"My heroes have always been cowboys and they still are it seems, sadly in search of what once was and now gone; themselves and their slow movin' dreams. -Willie Nelson

I have no idea if my heritage has had any influence on my chosen vocation, which is singing country music. I seriously doubt it since I was singing by the time I was six years old and didn't know anything about my ancestory until I was much older.

As close as I can tell I'm eighth cousin to Jesse & Frank James. You may click on the photo to the right if you'd like to see some more on Jesse Woodson James himself. My paternal great grandmother's maiden name was Evelyne James. She's the one that intiated this whole search claiming fifth cousin to Jesse. Between her and the geneology chart I've come up with I've found that Robert James married Zerelda and had four (4) children; Alexander Franklin (Frank), Robert R., Jesse Woodson and Susan Lavenia. Jesse had an uncle named William and also a grandfather named William and here is where my line goes (there were quite a few William James'). My dad has done all the work on our chart and this is what he's come up with.

Here's a simple outline:

This photo to the left was taken in 1880 of Jesse in Nashville, TN while he was employed at a cedar barrell factory. Well, I told you it was a "long distance" relationship. What we know is William James is Jesse and Frank's uncle, what I don't know is his wife's name. So my claim to fame is not in Jesse's direct line, but, that's as good as it gets. Now, my mom's side is Cherokee. Are you getting ahead of me here? I was a kid who could play "cowboys and indians" all by himself. Nevertheless, I've always had an enigma about the Old West, it fascinates the hell out of me.

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