Robert Franklin JAMES

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• _UID: 81994F8AB97347798FFAA81B10F000E611BA

Notes:

Born under fathers assumed name Alias Robert Woodson.
Was private in company G, Cavalry, Spanish American War.

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• FamilySearch ID: GDC4-M69
• _UID: 1890AC261080414ABE1499A6217FDC9CBE4F

Notes:

Alexander Franklin "Frank" James was born in Kearney, Missouri, to Baptist minister Reverend Robert Sallee James and his wife Zerelda (Cole) James. The couple came from Kentucky. He was of English, Welsh and Scottish descent. Frank was the oldest of three children. His father died in 1851 and his mother remarried Benjamin Simms in 1852. After his death, she married a third time to Dr. Reuben Samuel in 1855, when Frank was 13 years old. As a child, James showed interest in his late father's sizable library, especially the works of William Shakespeare. Census records show that James attended school regularly, and he reportedly wanted to become a teacher.

Civil War
The American Civil War began in 1861, when James was eighteen years old. The secessionists in Missouri, including Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson, attempted to drive the Union army out of the state, but were eventually defeated. The James family was from the heavily Confederate western portion of the state. On September 13, 1861, the Missouri State Guard, including private Frank James, besieged Lexington, Missouri. James fell ill and was left behind when the Confederate forces retreated. He surrendered to the Union troops, was paroled, and was allowed to return home. On his arrival, however, he was arrested by the local pro-Union militia and was forced to sign an oath of allegiance to the Union.

After the withdrawal of regular Confederate troops in the fall of 1861, a bitter guerrilla conflict soon began between bands of pro-Confederate irregulars (commonly known as bushwhackers) and the Union homeguards. By early 1863, Frank, ignoring his parole and oath of allegiance, had joined the guerrilla band of Fernando Scott, a former saddler. He soon switched to the more active command led by William Clarke Quantrill.

Union militiamen searching for Fernando Scott raided the Samuel farm and hanged Dr. Reuben Samuel (though not fatally), Frank's stepfather, torturing him to reveal the location of the guerrillas. Shortly afterward, Frank took part with Quantrill's company in the August 21, 1863 Lawrence Massacre where approximately 200 mostly unarmed civilians were killed.

Frank James was paroled July 27, 1865 in Nelson County, Kentucky. There is a report that after his parole, Frank was involved in a gunfight in Brandenburg, Kentucky with four soldiers that resulted in two soldiers killed, one wounded, and Frank wounded in the hip. However, there is an alternative account that claims in the autumn of 1865, Frank, who was in Kentucky going to Missouri, was suspected of stealing horses in Ohio and that Frank shot two members of a posse and escaped.

During his years as a bandit, Frank James was involved in at least four robberies between 1868 and 1876 that resulted in the deaths of bank employees or citizens. The most famous incident was the disastrous Northfield, Minnesota, raid on September 7, 1876, that ended with the death or capture of most of the gang.

Five months after the killing of his brother Jesse in 1882, Frank James boarded a train to Jefferson City, Missouri, where he had an appointment with the governor in the state capitol. Placing his holster in Governor Crittenden's hands, he explained,

'I have been hunted for twenty-one years, have literally lived in the saddle, have never known a day of perfect peace. It was one long, anxious, inexorable, eternal vigil.' He then ended his statement by saying, 'Governor, I haven't let another man touch my gun since 1861.'

Accounts say that James surrendered with the understanding that he would not be extradited to Northfield, Minnesota.

He was tried for only two of the robberies/murders: one in Gallatin, Missouri, for the July 15, 1881, robbery of the Rock Island Line train at Winston, Missouri, in which the train engineer and a passenger were killed, and the other in Huntsville, Alabama, for the March 11, 1881, robbery of a United States Army Corps of Engineers payroll at Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Among others, former Confederate General Joseph Orville Shelby testified on James's behalf in the Missouri trial. He was acquitted in both Missouri and Alabama. Missouri accepted legal jurisdiction over him for other charges, but they never came to trial. He was never extradited to Minnesota for his connection with the Northfield Raid.

His New York Times obituary summarized his arrest and acquittal:

In 1882 ... Frank James surrendered in Jefferson City, Missouri. After his surrender James was taken to Independence, Missouri, where he was held in jail three weeks, and later to Gallatin, where he remained in jail a year awaiting trial. Finally James was acquitted and went to Oklahoma to live with his mother. He never was in the penitentiary and never was convicted of any of the charges against him.

