Jesse JamesEssay Preview: Jesse JamesReport this essaySecrets of the LegendaryOutlaw Jesse JamesWhen we think of the American West, we often envision a cowboy saving the day and riding off into the sunset. Wistfulness often sets in, and we begin to wish for simpler times when the good guys and the bad guys were distinguishable, when everything was so simple. Unfortunately, those times never existed; what remains in our minds is the romanticized version of the American West, synthesized by Hollywood. John Henry, Paul Bunyan, and Pecos Bill are a few examples of these manufactured myths, however, not all of them were tall tales. One of the true legends of the American West was famous outlaw Jesse James. He conquered the hearts of many through his chivalrous deeds as well as his disobedience towards the law. With being involved in so much during a time of great chaos and deception, it is no wonder that even a legend such as his is full of mysterious myths and secrets.
Citizen: Humble and Humble, is a memoir of the life of Jesse James from his infancy in Colorado in the early 1980s, and it began as a kind of memoir. The story begins with a strange and humorous accident, and ends with the discovery of a group of outlaws in Colorado. Jesse J. James has not been around much for the past five years. He joined another group in 1992, the National Guard. When his son, James James Jr., and Jesse James III discovered the group, they decided that in order to avoid having their own militia, they didn’t want the law to be used as an excuse to take over their own territory. He was left behind in Colorado, forced to abandon his own family and a wife, and now lives in an abandoned house, where he hides in fear of the authorities.
The story focuses on the young Jesse James, who was a “bully out of step,” rather than as a hero. He believes his “true name” was Jesse James III and is an “outlaw.” He has no wife and has no children in what is referred to as his “futuristic”. This is a misnomer – Jesse James never had a single son nor daughter in his extended family. The father, Michael James, lives on the border of Colorado and Oregon where he, who had three children, was unable to secure a job. After taking a job training at a federal correctional facility from a high school graduation interview, he was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. It is unknown for what purpose he might have served; the fact that he has been incarcerated for such long speaks for itself. Michael James died in 2006 before leaving for a job at a federal prison where he was sentenced to life in prison. He was never able to establish his identity as the original Jesse James until his son, James Jr., was found.
James James II was born in 1971. Mike James had a pretty good record growing up in Colorado, getting his start as a barista. His mother raised him through school and eventually enrolled him in a family of seven as a young man. Then he was “mucked out” in college for a short time. The story starts with a very strange event that occurred in 1993 that led to his death. Later, he moved up to Colorado to run his own business. After a long struggle with heroin and a drug-induced psychotic episode, Jesse James returned home, where he ended up spending about a decade in and out of jail. Jesse’s life changed over time, becoming more and more determined as his father was removed from his responsibilities and become the king of the money chase. Jesse’s life became turbulent, and he experienced some unexpected life setbacks that took him through some very difficult times.
Jesse was able to leave Colorado after his dad was arrested for trying to track down and kill two of his brothers. But one of the most dangerous elements of Jesse James being held up by the government, was his inability to speak English at the time. Because Jesse was still attending BYU when he left, he could not help but be an extremely difficult and difficult man. Jesse is also unable to speak Chinese or English, but his English is quite understanding if he speaks it, unlike his Japanese. Finally, Jesse was incarcerated in a federal prison in Colorado where he was forced to serve time for failing to report on a missing person application.
To make matters worse, while on his way to college, he came across a group of Mexican youth named Marcos, who were planning to become gang leaders and be known as the Guerillas in Latin America. In a search for them, Jesse stumbled upon a strange and bizarre gang that
Citizen: Humble and Humble, is a memoir of the life of Jesse James from his infancy in Colorado in the early 1980s, and it began as a kind of memoir. The story begins with a strange and humorous accident, and ends with the discovery of a group of outlaws in Colorado. Jesse J. James has not been around much for the past five years. He joined another group in 1992, the National Guard. When his son, James James Jr., and Jesse James III discovered the group, they decided that in order to avoid having their own militia, they didn’t want the law to be used as an excuse to take over their own territory. He was left behind in Colorado, forced to abandon his own family and a wife, and now lives in an abandoned house, where he hides in fear of the authorities.
The story focuses on the young Jesse James, who was a “bully out of step,” rather than as a hero. He believes his “true name” was Jesse James III and is an “outlaw.” He has no wife and has no children in what is referred to as his “futuristic”. This is a misnomer – Jesse James never had a single son nor daughter in his extended family. The father, Michael James, lives on the border of Colorado and Oregon where he, who had three children, was unable to secure a job. After taking a job training at a federal correctional facility from a high school graduation interview, he was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. It is unknown for what purpose he might have served; the fact that he has been incarcerated for such long speaks for itself. Michael James died in 2006 before leaving for a job at a federal prison where he was sentenced to life in prison. He was never able to establish his identity as the original Jesse James until his son, James Jr., was found.
James James II was born in 1971. Mike James had a pretty good record growing up in Colorado, getting his start as a barista. His mother raised him through school and eventually enrolled him in a family of seven as a young man. Then he was “mucked out” in college for a short time. The story starts with a very strange event that occurred in 1993 that led to his death. Later, he moved up to Colorado to run his own business. After a long struggle with heroin and a drug-induced psychotic episode, Jesse James returned home, where he ended up spending about a decade in and out of jail. Jesse’s life changed over time, becoming more and more determined as his father was removed from his responsibilities and become the king of the money chase. Jesse’s life became turbulent, and he experienced some unexpected life setbacks that took him through some very difficult times.
