The Kansas Heritage Server would like to thank Richard A. Ensminger for contributing to this material. Rich passed away 29 May 1996 at Kirkwood, Missouri. He was 58 years old and had been with ALMSA, SIMA, and LSSC since 1969. Rich loved to read about the Old West, and this material is archived in Rich's memory.
From "Richard A. Ensminger" 22-MAR-1996 >> Subject: Members of the Jesse James Gang This is a list of the know members of the Jesse James gang, and, where known, what happened to them. Regards, Rich NAME ALIAS --------------------------------------------------------------------- Anderson, James ---------------- Brother of "Bloody Bill" Anderson. Rode with Quantrill. Surrendered in KY, but, for some reason, served time in the prison in Alton, IL. Released at the end of 1865. Joined Jesse James after Civil War ended. Killed by George W. Shepherd by having his throat slit on the lawn of the state capitol building in Austin, Texas. This was a revenge killing for Anderson's part in the murder and robbery of Shepherd's nephew, Ike Flannery in MO. Bassham, Daniel Tucker ----------------------- Related to the three Basshams who rode with Quantrill but was probably too young to be a member himself. Testified against Bill Ryan. Gave a confession 7 November 1880 that only Jesse James and Ed Miller at the Glendale, MO, robbery. He had been sentenced to 10 years in the Missouri State Penitentiary, but was released when he turned state's evidence on Bill Ryan. Bishop, John ------------- Rode with Quantrill. Burns, Richard --------------- Rode with Quantrill. Hanged 27 May 1867. Clements, Archibald "Arch" --------------------------- Sadistic executioner for Bill Anderson, lieutenant of Quantrill. Became lieutenant upon death of Anderson. Killed in Lexington, MO, 13 Dec 1866, by Bacon Montgomery. Chadwell, Bill William Stiles Jack Ladd J. Ward --------------- Probably born in Tennessee in 1840s. Referred to as "half-breed Cherokee". Possibly with Quantrill, for he was with Jesse James while he was recovering from wounds at Younger's Bend in Indian Territory (Oklahoma). Participated in several robberies with the James gang, but was not with him on Minnesota raid at Northfield. Living in northern Oklahoma, near Ponca City, he was afraid he would be arrested for the Northfield robbery, so he fled to Oregon City, Oregon, changing his name to "Brown". Died there about 1930. "William Stiles" or "Bill Stiles" was his favorite alias. There were several Stiles in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas at this time. Others of James gang used this alias on several occasions. The reference to his having lived in Rice County, MN, had to apply to the actual William Stiles. Chatman, John -------------- Chiles, William ---------------- Rode with Quantrill. Collins, Bradley ----------------- Probably participated in the murder of the Pinkerton agent, John W. Walker, 10 March 1874, at Independence, MO. Cummins/Cummings, James Robert "Windy Jim" -------------------------------------------- Lived near Kearney, MO. Known as a horsethief. Died in the Confederate Soldiers' Home, Higgensville, MO, around 1929. The Soldier's home has been razed, but the cemetery is still in use. His sister, Artella Cummins, married Bill Ford. Their son, Albert, was his nephew. Known descendant in Canada. Davis, Benjamin H. ------------------- Not a member of the James gang. He was present at the robbery in Huntington, West Virginia, 6 September 1875 as a by-stander. Edmondton / Edmundson, J. F. ----------------------------- Rode with Quantrill. Ford, Charles Wilson --------------------- Committed suicide 6 March 1884, at the home of his father J. T. Ford, located about a mile east of Richmond, MO. Ford, Robert Newton -------------------- Member of gang who killed Jesse at St. Joseph, MO. Tried to cash in on notoriety by buying a bar in Las Vegas, NM. Business failed. Ed O'Kelly used a shotgun to kill Ford in his bar 8 June 1892, in Creede, CO. Ford was first buried in Colorado, but was exhumed and taken to the family plot at Richmond, MO. O'Kelly was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder in Canon City, CO. Freed in 1902. Killed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 13 June 1904. Flannery, Isaac "Ike" ---------------------- Killed near Glasgow, MO, by Jesse James for his inheritance of several thousand dollars. Nephew of George W. Shepherd (see below). Former member of Quantrill's guerrillas. Hines/Hinds, James/John ------------------------ Rode with Quantrill. Hite, Clarence Bowler ---------------------- Hite, Robert Woodson "Wood" Robert Grimes ---------------------------- Son of Major George Hite of Adairville, Kentucky. Was a cousin of Jesse and Frank James. Argued with other gang members over the spoils of the Blue Cut, MO, robbery, 7 September 1881. Killed at the home of Marilyn Bolton in Richmond, MO. There were ten shots fired among Hite, Dick Liddle, and Bob Ford, but no-one