In the last thirty years of his life, James worked a variety of jobs, including as a shoe salesman and then as a burlesque theater ticket taker in St. Louis. One of the theater's spins to attract patrons was their use of the phrase "Come get your ticket punched by the legendary Frank James." He also served as an AT&T telegraph operator in St. Joseph, Missouri. James took up the lecture circuit, while residing in Sherman, Texas. In 1902, former Missourian Sam Hildreth, a leading thoroughbred horse trainer and owner, hired James as the betting commissioner at the Fair Grounds Race Track, in New Orleans. He returned to the North Texas area where he was a shoe salesman at Sanger Brothers in Dallas. The Tacoma Times reported in July, 1914, that he was picking berries at a local ranch in Washington state, and planned to buy a farm nearby. He was also part of a Chicago investment group which purchased the Fletcher Terrell's Buckskin Bill's Wild West Show, third in size after the Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill shows.

In his final years, James returned to the James Farm, giving tours for the sum of 25 cents. He died there at age 72 on February 18, 1915. He left behind his wife Annie Ralston James and one son. He is interred in Hill Park Cemetery, in the western portion of Independence, Missouri.

Alexander married Annie RALSTON on 6 Jun 1874 in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska. Annie (daughter of Samuel RALSTON and Mary Catherine HILL) was born on 25 Jan 1853 in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri; died on 6 Jul 1944 in James Farm, Excelsior Springs, Clay, Missouri; was buried in Jul 1944 in Hill Park Cemetery, Independence, Jackson, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FamilySearch ID: GMW5-9T3
• LifeSketch: ; American Folk Figure. Wife of Western Outlaw Frank James. The daughter of wealthy Independence, Missouri businessman Samuel Ralston, she was working as a school teacher when she met and married Frank James, brother of Jesse James. The cremated remains of
• _UID: 528977A692C74CD1A78430B08DF0EEFADE0B
• Residence: 1860, Blue Township, Jackson, Missouri
• Residence: 1860, Liberty Township, Grant, Indiana
• Residence: 1870, Indiana
• Residence: 1880, Davidson, Tennessee
• Residence: 1910, Delaware Township, Caddo, Oklahoma
• Residence: 1920, Wayne, Noble, Indiana
• Residence: 1930, Washington Township, Clay, Missouri
• Residence: 1935, Washington Township, Clay, Missouri; Same House
• Residence: 1940, Washington Township, Clay, Missouri

Notes:

Wife of Western Outlaw Frank James. The daughter of wealthy Independence, Missouri businessman Samuel Ralston, she was working as a school teacher when she met and married Frank James, brother of Jesse James.

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• FamilySearch ID: M4W3-P3B
• _UID: 6D3A63A631A44D4EA235228DEEB66924D706

Notes:

by Debbie Quinn:
Robert Sallee James was a Baptist preacher in Western Missouri. He was born July 17, 1818 in Logan County Kentucky, a place called Lickskillet on the Whippoorwill Creek. . His family was one of the old families of Logan County Kentucky.

He was the son of John and Mary Poore James, both natives of Virginia, but very early settlers of Logan County, Kentucky. Robert was one of nine children, five sons and four daughters. The five sons were as follows: Wm. James (1811), John James (1815), Robert S. James (1818), Thomas M. James (1823), Drury Woodson James (1825); Mary James (1809) m John Mimms, Elizabeth James (1816) m Tillman West, Nancy James (1830) m George Hite, Mary Elizabeth James (1827) m John R. (Hugh) Cohorn. Mary Elizabeth mother, Mary (Poore) James died the following day after she was born. A neighbor, Mary Elizabeth Hendricks (who had lost her child one week before), breast fed the new infant girl a few weeks until she became very healthy and continued to raise her as her own until she was married. The name "Mary Elizabeth" came from three sources, the names of her two older sisters, so she may always remember them, her mother, Mary and her godmother's name, Mary Elizabeth Hendricks who raised her to adulthood. (Facts obtained from the old Hendrick-Newton bible, on record at the James Museum, Kearney, MO.)

Was a graduate of Georgetown, Kentucky College having completed all requirements of the four-year classical course, on June 29, 1843. His degree was the Bachelor of Arts. According to faculty records, final examination for the senior class was taken on May 24, 1843. Robert is listed as having tied for third place honors in the class. For his accomplishment, he was awarded the opportunity to present an oration at the commencement exercises. All associates who knew him spoke of him as a kindly man of God. So convincing as a Minister one would remember his sermons the rest of their life. He was an educator, gifted orator, and a successful farmer.

He married Miss Zerelda Cole, one year before he graduated from college. . They met at a religious gathering. Her family was from Lexington, Kentucky and she was educated in a Catholic convent (St. Catherine's Female School )in that city. The Cole family was of Revolutionary stock and her grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

She was born January 29, 1825 in Woodford County Kentucky at her Grandfather's (Richard Cole Jr.) Black Horse Inn. The brick portion was attached to the Inn in 1799. It was the living quarters of her father James Cole, born September 8, 1804 to February 27, 1827 and her mother Sarah (Sallie) Lindsay (4-15-1803 to 10-12-1851). She was the daughter of Anthony and Alsey (Cole) Lindsay. Alsey was the daughter of Richard Cole Sr. being James Cole's Aunt.

