"Jesse James" is an American folk song about the outlaw of the same name, first recorded by Bascom Lamar Lunsford in 1924. The lyrics are largely biographical containing a number of details from Jesse James' life, portraying him as an American version of Robin Hood, though there is no evidence to indicate that he actually "robbed from the rich and gave to the poor". Robert Ford, who killed Jesse, was a James' gang member. Thomas Howard was the alias that James lived under in Saint Joseph, Missouri at the time of his killing. Ford killed James for a $10,000 bounty. On the day of the shooting, Ford went to claim the reward but was arrested and charged with first degree murder. In one day, Ford and his brother were indicted, pled guilty, and sentenced to death by hanging, but two hours later, Governor Crittenden granted them a full pardon. My version probably goes back to the Kingston Trio.