Jesse James in Kentucky | Kentucky Life | KET

Jesse James in Kentucky | Kentucky Life | KET

Russellville was recovering from the Civil War when an old Confederate guerrilla gang from Missouri that was up to no good made its way to town one day in 1868. Among the men, many believe, was the infamous Jesse James (1847-1882).

The gang robbed the Nimrod Long Banking Co. of Russellville on March 20, 1868. The bank president, Mr. Long himself, was shot and wounded. Jesse James later denied being there. However, it is certain that Jesse knew Kentucky well. His father, a minister, was born in Logan County, and his aunt lived in Adairville, providing him a convenient Kentucky hideout.

Jesse’s gang hit a Kentucky bank again on April 29, 1872, when they robbed the Deposit Bank of Columbia, and killed an unarmed cashier. On Sept. 3, 1880, they held up a stagecoach on the road from Mammoth Cave to Cave City.

The years went by in a blur of bank and train robberies as the outlaw’s legend grew. It all ended for Jesse James in 1882, when he was shot in the back of the head in his own home in St. Joseph, Missouri, by a trusted ally who wanted to collect bounty money.

The Russellville bank robbery is re-enacted every year at the Logan County Tobacco and Heritage Festival. The Adairville home where Jesse hid out with his aunt’s family still stands today.

47 Comments

  1. Michael Kurz on October 17, 2022 at 7:03 am

    I would have been proud to have ridden with Jesse, frank and the youngers

  2. Steven Damron on October 17, 2022 at 7:03 am

    Yankees killed his family, so he takes revenge by robbing yankee banks

  3. Mary Browning on October 17, 2022 at 7:06 am

    According to stories from family members Jesse James made it into the mountains of far eastern Kentucky as well as southwestern West Virginia. My moms maiden name was Howard. Mom and her dads people were from Eastern Kentucky. Im not sure if its fact but we have always been told we are related to Jesse James. Lots of Howard’s from Kentucky have made this claim

  4. Ron Norris on October 17, 2022 at 7:07 am

    My grandmother was born at gads hill Missouri 1921…
    Jesse James robbed his first train
    .

  5. Danny Miller on October 17, 2022 at 7:08 am

    My great great road with Jessie & was killed in Minnesota. Robbery. C. Miller

  6. Ike on October 17, 2022 at 7:10 am

    The best verifiable facts and fun book on the KGC James/Younger gang is "Jesse James in West Virginia or Inside the Huntington Bank Robbery" ISBN 978-1-7960-2481-4 The book is based in lore passed down in the author’s family and period Court and other documents with 150 year old photographs that prove that Jesse and Frank James with Cole Younger and others got away with the loot in a bona fide Kentucky posse that was led by a KGC Lawman and were PAID for "hunting" themselves! The true identity of Andrew Potter, NDP agent, tasked by Yankee Generals Lew Wallace and Bill Sherman to hunt down and kill James/Younger gang is given and compelling proof given that Potter was in reality a Confederate spy and KGC agent that participated in the Huntington Bank robbery and rode in the same get away posse along with Jesse and Frank James. Men that he had been ordered to hunt down and kill!

  7. Mike Cole on October 17, 2022 at 7:10 am

    My great grandpa Sam Cole told my grandfather Charlie that they stayed the night with them in Salyersville and had fine horse’s and gave him a twenty dollar gold piece for taking care if them.

  8. mark gamble on October 17, 2022 at 7:13 am

    In a small cabin that was on now called Lake Morris in Hopkinsville Kentucky, was a gentleman and his young sick daughter… Jessie and Frank knew the gentleman and knew he needed 12,000 for a surgery for his daughter which they didn’t have… Supposedly this is why they robbed the Russellville Bank… I lived in the small cabin part which had been moved to the corner of Morris Rd/Old Madisonville Rd… Rooms had been built around it expanding the house through a gentleman nameMr. Thomas Lacy… Thomas was born a hundred years earlier in this house and knew the bank story well… Supposedly… We did sign an agreement that the cabin never to be touched looking for artifacts because others before had did so prior… Neat history though

  9. Ciara Baez on October 17, 2022 at 7:15 am

    my grandady told us this story many years ago.

  10. Bob Brooks on October 17, 2022 at 7:18 am

    Ben Johnson comments in his memoirs about the incident when Frank and Jesse James were in the Central Hotel, in Bardstown, Kentucky. Two U. S. Marshals, George Hunter, and Yankee Blye were outside the Central Hotel, North Third Street, Bardstown with the knowledge that Frank and Jesse were inside the hotel. Ben Johnson seeing the Marshals went inside the hotel and warned the James’ boys of the Marshals being outside. Both of the James boys told Ben to stay inside so he would not get hurt. The James boys exited the hotel, mounted their horses, and rode off with the Marshals making any attempt to arrest them. No mention is made of Donnie Pence being in the hotel. At this time in history, Donnie Pence was the Sheriff of Nelson County, Kentucky, and was a personal friend of both James boys. When Pence was Sheriff, Frank and Jesse had a friend in Nelson County, Kentucky and visited him frequently and were thereby protected. Ben Johnson declares that both Marshals found out he had warned the James boys of their presence and they had it in for him from that point on.