The Cole family had come from Pennsylvania through Virginia to Kentucky. Richard Cole Sr. helped to survey with Humphrey Marshall "The Vacant Lands", where Frankfort is now located in June and July of 1785. He later settled in Woodford County near what is now the town of Midway and Leestown Pike. He bought a large track of land from Hancock Lee. Hancock's son, Maj. John Lee helped in the settlement of Versailles, KY. Richard Cole Sr. operated a Tavern by the name, "Cole's Inn," located on Cole's Road.

Robert married Zerelda Elizabeth COLE on 28 Dec 1841 in Stamping Ground, Scott, Kentucky. Zerelda (daughter of James COLE and Sarah "Sallie" LINDSAY) was born on 29 Jan 1825 in Black Horse Tavern, Midway, Woodford, Kentucky; died on 10 Feb 1911 in on train to Calif, near Oklahoma City, OK.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: ED3DAF39A0CC4D9CB2279CE168B5BCB54B36

Notes:

James Cole (2-8-1804 to 9-27-1833) was married to his first cousin Sally Lindsay. She had only two children before his death. It is said he died after being thrown from a horse. Zerelda was then only two years old, she continued to live at the Black Horse Inn with her grandfather as guardian. After James death her mother married again to Robert Thomason whom Zerelda did not favor. According to members of the family Zerelda "hated" Robert Thomason and became a favorite to her Grandfather, Richard Cole Jr. who gave her the proper education and training to become a lady of prominence. When Sally and Robert moved to Clay County Mo. Zerelda did not accompany them, instead she went to live with her Uncle James M. Lindsay, at Stamping Ground, Scott Co. Ky

By the time school ended in the spring of 1841 Robert James and Zerelda were not speaking. Most young men in those days had strong beliefs that a woman should be silent and not express their political thoughts. Zerelda was of the Cole and Lindsay Families, who had been famous for their courageous deeds during the Revolutionary War. She inherited these same traits, and with her education it made her unwilling to comply with his wishes. But three days later before fall 1841, the desire and love for Zerelda was too strong, Robert proposed to her and they were married December 28, 1841 at the home of Uncle Judge James Madison Lindsay, in Stamping Ground, Kentucky. He was 23 and she was 17 years old. The house is still standing and presently owned by Marguerite Sprague on Locust Fork Pike, Scott County.

The following August they left for Clay County, Missouri, to visit her mother Sarah, and her step-dad Robert Thomason. He returned to Georgetown leaving alone his pregnant wife with her mother. His desire was to finish his final year of theological training and return home by next Christmas, but the Missouri River was frozen the poor roads were treacherous, so it was spring after he had graduated before he arrived at Kearney, to reunite with his wife and a new son born January 10, 1843, Alexander Franklin James. He later returned to Georgetown College in 1848 where he received his Masters Degree. He then decided to settle in Clay County where he purchased a farm from Asa W. Thomason, near Centerville, a town which later changed it's name to Kearney. The farm had no house and they built a cabin during the next spring. Robert bought two slaves. He combined farming and preaching to make a living. He founded the Baptist churches at New Hope and Providence.

In 1851, he went to California. Jesse was only 4 years old at this time. He went in order to get money to educate his children. The trip lasted from April 21 to August 1, 3 months. Robert died 18 days after arriving in California. and is buried there. He died August 18, 1850 near Placerville El Dorado California.

Their children were:
Alexander Franklin James (Frank) - born Jan. 10, 1844
Robert James - born July 19, 1845 - he died in infancy
Jesse Woodson James - born Sept. 5, 1847 - died April 3, 1882
Susan L. James - born Nov. 25, 1849. She married on Nov. 11, 1870 to Allen H. Palmer. She died in 1889.

Zerelda James remained a widow for four (4) years, and then she was married to a Mr. Sims, who died. She then married Dr. Reuben Samuels in 1855.

Their children were:
Sarah L. Samuels - born Dec. 26, 1858. She was married on Nov. 28, 1878 to William Nicholson.
John T. Samuels - born May 25, 1861. He married on July 22, 1885 to Norma L. Maret.
Fannie Quantrell Samuels - born Oct. 18, 1863. She married on Dec. 30, 1880 to Joseph Hall.
Archie Payton Samuels - born July 26, 1866. He was murdered by Pinkerton detectives on Jan. 26, 1875.

