Jesse James was a notorious American outlaw, bank and train robber, and leader of the James-Younger Gang in the mid-19th century. Born in 1847 in Missouri, James became a legendary figure in American folklore due to his daring criminal exploits during and after the Civil War. He was often romanticized as a Robin Hood-like figure, despite his violent methods and the substantial rewards he reaped from his crimes. Jesse James's life of crime ended when he was shot and killed by Robert Ford, a member of his own gang, in 1882.