Famous People

Jesse James was born in Clay County, Missouri.  He and his brother, Frank, joined Confederate guerilla bands during the Civil War.  In 1866 they formed a gang and began robbing banks in small towns.  They then began robbing trains.  By 1881 the governor of Missouri offered a $5,000 reward for the arrest of either of the brothers.  Later that year Jesse James moved to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he used the name Tom Howard and posed as a cattle buyer.  One of his gang members, Robert Ford, shot him in the back of the head and killed him in 1882.

Alexander McNair was born in Pennsylvania.  He was a military officer and also the first Governor of Missouri.  He became an adjutant and inspector general in 1812.  He died about 1826.

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