To many individuals, Jesse James is a legend of the Old West. Movies have been made about his life and exploits. A museum is located in Missouri and his home is a famous Missouri landmark.
Recently, I read an article in an old western magazine about a group called the “Knights of the Golden Circle”. This was a very unique group. Their first major goal was to expand slavery to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands. Southern sympathizers in the northern states were called “Copperheads.” They secretly wanted the South to succeed. This group of individuals along with the Knights wanted to add those regions as slave territories.
As the Civil War was coming to a close, it became more apparent that the war would be lost by the South. So this group changed their idea and started to raise money to eventually start a second Civil War. The secret society was founded by a Virginia doctor by the name of George Bickley.
The James-Samuel family took the side of the Confederates. Their farms were raided by Union forces in 1863, they hung and tortured Rueben Samuel from a tree. On this occasion,they also beat up a young Jesse. The James brothers soon joined the guerrilla operation of William Quantrill. Although there is record of Frank James being a member, nothing exists on young Jesse as being a part of the famous Quantrill Raiders.
After the Civil War, a Kansas city editor by the name of John Newman Edwards, campaigned to return the old confederates to power in Missouri. He published letters that Jesse had written against “Reconstruction” along with his own editorials, making Jesse look very favorable to all that had been wronged by the Union. It is during this period of time, when people began to believe that Jesse was a member of the Knights of the Golden Circle.
Many individuals associate his robberies with helping to raise money to finance another Civil War. However, it was the articles by Edwards that made James out to be a modern day Robin Hood. Through Edwards and the false information that he provided, Jesse’s profile started to rise. He appeared to many as a rebel with a cause. Many feel that James would hide money in different caves and fields to be used for this purpose. The web site sheds more light on where some of this money is hidden even yet today.
Some say some of the loot is stashed in Jester’s Cave located in Washita County, Oklahoma. Another area under consideration is Canadian County. a huge amount of gold bars worth $784,000 is said to be buried in Hobb’s Canyon just outside Meers.
There is actually no written evidence to support the theory that James was a member of the secret society. The suspect that he did, is truly there however. Through the years, the legend of James, his robberies, and undiscovered treasure has grown. When Jesse was shot by Bob Ford on April 3rd, 1882, many of these secrets were taken with him to the grave.
There are those that feel that the Masons were part of the Knights of the Golden Circle. Many people associate the Masons with the Knights Templar. I don’t know if the Knights Templar has anything to do with the Knights of the Golden Circle. However, it does make for an interesting line of thought. Could it be that Jesse James was secretly a member of these groups? Did he have a true connection in one way or another with them? Or was he just a common outlaw?
One thing for sure. Conspiracy advocates could have a field day with this one.
sources; www.knightsofthegoldencircle-kgc.com
