Jesse Woodson James (1847 - 1882) became famous  for his daring bank and train robberies. His holdups and violent activities were used as a model in  many Westerns.

He grew up in Missouri and sympathized with the Southern cause when the Civil War broke out. Fighting for the Confederacy as a member of the notorious "Bloody" Bill Anderson`s guerilla band he took to looting and violence.

After the end of the war he became the leader of the James gang specializing in train robberies and bank holdups. Strangely enough they claimed that they never robbed a friend, a preacher, a Southener or a widow. He became a romantic figure to the Missouri people and always tried to justify his deeds on grounds of persecution.

In 1881, however, a reward of ten thousand dollars was offered for their capture and a short while later Jesse James who was living at St. Joseph under the pseudonym of Thomas Howard was shot by Robert Ford, a gang member in the back of the head.