James Cummins – Riding With the James Gang – Legends of America
The American West, a canvas painted with tales of daring outlaws, relentless lawmen, and the untamed spirit of a nation in flux, holds within its vast expanse the story of James "Jim" Robert Cummins. A figure shrouded in both infamy and intrigue, Cummins carved his name into the annals of history as a member of the notorious James-Younger Gang and the James Gang, leaving behind a legacy marked by daring heists, wartime allegiances, and a life that blurred the lines between fact and fiction.
Born on January 31, 1847, in Kearney, Missouri, James Cummins emerged into a world already simmering with the tensions that would soon erupt into the Civil War. His parents, Samuel B. and Eleanor C. Crossettin Cummins, raised him in the same town where Frank and Jesse James, the future leaders of the infamous James Gang, also spent their formative years. The bonds of friendship forged in their youth would later intertwine their destinies in ways that would forever alter the course of their lives.
Described as a towering figure, standing at an impressive six feet, three inches, Jim Cummins possessed a commanding presence. His blue eyes held a certain intensity, while his broad, round jawline hinted at a resolute character. Little did anyone know that beneath his imposing exterior lay a spirit that would be drawn into the vortex of conflict and lawlessness.
As the Civil War engulfed the nation, young Jim Cummins found himself swept up in the fervor of the times. In 1863, he made the fateful decision to join the Confederate Partisan Rangers, aligning himself with the cause of the Confederacy. Serving under the notorious Captain "Bloody Bill" Anderson and Lieutenant Arch Clemens, Cummins immersed himself in the brutal realities of guerrilla warfare.
Cummins would later recount that his decision to join the Confederate ranks was spurred by the actions of Unionists in Clay County. Accusations that his mother was harboring bushwhackers, coupled with attempts to force her from her home, ignited a fire within him. He also rode with Quantrill’s Raiders, a notorious pro-Confederate guerrilla group that wreaked havoc throughout the region.
The experiences of the Civil War left an indelible mark on Jim Cummins, shaping his worldview and hardening his resolve. When the war finally drew to a close, he found himself adrift in a society grappling with the aftermath of division and destruction. It was during this tumultuous period that Cummins’ path converged with that of the James brothers, setting the stage for his entry into the world of outlawry.
With the war over, Cummins became a founding member of the James-Younger Gang, a band of outlaws that would soon become synonymous with daring robberies and brazen defiance of the law. Alongside Frank and Jesse James, as well as Cole, Jim, and Bob Younger, Cummins embarked on a life of crime, targeting banks, stagecoach lines, railroad express cars, and unsuspecting passengers.
The James-Younger Gang quickly gained notoriety for their audacious heists, striking fear into the hearts of law-abiding citizens and capturing the imagination of a public hungry for tales of adventure and rebellion. Cummins played an integral role in the gang’s operations, lending his imposing stature and unwavering loyalty to their cause.
Cummins was with the James Gang when they robbed the trains at Winston and Blue Cut, Missouri. The Pinkerton National Detective Service tracked them for several years, but the outlaws were always a step ahead of them.
As the James-Younger Gang’s notoriety grew, so too did the efforts of law enforcement to bring them to justice. The Pinkerton National Detective Service, a private security agency renowned for its relentless pursuit of criminals, relentlessly tracked the gang across state lines. Yet, despite the Pinkertons’ best efforts, the outlaws remained elusive, always managing to stay one step ahead of the law.
The year 1882 marked a turning point in the saga of the James Gang. On April 23, Bob Ford, a member of the gang, betrayed Jesse James, shooting and killing him in his own home in St. Joseph, Missouri, for the reward money. The assassination of Jesse James sent shockwaves through the outlaw world, signaling the beginning of the end for the James Gang.
Suspicion immediately fell upon Jim Cummins, with many believing that he had played a role in the plot to kill Jesse James. Adding fuel to the fire was the fact that Cummins’ sister, Artella Cummins, was married to Robert Ford, the very man who had pulled the trigger. Whether Cummins was indeed involved in the conspiracy remains a matter of speculation to this day.
With the James Gang disbanded and its members scattered to the winds, Jim Cummins sought to leave his outlaw past behind. He relocated to Arkansas, where he attempted to lead a quiet life as a farmer. In a strange twist of fate, Cummins reportedly tried to turn himself in to the authorities on several occasions, but his claims were met with skepticism and disbelief. No one could believe that the notorious Jim Cummins was actually willing to surrender.
In his later years, Cummins found companionship and a semblance of normalcy. At the age of 63, he married Florence Sherwood, embarking on a new chapter in his life. He eventually found residence at the Confederate Soldiers Home in Higginsville, Missouri, where he spent his final days.
On July 9, 1929, at the age of 82, James "Jim" Robert Cummins passed away, bringing to a close a life that had been filled with adventure, danger, and controversy. He was laid to rest in the Confederate Memorial Cemetery at Higginsville, Missouri, not far from the final resting place of William C. Quantrill, the infamous leader of Quantrill’s Raiders.
Before his death, Cummins made several attempts to publish the accounts of his life and times with the gangs but his renditions were largely dismissed as fictional accounts.
The legacy of James Cummins remains a subject of debate and fascination. Was he a cold-blooded outlaw, driven by greed and a thirst for violence? Or was he a product of his times, a man caught up in the turmoil of a nation divided? The answer, perhaps, lies somewhere in between.
Jim Cummins was a complex figure, a man who straddled the line between good and evil, loyalty and betrayal. His story serves as a reminder of the turbulent era in which he lived, a time when the lines between right and wrong were often blurred, and the pursuit of justice was often a matter of perspective.
As the sun sets on the American West, the legends of its outlaws continue to captivate and intrigue. Among those legends, the name of James "Jim" Robert Cummins stands as a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit, its capacity for both great good and unspeakable evil.