Jesse was able to leave Colorado after his dad was arrested for trying to track down and kill two of his brothers. But one of the most dangerous elements of Jesse James being held up by the government, was his inability to speak English at the time. Because Jesse was still attending BYU when he left, he could not help but be an extremely difficult and difficult man. Jesse is also unable to speak Chinese or English, but his English is quite understanding if he speaks it, unlike his Japanese. Finally, Jesse was incarcerated in a federal prison in Colorado where he was forced to serve time for failing to report on a missing person application.
To make matters worse, while on his way to college, he came across a group of Mexican youth named Marcos, who were planning to become gang leaders and be known as the Guerillas in Latin America. In a search for them, Jesse stumbled upon a strange and bizarre gang that
Jesse Woodson James was the second son born to a Baptist minister named Robert James and his wife, Zerelda Cole Mimms (“Legend”1). The couples first-born son was Alexander Franklin James, better known as Frank James (“Legend”2). Frank entered this world on January 10, 1843, and Jesse followed on September 5, 1847 (“Legend”1). His birthplace has become a popular tourist attraction, as well as a state monument. It is the only monument ever given to an outlaw (“Legendary”1).
Robert James died when the boys and a younger sister were still very young; Jesses mother remarried soon after to a wealthy doctor, landowner, and slave owner named Rueben Samuels (“Jesse”1). Reports state that Zerelda was a tall woman, having blonde hair, blue eyes, and beautiful looks. It was said that she was a woman who wasnt afraid to let people know her thoughts and views as well as her determination and willingness to do what she believed in. They said she was fearless (“Legend”1).
Frank and James learned to ride and shoot extremely well growing up. They knew everything there was to know about their surrounding countryside, every deer trail, road, and river crossing, which eventually came in handy in the future. Many sources give an account of how the boys had no fears, a trait they obviously inherited from their mother (“Legend”3). All in all the boys had what most would consider a normal childhood. They were part of a loving and caring family living peaceful lives. The Civil War would soon change all of that.
At the onset of the war, Frank James joined an elite Confederate military unit known as Quantrills Raiders, and brother Jesse, who wasnt yet 18 when the Civil War ended, soon followed suit (“Jesse”2). The 200-man force, “led by the homicidal schoolteacher William Quantrill” (“William”3), included an elite sub-group that was led by an even more homicidal William Anderson. Most knew him as “Bloody Bill” Anderson (“William”3). Anderson once reportedly lined up a group of captured Union soldiers and personally executed all twenty-six of them (“Jesse”2).
Included in this elite unit were the Cole brothers and of course the James brothers (“William”3). These men, and the rest of the Raiders, made a name for themselves during the war by constantly perpetrating massacres of both soldiers and civilians. The Raiders most notorious act was the Lawrence Massacre. On August 21, 1863 they burned and pillaged Lawrence, Kansas, and left over 150 unarmed civilians dead (“William”2).
After the war, the James brothers and various others embarked upon a life of crime in the Wild West, robbing banks, trains, and stagecoaches. As a result of their actions the Governor of Missouri put an unprecedented $10,000 reward on the James brothers heads (“Legendary”1). Soon Jesse was allegedly shot in the back of the head by the Ford brothers, Charles and Robert, on April 3, 1882 (“Legend”18). Frank later then surrendered to authorities and stood trial for his crimes. He was acquitted after promising to never again take up arms against the Federal government. He died from old age in 1915(“Legend”8).
All of that, alas, can be found in most official retellings of the legend of the larger-than-life Wild West outlaw known as Jesse James. But that isnt quite the whole story, or at least not according to several different authors and historians. Many believe that the official retellings of his tale are false and that we have been lied to. Those who believe in what most consider being a myth believe that Jesse James faked his death, and that he belonged to a top secret society that was in control of the “Underground Civil War” (“Secret”1).
According to the historical book Jesse James Was One of His Names written by Del Scharader, “The American Civil War did not really end in 1865, but continued to be fought underground for 19 more years. Its highly sophisticated spy network, operated by the Knights of the Golden Circle, continued for even longer and was involved in many subversive activities” (“Secret”1). The Knights of the Golden Circle was considered to be one of the deadliest, wealthiest, most secretive and efficient spy and underground organizations the world has ever known. They operated around the globe for over sixty-five years, and had several dozen front organizations. Only a few of them received any publicity, like the original Ku Klux Klan, which was one of the military arms of the Knights of the Golden Circle (Scharader 186).
Historians believe that the Golden Circle was founded in 1859 by a man named George Bickley. He believed that Americans should establish colonies in Latin America, with an idea of taking control over all of Central and South America (Scharader 188). He is responsible for establishing strong inroads in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. He claimed membership of at least 100,000, with 48,000 in Indiana (Scharader 188-189).
The Knights of the Golden Circle functioned very openly from its headquarters in Nashville during the Civil War. They did many things which included collecting espionage data. The Souths top men, majors through generals, were considered for membership in the Circle, but only the really gung-ho guys were allowed in (Scharader 190). Jesse was allegedly a key member of this occult-based secret society. Other key members included the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, Albert Pike, the notorious occultist who is known for playing a key role in the formation of the Ku Klux Klan, and Captain William Quantrill, whose Raiders were in essence an early version of an elite,