  11. Shirley Harrison on October 17, 2022 at 7:19 am

    I love documentaries like this.
    I was born & raised in Columbia, Kentucky. ( Adair county)
    They do a reenactment of the bank robbery during a festival on the square. My nephew is one of the actors, they ride in on horses, with guns, some in the long coats.
    Its great to watch.
    I saw a movie once abt Jesse & Frank James, I can’t remember the name of it but Johnny Cash played in it & if not mistaken, Kris Kristofferson also.
    If anyone knows of this,please post it..thanks.

  12. Beth Bartlett on October 17, 2022 at 7:21 am

    Facts vs the Federal Government’s Propaganda to make them look good.
    *Jeasie, also Burch Cassidy and Sundanxe Kid apparently had a way different full life than the stories reflect.*

  13. TheReal COZY on October 17, 2022 at 7:21 am

    So is it a myth that Jesse James once ate/ drank at a restaurant called Angelo’s In The Gap in Cumberland Gap, TN?

  14. Jesse Reed on October 17, 2022 at 7:21 am

    Gunmen crooksend of conversation

  15. Then Sings My Soul Gospel Music Channel on October 17, 2022 at 7:22 am

    check out t the story of preacher Moore in Salyersville Ky. My great grand mother told me a story about a man named preacher Moore who courted her and he was Jesse James brother. He is buried in the cemetery in Salyersville Ky.

  16. W Stevenson on October 17, 2022 at 7:23 am

    His mother looked a real barrel of laughs

  17. Judge and Executioner on October 17, 2022 at 7:25 am

    Hello everyone. I have some news to share . I have exposed a guy who was selling shirts with the faces of the 13 fallen heroes from the Afghanistan terrorist attack for profit to support his channel and his legal fund. If you want to see the exposure video I made and share it around so this scumbag gets exposed everywhere. Its on my channel twice the last one being titled (replay) AUDITORS OF AMERICA HIT ALL TIME LOW USING FACES OF FALLEN SERVICEMEN TO MAKE MONEY. I encourage you to share this to everyone. He is a disgrace

  18. Racheal Lange on October 17, 2022 at 7:25 am

    I don’t know if it’s true..but I was told he liked to drink the water from Sulphur Well Kentucky..

  19. Trina Bishop on October 17, 2022 at 7:26 am

    does anyone know what relation Walton James was to Jessie James my grandmother was married to walton

  20. Lonnie Clemens on October 17, 2022 at 7:26 am

    My Grandpa Williams was from Carter County Kentucky and born in 1896. He would talk about Jessie James like he knew him, even though he didn’t. He knew of Jessie James based on first hand encounters of other Kentuckians. He said that "Jessie James was a mean mean man".

  21. Kenneth Johnson on October 17, 2022 at 7:28 am

    Well I don’t know about this video. No mention of the bank robbery of the bank on main street in Mount Sterling Kentucky.

  22. Ike on October 17, 2022 at 7:28 am

    For the BEST and MOST TRUTHFUL book about the KGC affiliated American Robin Hoods collectively known as the James/Younger gang. GET "Jesse James in West Virginia or Inside the Huntington Bank Robbery" ISBN 978-1-7960-2481-4 This book is a real HOOT! It is crammed full of never before published FACTS about how the James/Younger gang really did rob from the rich and gave to the poor! It is based on lore passed down in the author’s family well backed with Court and other records plus 150 year old UNPUBLISHED photographs to PROVE that Frank and Jesse James, Cole Younger and the others made their escape from the Huntington robbery by riding in a KGC Lawman’s bona fide posse "Hunting for themselves!" And were PAID to do so! Furthermore, the TRUE identity of Andrew Potter, star NDP agent ordered by Yankee Generals Lew Wallace and Bill Sherman to hunt down and KILL James/Younger gang members is revealed! ASTONISHING PROOF is given that NDP agent Potter was in reality a CONFEDERATE SPY and KGC agent who took part in the Huntington Robbery and PROTECTED the men he had been ordered to KILL! THIS IS ASTOUNDING TRUE HISTORY MORE AMAZING THAN ANY HOLLYWOOD FICTION!!!

