Bob Younger
Encyclopedia
Robert Ewing "Bob" Younger (October 29, 1853 - September 16, 1889) was an American criminal and outlaw, the younger brother of Cole
, Jim
and John Younger
, he was a member of the James-Younger gang
.
on October 29, 1853, Robert was the thirteenth of fourteen children born to Henry Washington Younger
and Bersheba Leighton Fristoe
. During the Civil War his brothers Cole
and Jim
rode with Quantrill's Raiders
. Bob was only 8 when the war broke out in 1861. He saw his father killed by Union soldiers and his home burned to the ground.
After the war, his brothers formed the James-Younger gang
with Frank
and Jesse James
. For ten years the gang robbed banks, trains, and stage coaches across Missouri, Kansas, and other nearby states. Bob Younger is believed to have first joined the gang in 1873.
In September 1876 the gang attempted to rob the First National Bank in Northfield, Minnesota
. The townspeople decided to fight back, and in the ensuing shootout all three of the Younger brothers were captured. Bob was wounded in the elbow and later in the chest. Two Northfield citizens were killed in the botched raid.
in prison at Stillwater, Minnesota
on September 16, 1889 aged 35 years. His body lies buried in the Lee's Summit Historical Cemetery
in Lee's Summit, Missouri
.
Cole Younger
Thomas Coleman "Cole" Younger was an American Confederate guerrilla during the American Civil War and later an outlaw with the James-Younger gang...
, Jim
Jim Younger
James Hardin "Jim" Younger was a notable American outlaw and member of the James-Younger gang. He was the brother of Cole, John and Bob Younger-Life:...
and John Younger
John Younger
John Harrison Younger was an American outlaw, the brother of Cole, Jim and Bob.-Biography:He was the 11th child of Henry Washington Younger and Bersheba Leighton Fristoe's 14 children and their 5th son, the fourth to survive into adulthood.In July, 1862, his father was shot and killed while on a...
, he was a member of the James-Younger gang
James-Younger gang
The James-Younger Gang was a notable 19th-century gang of American outlaws that included Jesse James.The gang was centered in the state of Missouri. Membership fluctuated from robbery to robbery, as the outlaws' raids were usually separated by many months...
.
Life
Born in MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
on October 29, 1853, Robert was the thirteenth of fourteen children born to Henry Washington Younger
Henry Washington Younger
Henry Washington Younger was a businessman and father to the Younger outlaws Cole, Jim, John and Bob. He was the father of fourteen children...
and Bersheba Leighton Fristoe
Bersheba Leighton Fristoe
Bersheba Fristoe Younger, born Bersheba Leighton Fristoe was an American woman who was the mother of the famed Younger Outlaws Cole, Jim, John and Bob. She was born in McMinnville, Tennessee the daughter of judge Richard Marshall Fristoe and Mary L. Fristoe...
. During the Civil War his brothers Cole
Cole Younger
Thomas Coleman "Cole" Younger was an American Confederate guerrilla during the American Civil War and later an outlaw with the James-Younger gang...
and Jim
Jim Younger
James Hardin "Jim" Younger was a notable American outlaw and member of the James-Younger gang. He was the brother of Cole, John and Bob Younger-Life:...
rode with Quantrill's Raiders
Quantrill's Raiders
Quantrill's Raiders were a loosely organized force of pro-Confederate Partisan rangers, "bushwhackers", who fought in the American Civil War under the leadership of William Clarke Quantrill...
. Bob was only 8 when the war broke out in 1861. He saw his father killed by Union soldiers and his home burned to the ground.
After the war, his brothers formed the James-Younger gang
James-Younger gang
The James-Younger Gang was a notable 19th-century gang of American outlaws that included Jesse James.The gang was centered in the state of Missouri. Membership fluctuated from robbery to robbery, as the outlaws' raids were usually separated by many months...
with Frank
Frank James
Alexander Franklin "Frank" James was a famous American outlaw. He was the older brother of outlaw Jesse James.-Childhood:...
and Jesse James
Jesse James
Jesse Woodson James was an American outlaw, gang leader, bank robber, train robber, and murderer from the state of Missouri and the most famous member of the James-Younger Gang. He also faked his own death and was known as J.M James. Already a celebrity when he was alive, he became a legendary...
. For ten years the gang robbed banks, trains, and stage coaches across Missouri, Kansas, and other nearby states. Bob Younger is believed to have first joined the gang in 1873.
