Update Titled, "Dave's Updates 1-28-00 "
by David Hedgepeth, Dallas Texas - [email protected]
Subject: Dave's Updates 1-28-00
Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 06:47:51 -0600
From: [email protected]
To: Mailing list members
From Phil Stewart to Betty Duke's posted letter of 1-24-00 on the
Courtney Genforum.
Note:(Phil has agreed to have this letter shared in "Dave's Updates"
since only a select group will view the Courtney Genforum. We all
appreciate Phil and his insights. Agree or disagree people such as Phil
helps the issues to be examined, and thus a greater clarity and a more
common truth will gradually emerge.)
Hi Betty!!!! (you, too, David!)
Thanks for the comments about the job. Its different, but I'm getting
the hang of it. Its tough, though! I don't have nearly as much time to
"play" on things like this! So, let's get right to it!
You're right. I do basically hold with the "traditional version" of
history, not only on this subject but most others. You and I have had
several telephone conversations, and I think you know that I DO believe
that there are several "discrepancies" (as you put it) in the story of
Jesse James, not only in the areas that you are addressing but in many
others. Our "truth" has been so watered down by fiction that sometimes
it is difficult to separate the two. And as I told you on the phone one
evening (PUBLIC ADMISSION HERE!) I believe that you may either be onto
something here, or have put together a very strange set of coincidences.
As far as the information sending up "red flags", I don't know. I'm not
sure what you mean by that. Does it change history? Not at this point.
Does it justify further investigation and research? Definitely. I still
feel like I'm open minded enough to discuss possibilities (at least I'd
like to think so!). Hey! I'm still here, aren't I???
Lets touch on the Barrel Factory photo: Like I told David, the
individual who did the research and believes he has identified all but
three or four of the individuals, is a VERY good researcher. he is NOT
just a Jesse fanatic. He is a researcher, museum director and college
instructor. I spoke with him (face to face) about two years ago and he
had a STACK of documents and other items, and he pretty much convinced
me...and you know how difficult that can be!!!! I promised him that I
would not release his name or sources for personal and legal reasons, and
I'm sticking to that promise. I know you would like to know, but it
falls into that same promise that I made to you about some of the things
you told me. I haven't told anyone that, either. So I hope you
understand. I do disagree with you about whether or not that is Jesse in
the photo. (WOW! What a surprise!) That one has been pretty much
confirmed by actual business records of the factory itself. Yes, some of
them do exist, but this is getting dangerously close to the information
covered by my promise to the other guy. Unless there was another J.D.
Howard living right around the area at the time, Jesse was working at the
factory. But then again, you don't believe that was Jesse in Nashville!
I keep forgetting that! (Just teasing....kind of.)
On Wood and when he was buried: If they dug him up the day after he was
killed, why would the body have been in such bad shape?
On the identification of Jesse: I still think a lot more knew what he
looked like than wanted to admit. And there is NO doubt that LOTS of
people knew him on sight. I can give you SEVERAL names of people,
actually more in Jackson County, that continued their association with
him and were in regular contact with him throughout those years.
Granted, people change in 20 years. Lord knows I have! Not for the
better, I might add. And Jesse was pretty good at blending in and using
disquises when it suited him, but there were still many who knew him on
site. In the early 1870s, both Frank and Jesse rode into Kearney to sign
some legal papers at the notory public. The notory witnessed the
document and stated that the identification of Frank and Jesse James was
confirmed by "my personal knowledge and recognition."
The wounds: Most of the wounds that Jesse had suffered, and the scars
associated with them, were known before 1882. Railroad workers were
advised that Jesse was missing the last joint of the middle finger on his
left hand, hoping they might notice this and avoid a robbery. The two
chest wounds from the war were also pretty much common knowledge before
1882, but its hard to see those unless the guy is without a shirt. Even
if we restrict ourselves to THESE three wounds, they were well known and
documented BEFORE 1882...regardless of who was killed in St Joe. So,
since the coroner reported these three exact wounds, only three
possibilities exist. Either it was Jesse, there were two guys with these
exact wounds, or a conspiracy began as early as 1865 to develop a cover
story for a possible identity change. With the conditions as they were
along the Missouri-Kansas border in 1865, especially for former
bushwhackers, I admit this is POSSIBLE, but unlikely. Nobody cared who
Jesse James was in 1865.
You are also right about me saying that the newspapers of the time were
less than accurate with some of their information. But they are still
(normally) the best sources we have, simply because they are often the
ONLY sources.
Please don't think that I am "attacking" Willie Ford. I hope you know me
better than that by now! I'll dig through my files and send you a copy
of the article about his suicide (I'm sorry. "Alleged" suicide!) You
are obviously in contact with the man, so I have a few questions, if you
don't mind.
1. If it wasn't THE Charlie Ford who committed suicide at the Harbison
place, then who was it? And why would everyone in the family say it was
Charlie?
2. Does Willie know where Charlie is buried?
3. The Ford family was VERY large in Ray and Clay Counties. There was
more than one Charlie Ford. Are we talking about the same guy? And if
so, how do we know?
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I really need to get a few things done around here! More later, I'm
sure!!!
Betty, good luck (really!) and take care of yourself. Is this fun?
Sometimes. It has its moments, as I'm SURE you know. Like I told David
one time, NONE of this is going to be able to be proven, one way or
another, unless we can find a way to convince a Judge to exhume that body
and do the tests....or come up with another plan. Rumors, speculation,
myths and legends just aren't going to convince me or 99% of the people
who are interested. We may all have to accept that we may never know for
sure.
Take care of yourself!!!!!
Phil
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Your comments, information and support would be greatly appreciated.
David Hedgpeth- E-mail: [email protected]
Contact me if you want to be added or deleted from the update notices.
David Hedgpeth
Dallas, TX
Send Regular E-mail to: [email protected]
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Note to readers: You may review all the past and present correspondence
on the Jesse James/James L. Courtney Debate at
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ivyplace/hedgpethg.html
Also you may contact David Hedgpeth at [email protected] to be added to the
e-mail list ("Dave's Updates") or for direct comments/questions.
PS: Those subscribing to "Dave's Updates"may want to subscribe to
[email protected] for some valuable discussion on history
related to the Jesse James Family and the James Gang.
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This Update was added on Friday, 07-Sep-2018 21:20:53 MDT
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