Son of a Preacher Man
On September 5th, 1847, Jesse Woodson James was born in Clay County, Missouri. He had an older brother named Frank (his future partner in crime) and a little sister named Susan. The kids were raised in western Missouri in the “Little Dixie” area, and the family maintained strong southern kindness.
Frank James, Zerelda Cole James, and Jesse James in a family portrait in the 19th Century. Photo by Granger / Shutterstock
James’ mom was a Kentucky native named Zerelda Cole James, and his dad, Robert James, was a Baptist minister and a slave-owning hemp farmer. When Jesse was just a small child, Robert James left his family and went to California, where he preached in the gold mining camps. Unfortunately, he died from cholera soon after he got there.