saw who actually killed Hite, although it is generally believed to have been Bob Ford. Hite was buried in a shallow grave in a woods nearby. Hulse, William --------------- Went to Kentucky with Quantrill in 1865. Surrendered by Capt. Henry Porter to Capt. Young, US Army at Samuel's Depot, Nelson County, KY, 26 July 1865; paroled. James, Jesse Woodson Mr. Howard J. D. Howard Thomas Howard Alias used was for Dr. John Black Howard, a Kentuckian and close friend, who visited often. William Campbell A wealthy Kansas City cattleman Charles Lawson "of Nottingham, England" ---------------------- Killed 3 April 1882 in St. Joseph, MO, by Robert Ford (see above). James, Alexander Franklin "Frank" Mr. Woods B. J. Woodson Alias used was for Silas Woodson, a Governor of MO, and kinsman. ---------------------------------- Died in Kearny, MO, in 18 February 1915. ------------------------------------------------------ NOTE: Collectively Frank and Jesse called themselves the Williams Brothers. ------------------------------------------------------ Jarrette, John John Dawson --------------- Rode with Quantrill until 1863. By fall of 1863, Jarrette was a company commander under General Joseph Shelby's cavalry. After the war, became wealthy sheep rancher in Arizona. Jones, Payne ------------- Rode with Quantrill. Surrendered by Capt. Henry Porter to Capt. Young, US Army, 26 July 1865, at Samuel's Depot, Nelson County KY. Killed by Jim Chiles after the war ended. Keane/Keene, Jack Tom Webb ------------------ Not clear which is the name and which is the alias. Tom Webb is probably the real name. Caught after the Huntington, West Virginia robbery, and sent to prison, 8 December 1875, at the Moundsville, West Virginia, penitentiary. Pardoned 8 February 1885. Returned home to Pike County, Illinois. Keoughman, William ------------------- Kerry, Hobbs ------------- Recruited in 1875. After the Rocky Cut, MO, robbery, Kerry caught a KATY train to Ft. Scott, KS, then to Parsons, KS, Vinita, Oklahoma and Granby, MO. 18 July he was in Joplin bragging, then went to Eufala, OK, and back to Joplin where he was arrested. He was taken back to Booneville, Cooper County, MO, where he did two years in jail. Land, John ----------- Killed in 1909 on the Lexington Road where it crosses the Little Blue River, Lafeyette County, MO. Shot by a neighbor whose dog John had killed. Latche, Jack ------------- Probably not a member of the gang, he saw the Pinkerton agent, J. W. Whicher disguising himself as a farmer, and warned Jesse James, who murdered him. Liddil, James Andrew "Dick" ---------------------------- Rode with Quantrill. Went to Las Vegas, NM, with Bob Ford, and opened a saloon. It was a miserable failure. Then worked for J. W. Lynch, a famous horse-racing magnate. He died a natural death in 1893 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He had surrendered and turned state's evidence on Jesse in 1882. McCoy, Arthur -------------- Rode with Quantrill McDaniel, Thompson/Tomlinson ----------------------------- Participated in Huntington, West Virginia robbery. While trying to escape, shot near Pine Hill, Rockcastle County, KY, by W. R. Dillon and his brother, 14 September 1875. Died at the Dillon home, 18 September 1875. McDaniel, William ------------------ McGuire, Andrew "Andy" ----------------------- Rode with Quantrill. Surrendered by Capt. Henry Porter to Capt. Young, US Army at Samuel's Depot, Nelson county, KY, 26 July 1865, and paroled there. Hanged 22 May 1867 by a lynch mob at Warrensburg, MO, after being captured trying to rob Huges and Wasson Bank at Richmond, MO. Miles, William --------------- Miller, Edward --------------- Rode with Quantrill. Killed by Jesse James for talking too much after the Kansas City Fair robbery in 1872. Miller, McCllelan "Clell" -------------------------- Rode with Quantrill. Participated in several robberies with the James gang. Killed during the attempt on the Northfield, MN bank, in 1876. Body unclaimed, and buried in Potters Field there. It later made it back to Missouri, where it was claimed by his father, and reburied in the Muddy Fork Cemetery, north of the James' farm. Parmer, Allen H. ----------------- Rode with Quantrill. Surrendered by Capt. Henry Porter to Capt. Young, US Army at Samuel's Depot, Nelson county, KY, 26 July 1865. Married Susan James, sister of Jesse. Died in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1927. Pence, Bud ----------- Rode with Quantrill. Surrendered by Capt. Henry Porter to Capt. Young, US Army, at Samuel's Depot, Nelson County, KY, 26 July 1865, paroled. Pipes, Samuel -------------- Pitts, Charlie Sam Wells --------------- Killed by posse in 1875 after pursuit from Northfield, MN, at Blue Earth River, near Maddes, MN. Body was shipped to Rush Medical School in Chicago, where Dr. Henry Hoyt of St. Paul wanted the skeleton for his office but the school refused to accept it due to its damaged condition. In order to whiten the