The State Historical Society of Missouri
Famous Missouri Folk Legends
Robert Sallee James (1818 – 1850)
[SHS 94-0007]
Robert Sallee James was the father of the famous outlaw Jesse James. He was a hemp farmer, slave owner, and Baptist minister from Kentucky who helped found William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. Robert James was orphaned at age nine and went to live with his married sister Mary Mimms. In 1838 he enrolled at Georgetown College, Kentucky. While a student there, he met Zerelda Elizabeth Cole. They married on December 20, 1841.
After James received his diploma in 1842, he and Zerelda moved to Clay County, Missouri. They lived with Zerelda’s mother and stepfather until their first child, Frank, was born in 1843. James then acquired a farm and started purchasing slaves to work in the fields. By 1850 James owned at least five black children and a black woman.
James became a preacher at New Hope Baptist Church. He was known for his passionate sermons and his ability to attract new members to the congregation. He received no income for his preaching.
The Gold Rush of 1849 enticed many people to seek their fortune out west. In 1850 James joined other men from Clay County and traveled to the mines. His purpose, he claimed, was to preach to the miners. He became ill and died unexpectedly in a camp named “Rough and Ready” in September 1850.
Text by Carlynn Trout with research assistance by Elizabeth Engel
References and Resources
Society Resources
Articles from the Newspaper Collection
- "Death of Rev. Robt. James." Liberty Weekly Tribune. October 25, 1850. p. 2, c. 3.
- "From the Clay Emigrants, Fort Laramie, May 18, 1850." Liberty Weekly Tribune. June 21, 1850. p. 1, c. 3.
Book
- McGrane, Martin Edward. The James Farm: Its People, Their Lives and Their Times. Pierre, SD: Caleb Perkins Press, 1982. pp. 6-8. [REF F508.1 J234mc2]
