Jesse James's first confirmed bank robbery at Gallatin

Background. Jesse James, born in 1847, was a former Confederate guerrilla who transitioned to outlaw activities after the Civil War. His participation in earlier robberies at Liberty and Richmond remains uncertain in the historical record, but the Gallatin incident was the first where James became widely known. The robbery targeted the Daviess County Savings Association, a local institution in Gallatin, a city founded in 1837 and named for Albert Gallatin.

The Robbery. On December 7, 1869, Jesse James, likely accompanied by his brother Frank, robbed the Daviess County Savings Association in Gallatin. During the incident, James shot and killed the cashier, Captain John Sheets. James claimed he was taking revenge, believing Sheets to be a former Union officer named Samuel P. This act distinguished the Gallatin robbery from previous gang activities.

Aftermath. The escape from Gallatin attracted newspaper coverage for the first time, marking James's rise to fame. A civil case filed in 1870 sought compensation for a horse stolen during the flight. The brothers denied the charges, saying they were not in Daviess County on the day the robbery occurred. Six months after the robbery, the first of many letters from Jesse asserting his innocence was published.