The James 

Brothers

By Katie Westman

Jesse and Frank James were 

born on a farm in Kearney, 

Missouri. They were taught by 

their mother and father. They 

lived happily, until one day 

their farm was attacked! 

Union soldiers came in and 

destroyed everything.

When Jesse turned sixteen, he 

and Frank joined the Confederate 

army in the war. They wanted to 

fight against the Union army. 

"March! March!" the general 

commanded.

After the Civil War ended in 1865, 

Jesse and Frank became outlaws of 

the Old West. Together they started 

up the James Gang. They robbed 

stagecoaches, trains, and banks. No 

one would get in their way. The 

gang became the most feared 

outlaws of the time.

One day, the James Gang robbed a 

bank in Gallatin, Missouri. Jesse 

believed the banker was responsible 

for the death of Bill Anderson, a 

soldier he rode with in the war. He 

asked for change for a hundred dollar 

bill, and then killed the banker. From 

that moment on the gang was 

wanted, dead or alive.

On July 21, 1873 they committed a 

train robbery. They derailed the 

Rock Island Train in Adair, Iowa. 

The gang robbed about four 

thousand, six hundred dollars from 

the train and its passengers.

In 1874, Jesse married his love, 

Zerelda Mimms. They had two 

children together. Frank got 

married to Annie Ralston. They 

had one child. Even though the 

James brothers were known as 

ruthless criminals, they were 

great family men.

On September 7, 1876, the gang 

attempted their most daring robbery 

yet. They decided to rob the First 

National Bank in Northfield, Minnesota. 

The banker refused to open up the safe 

for them. The citizens around the area 

took notice. When Jesse and Frank left 

the bank, they found the rest of their 

gang dead or captured.

Jesse and Frank split from the 

other gang members. They 

made it safely back to Missouri. 

They changed their names so 

they wouldn't be found. The 

other gang members were 

captured. They were given a 

life sentence in prison.

By 1879, Frank felt like settling 

down. Jesse still was restless. 

He started up another gang. 

They robbed a train in 

Glendale, Missouri, that started 

up a crime spree. This gang 

wasn't as strong though and 

fought with each other.