family history research / Jesse James
Monday Sep 5 2022
Jesse James
Today would be the 175th birthday of one of the most infamous criminals in the history of the Wild West…
He is also an ancestral cousin to myself and my siblings and their children through our mother, Marlene Dietz Repinski.
Read on…..
Our Family Lineage to Jesse
10th cousins 6 times removed
Jesse Woodson James (1847-1882) and John Repinski are both descendants of William Feld (abt.1400-abt.1480).
1. Jesse is the son of Robert Sallee James (1818-1850)
2. Robert is the son of John Martin James (1775-abt.1827)
3. John is the son of William James (abt.1754-abt.1805)
4. William is the son of Mary (Field) James (1724-1804)
5. Mary is the daughter of Henry Field Sr. (abt.1700-abt.1763)
6. Henry is the son of Daniel Field (1663-1720)
7. Daniel is the son of Abraham Field (1636-1674)
8. Abraham is the son of Henry Field (1611-)
9. Henry is the son of John Field Jr. (1579-1636)
10. John is the son of John Field (aft.1418-)
11. John is the son of William Feld (abt.1400-abt.1480)
This makes William the ninth great grandfather of Jesse.
1. John is the son of Marlene Grace (Dietz) Repinski (1936-1999)
2. Marlene is the daughter of Raymond Harold Dietz (1912-1973)
3. Raymond is the son of Henry Chester Dietz (1885-1954)
4. Henry is the son of Eleanor May (Brown) Dietz (abt.1858-abt.1921)
5. Eleanor is the daughter of Mary E (Smith) Brown (abt.1822-1913)
6. Mary is the daughter of Mary Elizabeth Smith (1803-1859)
7. Mary is the daughter of Ziba Smith (1770-1841)
8. Ziba is the son of Simon Smith (1737-1831)
9. Simon is the son of Lydia (Dexter) Smith (abt.1709-)
10. Lydia is the daughter of Mary (Field) Dexter (1673-1727)
11. Mary is the daughter of Thomas Field (1648-1717)
12. Thomas is the son of Thomas Field (abt.1618-aft.1649)
13. Thomas is the son of William Field (abt.1570-1623)
14. William is the son of John Field (abt.1520-bef.1587)
15. John is the son of Richard (Field) Felde (abt.1500-1542)
16. Richard is the son of William Feld (1470-abt.1542)
17. William is the son of William Feld (abt.1400-abt.1480)
This makes William the 15th great grandfather of John.
Life Sketch
Jesse Woodson "J.D." James aka Howard
Son of Robert Sallee James and Zerelda Elizabeth (Cole) Samuel
Jesse's Parents and Siblings and Ancestry
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| Jesse's Father |
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| Jesse's Mother |
Zerelda Elizabeth Cole Samuel
1825–1911
James had two full siblings: his elder brother, Alexander Franklin "Frank" James, and a younger sister, Susan Lavenia James.
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Frank James
1843–1915
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Susan Lavenia James Parmer
1849–1889
He was of English and Scottish descent.
His father, Robert S. James, farmed commercial hemp in Kentucky and was a Baptist minister before coming to Missouri. After he married, he migrated to Bradford, Missouri and helped found William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri.[2] He held six slaves and more than 100 acres (0.40 km2) of farmland.
Robert traveled to California during the Gold Rush to minister to those searching for gold;[4] he died there when James was three years old.[5]
After Robert's death, his widow Zerelda remarried twice, first to Benjamin Simms in 1852 and then in 1855 to Dr. Reuben Samuel, who moved into the James family home.
Jesse's mother and Samuel had four children together: Sarah Louisa, John Thomas, Fannie Quantrell, and Archie Peyton Samuel.[4][6]
Zerelda and Samuel acquired a total of seven slaves, who served mainly as farmhands in tobacco cultivation.[6][7]
Jesse's Family (Wife & Children)
Jesse Woodson James married Zerelda Amanda Mimms, a cousin, April 24, 1874 in Kearney, Clay, Missouri.[13][14][13]
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Zerelda Amanda Mimms James
1845–1900 (m. 1874)
Jesse's surviving children with Zerelda were Jesse Edward James and Mary Susan James.[13] They also had twins who died in infancy, Gould and Montgomery.[15]
Children
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Jesse Edwards James
1875–1951
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Gould James
1878–1878
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Montgomery James
1878–1878
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Mary Susan James Barr
1879–1935
Zee, as Zerelda was sometimes referred to, also miscarried one child.[15] Jesse may have been married to a Sioux woman before Zerelda and had a son with her. There has been no definite evidence to back up the family's claims, though.[16]
Jesse's Life (Civil War Soldier, Infamous Outlaw)
FAMILY HISTORY: So much folklore surrounds the life of Jesse James. He was a hero to the people of Missouri, especially the ones who shared his feelings about the southern causes He was a modern day "Robin Hood" to many, and still maintains this image. More facts, conjecture and fables have been written about Jesse James, than any other outlaw in history.
