Jesse James II
Creation: 1882
The outlaw Jesse James has been depicted in story and song since his murder in 1882 at the hands of Robert Ford. The lyrics used in songs are mostly biographical and detail his and his gang’s exploits. In many of these stories he is portrayed as a “Robin Hood” of the west which only served to increase his popularity with average citizens and build his status as a legend of the Wild West.
Title
Jesse James II
Date
Creation: 1882
Subject
Description
The outlaw Jesse James has been depicted in story and song since his murder in 1882 at the hands of Robert Ford. The lyrics used in songs are mostly biographical and detail his and his gang’s exploits. In many of these stories he is portrayed as a “Robin Hood” of the west which only served to increase his popularity with average citizens and build his status as a legend of the Wild West.
Rights
Public Domain
Format
Song lyrics
Source
MSS0049, George O. Boswell Papers, Box 1, Folder 96
Files
Collection
Citation
“Jesse James II,” Gallery, accessed August 6, 2026, https://gallery.library.vanderbilt.edu/items/show/769.