1847 – 1882

Jesse James

American outlaw, confederate guerrilla, and train robber

cowboy

Born

1847-09-05, Kearney

Died

1882-04-03

Birthplace state

Missouri

Biography

Jesse Woodson James was born in Kearney, Missouri on September 5, 1847, and died on April 3, 1882. During the American Civil War, he and his brother Frank joined pro-Confederate guerrillas operating in Missouri and Kansas. As followers of William Quantrill and "Bloody Bill" Anderson, they were accused of committing atrocities against Union soldiers and civilian abolitionists, including the Centralia Massacre in 1864. After the war, James became an outlaw involved in bank and train robberies and led the James–Younger Gang.

Occupation

Jesse James is recorded as a cowboy, born in Missouri (1847–1882).

Connections to Missouri

Jesse James was born in Kearney, Missouri in 1847. Explore other notable figures from Missouri, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Missouri›Missourihistory ›Historic sites in Missouri›

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The Land

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Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

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Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

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Finds & Access

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Literature

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Points of Interest

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More notable figures from Missouri

Other historical figures born in Missouri, ranked by historical prominence.

Mark Twain

American author and humorist (1835–1910)

Harry S. Truman

president of the United States from 1945 to 1953; politician (1884–1972)

T. S. Eliot

US-British poet (1888–1965)

Maya Angelou

American poet, author, and civil rights activist (1928–2014)

Edwin Hubble

American astronomer (1889–1953)

Robert A. Heinlein

American author and aeronautical engineer (1907–1988)

Dale Carnegie

American writer and lecturer (1888-1955)

Frequently asked about Jesse James

Who was Jesse James?

Jesse James was American outlaw, confederate guerrilla, and train robber, born in Missouri (1847 – 1882).

When and where was Jesse James born?

Jesse James was born on 1847-09-05 in Kearney.

When did Jesse James die?

Jesse died on 1882-04-03.

What was Jesse James known for?

Jesse James is recorded as a cowboy.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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