Born on his parents farm in Kearney, Missouri, he was but a lad of three when his father, Rev. Robert James, died when on a trip to the gold-fields of California.
He grew up as a religious boy, having been baptized in his fathers church at Kearney. He was known to be kind to many, who needed someone to understand. Most probably a very sensitive young man, then somehow this sensitivity turned to callousness.
His brother
Frank was with the Quantrill Guerrillas and most probably because
of a very strong southern devotion, Jesse James joined and served
with "Bloodthirsty Bill" Anderson in the summer and fall
of 1864. Jesse was of stocky build, clean shaven with blue eyes.
At this time he was 17 years of age. Anderson was known to comment
that: "He is the keenest and cleanest fighter in my command."
Most probably his experience as a guerrilla fighter, helped him become an expert in his execution of his life as an outlaw. They were trained to be fast on horseback. and fast with a gun, and knowing their hide-outs in advance.
Jesse married his first cousin Zerelda (Zee) Mimms in 1874. They had met just after the Civil War, when his mother and step-father were at their home in Missouri.
During the years following the Civil War, and until his death in 1882 Jesse James, and his brother Frank, along with his gang of outlaws, committed many crimes, The gang members included, the Younger brothers, Cole, Bob and James; James and John White, Payne Jones, Richard Burns; Isacc Flannery, Andrew McQuire, Thomas Little, William Chadwell, Clell Miller, Bob Moore, Bud McDaniels, Charlie Pitts, Dick Lidell, Tucker Basham, Ed Miller, Bill Ryan, Charlie Ford and others. Because of their robberies on trains and banks, the bankers of several states called in what was called, "The Pinkerton Men."
Note: The Pinkerton Men were a National Detective Agency. They were hired in 1871 to search out the James gang. They used daring and unconventional methods. Because of the poor and unreconstructed Confederates of the border states, who hated the Pinkerton tactics, they balked the capture of the JAMES brothers at every turn. This was one of the few failures of Allan Pinkerton, owner of the Agency.
During the time the "Pinkerton Men" were searching out the James brothers, they staged a raid at the home of their mother at Kearney. On January 26, 1875, several Pinkerton detectives and some local lawmen (who had a tip the James brothers were there) tossed an explosive device through the window of their farm house. The right arm of Jesse and Frank's mother was all but severed, requiring amputation. Their little half-brother, son of Zerelda and Dr. Samuel Archie Peyton Samuel was killed, he was nine years of age. There was an inquiry into his death, but no legal action was recorded.
Through the years Zee and Jesse lived in many different places. Jesse used the alias of "HOWARD."
Note: The compiler feels that although historians through the years have never commented on why Jesse used the name of "HOWARD," it was most probably because of the Howard surname in his ancestry, through his mother Zerelda Cole.
Jesse and Zee were parents of four children, two of them survived, as follows; (1) Jessie Edward, b. 31 December 1875, d. 27 Mar 1951 in California; (2) Gould, (twin) b. 1877 d. infant; (3) Montgomery, (twin) b. 1877 d. infant ; (4) Mary, b. 17 July 1879.
Bob and Charles Ford had been planning for months to kill Jesse James for the reward offered. (The brothers thought to have been in contact with Governor Thomas Crittenden). Jesse and Zee, with their children, were living at St. Joseph, Missouri, since November of 1881. Jesse was using the name of Thomas Howard, Bob, Charles and Jesse were sitting around the table, having been served breakfast by Zee. Jesse had removed his guns, and laid them on a chair. He noticed a picture on the wall that needed dusting, turned his back to dust and straighten the picture, it was at this moment, Bob Ford aimed and shot Jesse James in the back. It has been recorded that Zee ran into the room and cradled her husband in her arms.
It was from Bob Ford's account of the shooting, that the circumstances became known. Robert and Charles Ford attended the coroner's inquest, and gave the details surrounding the shooting,
Charlie and Bob Ford sent a telegram to Governor Crittenden telling him they had killed Jesse, then surrendering to the authorities of St. Joseph, Missouri. The St. Joseph grand jury found them guilty of murder in the first degree, and were sentenced to hang, but the very same day, Governor Crittenden granted them a full pardon.
