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Massacre of Lawrence, Kansas
William Clark Quantrill led a massacre of Lawrence, Kansas in the early morning hours . His raiders tore through the Free-State town, robbing two banks, looting other buildings before setting them on fire, and killed more than 180 men, women, and children. Frank was a member of the Raiders and was part of the barbaric attack. There is some doubt as to whether Jesse was involved; however, he was said to have bragged about it later. -
Joins Bloody
Jesse joins "Bloody" Bill Anderson's guerilla forces at the age of sixteen. -
Train robbery.
William "Bloody Bill" Anderson led a raid on Centralia, Missouri where a gang of more than 100 guerillas robbed the passengers of an incoming train. Jesse was apart of the gang. -
Shooting
Jesse rode into Lexington, Missouri carrying a white flag. He was shot in the chest when he attempted to surrender by occupying Union Troops. Surviving the attack, he crawled to safety. -
Northfield
Once again, Jesse's gang selected a bank for more than financial reasons. Northfield, Minnesota, was the new home of Mississippi's former Republican governor and former Union general Adelbert Ames, and he was a major depositor at its First National Bank. After two weeks of reconnaissance, eight bandits rode into Northfield on the afternoon of September 7th. -
First Daytime Robbery
America's first daytime bank robbery during peacetime happened in the small town of Liberty, Missouri, on February 13, 1866. Bandits pistol-whipped a cashier at the Clay County Savings Association and made off with almost $60,000 in bonds -
Columbia
The James-Younger Gang, including 5 riders, robbed the Bank of Columbia in Columbia, Kentucky, killing cashier R.A.C. Martin in the process. The gang made off with $6,000. -
St. Louis
Five to seven members of the gang held up the St. Louis Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad train at Gads Hill, Missouri making off with $12,000. No one was injured. -
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri-Pacific Railroad train in Rockey Cut, Missouri was robbed of $15,000 by the James-Younger Gang. -
Birthday Robbery.
On Jesse's 28th birthday, the James-Younger Gang robbed the Huntington Bank in Huntington, West Virginia making off with somewhere between $10,000-$20,000. One of their gang was shot during the robbery. -
Killed
Bob Ford, with his brother Charles enter Jesse's home at about 8:27am. When Jesse turns to straighten a picture on the wall, Bob shoots him just below the right ear, killing him instantly. His body hit the wall then fell to the floor lying on his back. Within no time at all word quickly spread throughout the town that Jesse James had just been assassinated. -
Conclusion
James did not have an impact or become famous until after his death when he became the subject to many novels. He became a symbol as America's Robin Hood, standing up against corporations in defense of the small farmer, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. While there was and still is no evidence that the robberies helped anyone other than his gang and himself. Society today thinks of Jesse James as a "bad guy" who robbed banks and trains.