bones, he had it put in a box and submerged in Lake Como. Later, the skeleton was found and claimed by the Doctor. It disappeared later, and never found, although a skeleton at a museum at Savage, MN, that some claim is his. Reed, James ------------ Married Belle Starr. Shortly after 7 Apr 1874 robbery, near Bois D'Arc, Greene County, MO, tricked into disarming himself by John Morris, who had ridden there from Texas. Morris shot Reed twice in the chest. Morris, himself, was killed a little later on his ranch near Ft. Worth, Texas. Ryan, William "Whiskey Head" Tom Hall ----------------------------- A fearless braggart, heavy drinker. Convicted 15 October 1881. Sentenced to 25 years. Began sentence 16 October 1881 at Jefferson City (MO) Prison. Sentence commuted to 10 years. Released 15 April 1889. Returned to area of Independence, MO, and stayed with an uncle, John McCloskey. After some heavy drinking, he borrowed a friend's horse and rode off along the road to Blue Springs, which runs through some woods. The horse returned home without the rider. Ryan found later with his head smashed. It is not known if it was an accident. Shepherd, George W. G. W. Smith -------------------- Enlisted in the army at age 15, under Gerneral Albert Sidney Johnston, to fight the Mormons in what was then Utah Territory. Fought at Wilson's Creek (Springfield, MO) and at Pea Ridge, AR. Rode with Quantrill, and went with him to KY, where he was surrendered by Capt. Henry Porter to Capt. Young, US Army, at Samuel's Depot, Nelson County, KY, on 26 July 1865. Participated in the Russellville, KY, bank robbery, 20 Mar 1868. Caught and did two years in prison. Attempted to help law officers catch Jesse James after the Glendale, MO, robbery. Was shot at Short Creek (Galena), Kansas by Jim Cummins because of it. Fell out with Jesse when Jesse, along with James Anderson for killing his nephew, Ike Flannery over Ike's inheritance. Tracked James Anderson to Austin, Texas, where he slit his throat on the lawn of the State capitol building. With the support of the population, he escaped back to MO. In 1865, married Martha Sanders Maddox, the famous Confederate spy. Martha first married Richard Maddox. She disguised herself as a man, called herself "Matt Sanders", and rode with her husband. Richard Maddox was killed shortly after the war ended. Martha married George Shepherd and tried to help him escape from prison. Gave up on Shepherd, and married McMakin, a wealthy neighbor of her father. When Shepherd got out of prison, she chose to stay with McMakin. Shpeherd charged her with bigamy, but she gained a pardon from the governor, and the charges were dropped. Shepherd, Oliver Robert Boggs ----------------- Was with Quantrill. Participated in Russellville, KY, robbery, and was identified. He was traced back to MO. When ordered to surrender, he was killed by officers. Law officers report stated that he tried to shoot his way out, and was shot 7 times. Eye witness, grand-daughter Margaret Shephard said he was unarmed when he tried to surrender. The body had 20 bullet wounds in it. Stiles, William Bill Chadwell ---------------- Born in Nova Scotia into a family with one daughter. Family shows in Minneapolis 1870 census. Known by local sheriff as a two-bit horsethief. How he became involved with Jesse James is unknown, but it was probably him who suggested the Minnesota robbery. He was killed at Northfield in 1876, and his body put on display there. The body was claimed by his sister, who came from Minneapolis with her husband, and took him away. The family does not show in the 1880 census. Probably did not use Bill Chadwell as an alias, since most historians are confused about the identity of these two men. White, James ------------- White, Joe ----------- Wells, Samuel Charlie Pitts -------------- Younger, James Henry --------------------- Rode with Quantrill, and went to KY with him on his last raid. He was surrendered there by Capt. Henry Porter to Capt. Young, US Army, at Samuel's Depot, Nelson County, KY, on 26 July 1865. Was wounded on the Northfield, MN, robbery attempt,and captured. Sent to prison in MN. Requested a parole 13 October 1902. It was refused. He committted suicide at the Reardon Hotel in St. Paul, MN, 19 October 1902. Younger, Robert Ewing ---------------------- Captured at Northfield, MN. Died in prison 16 September 1889 of consumption. Remains taken to Lee's Summit by sister Henrietta Rawlins, and buried in the Younger Cemetery. Younger, Thomas Coleman "Cole", "Bud" J. C. King Thomas Coleman Thomas Coburn Charles Coburn --------------------------------------- An early member of the Quantrill guerrillas. Survived the war, to go to KY with Quantrill. He was surrendered there by Capt. Henry Porter to Capt. Young, US Army, at Samuel's Depot, Nelson County, KY, on 26 July 1865. Suffered multiple wounds in Northfield, MN, robbery. Captured and sent to prison. Released in 1903. Died at Lee's Summit, MO, in 1916.