The funeral service for Jesse James was conducted at the little Baptist church in Kearney, Missouri that his father had founded. He was buried on the Samuel farm, his epitaph reading:
Jesse W. James
Died April 3, 1882
Aged 34 years, 6 months, 28 days
Murdered by a traitor and a coward whose name is not worthy to appear here.
Charles Ford committed suicide, and Bob Ford was shot and killed by Edward O'Kelley, in Colorado.
The lives of Frank and Jesse James are over, but as years have gone by, Jesse has become a legend in American culture. They lived In a time of rural America, when rugged individualism was common. Our American Frontier was a wild and unruly place where men like Frank and Jesse James could flourish in their criminal pursuits. As Americans, we can ever be grateful, that the vast majority of pioneers who founded the great American West, were good and law abiding people.
A collection of his known exploits:
- 14 Feb1866 Clay Co Savings Bank: $60,000.00
- Oct 1866 Alexander Mitchell Bank
- March 1867 McLain Banking House
- 4 Mar 1867 Richmond, MO: $4,000.00
- 1868 Southern Banking Co, Russellville, Logan Co KY (his father's home) $14,000.00
- 1868 Daviess Co Savings Bank: $7,000.00
- 1868 Missouri State General Bank
- 3 June 1871 Corydon, Wayne Co Iowa
- 21 July 1873 Pacific Express train: $2,000.00
- 31 Jan 1874 Iron Mountain Express train: $10,000.00 from passengers.
- 1874 Texas stage coach
- 1874 Kansas Bank
- 1874 Tishimingo Brothers Bank, Corinth MS
- 6 Sep 1876 Northfield, Minnesota: 1st National Bank. Almost died, the Younger brothers caught and prisoned.
- Oct 1879 Chicago and Alton Train: $40,000.00
- Sept 1880 Wells Fargo Stage in Mammoth Cave, KY: $11,400.00
- 1880 Muscle Shoals Alabama: Paymasters office: $3,000.00
- 1880 Sexton Bank, Riverton, Iowa: $5,000.00
- 17 Jul 1881
- 1881 Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad: $500.00
- 1881 Chicago and Alton Rail Road: $1,500.00
Jesse After Death and His Memorials
The epitaph on Jesse's headstone in the family cemetery reads that Jesse was "Murdered by a traitor and a coward whose name is not worthy to appear here."[2]
Some people believe Jesse James faked his death.[21][22]
Jesse's fame in life became only larger once he died, making him a legendary Wild West figure who was portrayed in stories and entertainment the world round.[1]
His mother had him buried in the front yard of the James Farm with an imposing monument with a inscription condemning the assassin. The house in St Joseph where Jesse met his death is preserved and is the epitome of morbidity. Here you can see the bullet hole made as it passed thought the skull of Jesse. The structure is filled with James memorabilia. The house was actually moved here after being saved from the jaws of demolition. Now more has been added. Artifacts from the controversial exhumation of 1995. A bullet from his right lung stemming from an old civil War injury, the tie tack he was wearing when first buried and fragments of wood, the handles and the glass fragments from the coffin front piece grace a glass cabinet.
Jesse James boyhood home today remains relatively secluded in the countryside near the small town of Kearney. After Zerelda's third and very successful marriage to her neighbor a country doctor, the two farms became one and was very prosperous with several slaves doing most of the work.
After the death of her son, a defiant mother sat on the front porch giving tours of the house and selling stones from the grave and supposed pistols owned by her famous son.
It was here Union soldiers harassed the family known as confederate sympathizers and attacked Zerelda and tried to hang her third husband. The incident defined young Jessie's determination to join the Confederate army. It was here Pinkerton detectives threw an incendiary bomb into the residence killing a younger half-brother and maiming Zerelda.
After her death and Jesse's wife, his body was moved from the farm to the family plot in Mount Olivet Cemetery Kearney and interred beside her. Frank James in his old age kept up the tours by charging 50 cents until his death.
Clay County purchased the rundown property and after two restorations, 75 percent of the original material remains. It contains original furnishings. The James home is perhaps one of the most authentic birthplace sites in America today. Now, the Clay County government at the Jesse James Farm and Museum is still selling pebbles for 25 cents along with shirts, books and toys.
The Jesse James Bank Museum, formerly the Clay County Savings Assoc., located on the historic square in Liberty, Missouri, was the site of the nation's first successful daylight peacetime bank robbery on February 13, 1866, when the James-Younger gang robbed the bank of $60,000 in cash, gold and negotiable instruments. During their getaway, they shot and killed an innocent bystander, 17-year old college student, George C. Wymore, who was standing across the street.
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