Dr. Samuels and Zerelda lived in a neighborhood of Northern sympathizers, of course Dr. Samuels and Zerelda were Southern sympathizers, which lead to cruelty towards their family. Dr. Samuels was hung up three times because he did not know the whereabout of Quantrell's band. Jesse was in the fields working at this time. The Militia went to the fields and whipped Jesse up and down the rows of corn and then took him to the barn where they were torturing his step-father. The Militia then went to the house and confronted Mrs. Samuels (Mrs. Robert James) at gun point. They then took Mrs. Samuels and her daughter to jail at St. Joseph and imprisoned them for 25 days. Jesse James decided after this incident that he would not allow the militia, lawmen, or anyone else to treat him that way again. It is no wonder that Jesse joined the Quantrell's gang after his family was beaten, imprisoned, tortured, persecuted at every turn and driven from home.
Legend said that the two brothers were brutal murders and came from an illiterate family. The brothers robbed banks and stole from the railroads because those institutions were forcing people into poverty, raised grain prices which forced farmers to sell their farms. Jesse came to their aid. As far as being illiterate, there are alot of letters written by Frank and Jesse that were well written.

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• FamilySearch ID: LC7Q-YBV
• _UID: 0F8D8AFD7F3346089363DB9B7146456CF7C3

Samuel married Mary Catherine HILL. Mary was born on 31 Dec 1829 in Madison, Kentucky; died on 5 Nov 1893 in Independence, Jackson, Missouri; was buried in Nov 1893 in Woodlawn Cemetery, Blue Township, Jackson, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FamilySearch ID: 9QGB-PZY
• _UID: 4993BE9D8A6A4BAD833D5A07316756E71921

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• FamilySearch ID: M18L-RRX
• _UID: DA6868A4A0FC43319315E3086988049177E1
• Alt. Birth: 15 Jul 1775, Hanover, Virginia, British Colonial America
• Alt. Death: 11 Jan 1827, Logan, Kentucky

John married Mary Gardner "Polly" POOR on 26 Mar 1807 in Goochland, Goochland, Virginia. Mary (daughter of Robert POOR and Elizabeth MIMMS) was born about 1790; died in Feb 1827 in Logan County, Kentucky. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _UID: C54AB2EB92CC48B499136CA27F30DB6EB8C0

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• FamilySearch ID: G94N-4P1
• _UID: 37D2385C5CF441E6BA4AFC56C09776003703

Notes:

James Cole (2-8-1804 to 9-27-1833) was married to his first cousin Sally Lindsay. She had only two children before his death. It is said he died after being thrown from a horse. Zerelda was then only two years old, she continued to live at the Black Horse Inn with her grandfather as guardian. After James death her mother married again to Robert Thomason whom Zerelda did not favor. According to members of the family Zerelda "hated" Robert Thomason and became a favorite to her Grandfather, Richard Cole Jr. who gave her the proper education and training to become a lady of prominence. When Sally and Robert moved to Clay County Mo. Zerelda did not accompany them, instead she went to live with her Uncle James M. Lindsay, at Stamping Ground, Scott Co. Ky

By the time school ended in the spring of 1841 Robert James and Zerelda were not speaking. Most young men in those days had strong beliefs that a woman should be silent and not express their political thoughts. Zerelda was of the Cole and Lindsay Families, who had been famous for their courageous deeds during the Revolutionary War. She inherited these same traits, and with her education it made her unwilling to comply with his wishes. But three days later before fall 1841, the desire and love for Zerelda was too strong, Robert proposed to her and they were married December 28, 1841 at the home of Uncle Judge James Madison Lindsay, in Stamping Ground, Kentucky. He was 23 and she was 17 years old. The house is still standing and presently owned by Marguerite Sprague on Locust Fork Pike, Scott County.

The following August they left for Clay County, Missouri, to visit her mother Sarah, and her step-dad Robert Thomason. He returned to Georgetown leaving alone his pregnant wife with her mother. His desire was to finish his final year of theological training and return home by next Christmas, but the Missouri River was frozen the poor roads were treacherous, so it was spring after he had graduated before he arrived at Kearney, to reunite with his wife and a new son born January 10, 1843, Alexander Franklin James. He later returned to Georgetown College in 1848 where he received his Masters Degree. He then decided to settle in Clay County where he purchased a farm from Asa W. Thomason, near Centerville, a town which later changed it's name to Kearney. The farm had no house and they built a cabin during the next spring. Robert bought two slaves. He combined farming and preaching to make a living. He founded the Baptist churches at New Hope and Providence.

In 1851, he went to California. Jesse was only 4 years old at this time. He went in order to get money to educate his children. The trip lasted from April 21 to August 1, 3 months. Robert died 18 days after arriving in California. and is buried there. He died August 18, 1850 near Placerville El Dorado California.

James married Sarah "Sallie" LINDSAY in 1824 in Woodford, Kentucky. Sarah (daughter of Anthony LINDSAY and Ailsey COLE) was born on 15 Apr 1803; died on 12 Oct 1851 in Clay, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• FamilySearch ID: GDC4-79X
• _UID: 5F75B9D86AA345F58BD6B9AD72838E1D139C