  23. Rebecca W on October 17, 2022 at 7:29 am

    I’m related to Jessie James on my dad’s side. I know for a fact Jessie and Dalton boys gave to those in need. Including my own family.

  24. Tina Smith on October 17, 2022 at 7:29 am

    Im trying to find were it says Dick Lytle was a look out for him

  25. Macio Louis on October 17, 2022 at 7:30 am

    So how are the tubbs family tie in with them? Or do they!

  26. Ross Steuck on October 17, 2022 at 7:37 am

    Low life inbreed Missouri scrum !!!!

  27. Robert dean on October 17, 2022 at 7:38 am

    My family lived at dads bottoms.wayne county ky. And now it’s all underwater Cumberland lake millions of revenue tourist careful not to hook one of my ancestors coffins and pull it into your boat.DAMN………

  28. COAST TO COAST LIVE on October 17, 2022 at 7:41 am
  29. Mike Cole on October 17, 2022 at 7:41 am

    There’s one damn thing for sure they were better than the polititans that run or state and Our country.

  30. Jerry Boucher on October 17, 2022 at 7:41 am

    Jessie James also had a hideout called Bandits Cave in Dawson Springs Ky.

  31. foilhat71 on October 17, 2022 at 7:44 am

    May the real America rise again.

  32. Larry Cherry on October 17, 2022 at 7:45 am

    Also in those hold ups was none other than the three Younger brothers, who also had kin in the Adairville, Logan County are. Later after the death of all of the James and Younger, a young relative who went by the name Wick Henderson AKA, Wick Younger. As a young boy, growing up in Orlinda, Tn, there was an elderly gentleman whose name  was Charles Henderson, once told me as a young boy, Cole Younger came to stay at his parent’s home, after Cole Younger was released from Prison right after the turn of the century. Mr. Charley’s Father was killed in a shootout with a Sheriff in Adairville ky when he was in his 30s. He is buried in Lamont Tennessee under a cedar tree in a long grave.

  33. scott russell on October 17, 2022 at 7:45 am

    Learn something new… I live near Lexington

  34. Ike on October 17, 2022 at 7:46 am

    For the TRUE history of how Frank and Jesse James, Cole Younger and the others got away from the Huntington Bank robbery by riding in a bona fide KENTUCKY LAWMAN’S POSSE, read "Jesse James in West Virginia or Inside the Huntington Bank Robbery" ISBN 978-1-7960-2481-4

  35. Gayle Eaton on October 17, 2022 at 7:46 am

    Why were these Guys robbing Banks? Money stolen from them?

  36. Laurie on October 17, 2022 at 7:48 am

    So you talked about Bardstown, with the James brothers exiting the hotel without a gun fight. Why then, does the Bardstown jail claim to show off bullet holes in their walls from a gunfight with the James brothers. They were quite proud of their claim to fame when I visited Bardstown. I think the truth is that most the stories surrounding the James’ are greatly exagerated fiction.

  37. James Childers on October 17, 2022 at 7:49 am

    My family has always told a story of the James’ hiding in "Baby rock cave" on their property in butler county after the Russellville robbery. I always took it with a grain of salt but maybe it was true after all

  38. Baba Yaga Slobbed a Knobba on October 17, 2022 at 7:50 am

    Jesse James was da PEW-PEW man!

  39. Thomas Baye on October 17, 2022 at 7:52 am

    I would like to get some of this information, my grandfather was Henry Vance and grand mother Sara Elizabeth vance., sister of Pearl Johnson .

  40. Kevin Fox on October 17, 2022 at 7:53 am

    They put up the same looking sign for baby face Nelson where he died so that sign thing is false

  41. Baba Yaga Slobbed a Knobba on October 17, 2022 at 7:53 am

    My uncle’s cousin’s brother’s former roommate said his uncle’s cousin’s best friend told him that HIS uncle’s sister’s neice, twice removed, was related to a guy that gave Jesse James’ horse a peppermint. Swear to God!

  42. AC on October 17, 2022 at 7:54 am

    Grew up with stories of them. Actually grew up a little in Midway as well. Collins Family. 😉

  43. Tommy Glasgow PhD on October 17, 2022 at 7:54 am

    He lived In Nashville Tennessee for over two years.

  44. Clifford Ray on October 17, 2022 at 7:55 am

    My blah blah blah met blah blah one time my great blah blah knew blah blah and I want to be associated with the story so I’ll just blah blah blah so I can be part of the story…..quit making everything about you! And just listen to the story

  45. biding time on October 17, 2022 at 7:56 am
  46. Bob C. on October 17, 2022 at 7:57 am

    It would be interesting to know who owned those banks.

  47. Mark Lewis on October 17, 2022 at 7:59 am

    Dalton boys were too _oung to have been any part of the gang

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