In September 1876 the gang attempted to rob the First National Bank in Northfield, Minnesota
Northfield, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile...
. The townspeople decided to fight back, and in the ensuing shootout all three of the Younger brothers were captured. Bob was wounded in the elbow and later in the chest. Two Northfield citizens were killed in the botched raid.
Imprisonment and Death
Bob Younger was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. He died of tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in prison at Stillwater, Minnesota
Stillwater, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,143 people, 5,797 households, and 4,115 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,340.0 people per square mile . There were 5,926 housing units at an average density of 915.7 per square mile...
on September 16, 1889 aged 35 years. His body lies buried in the Lee's Summit Historical Cemetery
Lee's Summit Historical Cemetery
Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery is a cemetery in Lee's Summit, Missouri. There are many local notable people resting here, including Nicholas B. Langsford, Dr. Pleasant Lea, William B. Howard, William S. Cowherd, and former mayors from Lee’s Summit and surrounding areas...
in Lee's Summit, Missouri
Lee's Summit, Missouri
Lee's Summit is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Cass. As of the 2010 census found the population at 91,364 making it the sixth-largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and the sixth-largest city in Missouri...
.
Film and Television Portrayal
- Days of Jesse James (1939) portrayed by Forrest Dillon
- Bad Men of Missouri (1941) portrayed by Wayne Morris
- The Younger Brothers (1949) portrayed by James Brown
- The Great Missouri Raid (1951) portrayed by Paul Lees
- Best of the Bad Men (1951) portrayed by Jack Buetel
- The True Story of Jesse James (1957) portrayed by Anthony Ray
- Bronco (1960) portrayed by Bill Tennant
- Young Jesse James (1960) portrayed by Robert Palmer
- The Legend of Jesse JamesThe Legend of Jesse JamesThe Legend of Jesse James is a 1980 country music concept album by various artists singing songs by English songwriter Paul Kennerley, based on the story of American Old West outlaw Jesse James....
(1966) portrayed by Tim McIntire - The IntrudersThe IntrudersThe Intruders were an American soul music group most popular in the 1960s and 1970s. As one of the first groups to have hit songs under the direction of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, they had a major influence on the development of Philadelphia soul....
(1970) portrayed by Zalman King - The Great Northfield Minnesota RaidThe Great Northfield Minnesota RaidThe Great Northfield Minnesota Raid is a 1972 Technicolor Western film about the James-Younger Gang distributed by Universal Pictures. It was directed by Philip Kaufman in a cinéma vérité style and starred Cliff Robertson as Cole Younger, Robert Duvall as Jesse James, Luke Askew as Jim Younger, R....
(1972) portrayed by Matt Clark - Poor Devil (1973) portrayed by Nicholas Georgiade
- The Long RidersThe Long RidersThe Long Riders is a 1980 western film directed by Walter Hill. It was produced by James Keach, Stacy Keach and Tim Zinnemann and featured an original soundtrack by Ry Cooder. Cooder won the Best Music award in 1980 from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards for this soundtrack...
(1980) portrayed by Robert CarradineRobert CarradineRobert Reed Carradine is an American actor. The youngest of the Carradine family of actors, he made his first appearances on television western series such as Bonanza and his older brother David's Kung Fu. Carradine's first film role was in the 1972 film The Cowboys opposite Roscoe Lee Browne and... - Frank & Jesse (1995) portrayed by Todd FieldTodd FieldWilliam Todd Field, known professionally as Todd Field is an American actor and writer/director. He has received three Academy Award nominations.-Background and personal life:...
- American OutlawsAmerican OutlawsAmerican Outlaws is a 2001 Western film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Colin Farrell, Scott Caan, and Ali Larter.-Plot:The southern army is trying to track down the Yankee army during the civil war...
(2001) portrayed by Will McCormackWill McCormackWill McCormack is an American television and film actor.McCormack, who graduated Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, is the younger brother of actress Mary McCormack, who stars in the hit USA TV series In Plain Sight.... - Shootout!Shootout!Shootout! was a documentary series featured on The History Channel and ran for two seasons from 2005 to 2006. It depicts actual firefights between United States military personnel and other combatants. There are also occasional episodes dedicated to police or S.W.A.T. team firefights, as well as...
(2005) portrayed by Keith LewisKeith LewisKeith D'Andre Lewis is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round in 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon....