Zerelda James Samuel

When she was sixteen, Zerelda Cole married Robert Sallee James.  They had four children, including Frank and Jesse James:

Alexander Franklin James (January 10, 1843 - February 18, 1915)
Robert B. James (July 19, 1845 – August 21, 1845)
Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847 - April 3, 1882)
Susan Lavenia James (November 25, 1849 - March 3, 1889)

After the death of her husband, Zerelda married two more times.  She had four children with Dr. Reuben Samuel:

Sarah Louisa Samuel (April 7, 1858 - Date of death uncertain)
John Thomas Samuel (December 25, 1861 - date of death uncertain)
Fanny Quantrill Samuel (October 18, 1863 - date of death uncertain)
Archie Peyton Samuel (July 26, 1866 - January 26, 1875)

Fiercely protective of her children, Mrs. Samuel defended Frank and Jesse when they were accused of wrong-doing.  Later in life, she earned income from showing folks the farm where her boys had grown-up and the grave where Jesse was buried.

She charged one dollar for her tour and also allowed people to purchase a pebble from Jesse's grave.  (Although she said the stones were authentic, Zerelda frequently replenished the "grave pebbles" with stones from a nearby stream).

Zerelda lived a long life.  While traveling on a train to San Francisco, in 1911, she died (at age eighty-six).

Credits

Image, Library of Congress.