louis Missouri Republican , left for Independence.8 News of the surrender had covered the state , and as the train progressed ...
-
The Frank and Jesse James Saga - The Beginning of the End for the James Gang
By R. G. TidwellNarrative of James brothers ties to the Shoals area of North Alabama and surrounding countryside as well as a wealth of genealogical information.
-
The Rise and Fall of Jesse James
By Robertus LoveReprint of a classic account by a newspaperman who knew Frank James, originally published in 1926 by G.P. Putnam. With a new introduction by Michael Fellman (history, Simon Fraser U.)....
-
The Lost Cause: The Trials of Frank and Jesse James
By James P. MuehlbergerThe True Story Behind the Legendary Outlaw Gang, a Civil War Vendetta, and the Forgotten Court Documents That Helped Seal Their Fate On a dreary December 7, 1869, two strangers entered the Daviess County Savings and Loan in Gallatin, ...
-
The Many Faces of Jesse James
By Phillip W. Steele, George Warfel"Not only does this new book record a factual story of my great-grandfather Jesse James in print, but also helps the reader get to know Jesse's true personality and appearance.