The Morgan Brothers: Legendary Outlaws of the Wild West

The Morgan brothers were a notorious gang of outlaws who terrorized the American West during the 1860s. Led by Jesse, Frank, and Cole Younger, the gang robbed banks, trains, and stagecoaches, and their exploits became the stuff of legend. This article explores the lives and crimes of the Morgan brothers, detailing their rise to infamy and their eventual downfall.

Hero (The Morgan Brothers Book 1)

by Lauren Rowe

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3136 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	412 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

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Early Life and Family

The Morgan brothers were born into a farming family in Clay County, Missouri. Jesse was born in 1847, Frank in 1849, and Cole Younger in 1844. Their father, Robert Morgan, was a Confederate sympathizer during the Civil War, and the family's home was raided by Union soldiers on several occasions. This experience likely contributed to the brothers' later resentment of the federal government.

After the war, the Morgan brothers began working as farmhands and laborers. However, they soon turned to crime, robbing stores and stagecoaches. In 1866, Jesse and Frank James joined the Quantrill Raiders, a Confederate guerrilla band led by William Quantrill. The Raiders were responsible for several massacres of Union soldiers and civilians, and the James brothers' involvement in these atrocities earned them a reputation for violence and ruthlessness.

The Morgan Gang

In 1867, the Morgan brothers formed their own gang, which included Cole Younger and several other outlaws. The gang's first major robbery was a bank heist in Russellville, Kentucky, in 1868. The gang then robbed a train in Adair, Iowa, in 1871, and a stagecoach in Missouri in 1872. The Morgan brothers' robberies were often violent, and they killed several people during their criminal career.

The Morgan gang's most famous robbery was the Northfield Bank Robbery in Minnesota in 1876. The gang robbed the bank of over $60,000, but they were pursued by a posse of local citizens and lawmen. The gang was eventually captured, and Jesse and Frank James were sentenced to life in prison. Cole Younger and the other gang members were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.

Aftermath

The Morgan brothers' capture and imprisonment marked the end of their reign of terror. Jesse James was assassinated in 1882 by Robert Ford, a member of his own gang, and Frank James surrendered to authorities in 1884. Cole Younger was released from prison in 1901, and he died in 1916. The Morgan brothers' story has been told in countless books, movies, and television shows, and they remain one of the most famous outlaw gangs in American history.

The Morgan brothers were a ruthless and violent gang of outlaws who terrorized the American West during the 1860s. Their robberies and murders made them one of the most notorious gangs in history, and their story continues to fascinate people to this day. The Morgan brothers' legacy is a complex one, but it is ultimately a story of crime, violence, and the consequences of defying the law.

Hero (The Morgan Brothers Book 1)

by Lauren Rowe

4.4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3136 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	412 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE