Categories: James in the Arts

• John M. James Appears Before The Kentucky Humanities Council in Restless for Revolution

  Last week I had the opportunity to perform John M. James before the Kentucky Humanities Council. John M. James is my 4th great grandfather. See the video below. Every year the Humanties Council contracts with five performers to add to its stable of historical performances. The Council then sends out the performers around the Commonwealth throughout the year to schools, organizations, and events, dramatizing Kentucky famed characters from the Commonwealth’s storied past. John M. James is not as famous as some [...]

• C. E. James Authors History of Franklin County, Kentucky

  CAMPBELL EDMONDSON JAMES (1852-1921)                                                      C. E. James was twenty-seven years old when he authored this short history of Franklin County, Kentucky. The work was Kentucky’s response to the resolution of the U. S. Congress encouraging celebration of the nation’s Centennial Anniversary of the American Revolution.  His father, the esteemed jurist A. J. James, already has served in the Kentucky State Legislature, was elected Attorney General under Gov. Beriah Magoffin, and had served as Kentucky’s Attorney General under Gov. Preston Leslie. He [...]

• SPIKE TV strikes out with Deadliest Warriors Al Capone and Jesse James

  Representing the family of Frank & Jesse James, The James Preservation Trust was contacted about participating in a segment of Deadliest Warriors, produced by Spike TV. The program pits Al Capone against Jesse James. The interview with Eric James, president of the Trust, identified several hurdles that prevented the James family from participating in the show. Strike one for Spike TV. Spike previously shot itself in the foot with the James family. Formerly in another program, Spike TV advertised that [...]

• What would Jesse James’ cousin, Dan James, do about Arizona ?

  American’s iconic outlaw Jesse James had a modern day cousin who wrote movies and books using pseudonyms. One of the names he wrote under was Danny Santiago. As Danny Santiago, Daniel Lewis James Jr. wrote an award winning novel, titled Famous All Over Town. Today the book is a classic, that is studied in countless college Hispanic studies programs. Dan’s protagonist is a 24 year old Chicano, named Chato Medina. Literally translated, his name means a cat from the old [...]

• Eric James says “No, Thanks” to Jesse James publisher, North Star Press

  If you thought you knew Jesse James, wait until you meet his family. So says Eric James, author of the new, long awaited, four volume history of the family of Frank and Jesse James. According to historian Nancy Samuelson who has previewed portions of the upcoming book, the author of The History of the Dalton Gang says James’ book is likely to send historians back to find what history they missed. “I was honored that North Star Press of Minnesota [...]

• John M. James Speaks of Jeremiah Vardeman

  Eric James portrays John M. James, as John speaks of his family, their early life on the Kentucky frontier, and also of his son-in-law, Rev. Jeremiah Vardeman, who gave the father of Frank & Jesse James, Rev. Robert Sallee James, $20,000 to become a founder of William Jewell College in Missouri. Vardeman himself founded the Schools of Theology at both Georgetown College in Kentucky and William Jewell College in Missouri. This video was made at the Vardeman family reunion over [...]

• Newman University Promotes Bogus Jesse James Historian Ron Pastore

  Ron Pastore is a con man who attended Newman University in Wichita, Kansas. Now, Newman University wants Ron Pastore to teach the bogus history he connives about Jesse James to Newman University students. Responding to a public announcement that appeared on Newman University’s web site, The James Preservation Trust, representing the historical interests of the Jesse James family, filed an objection with Newman president Noreen M. Carrocci over Newman’s announced lecture by Pastore. The Trust challenged Pastore’s credentials as a [...]

• A Yankee Writer in the Bluegrass

  I’m seven years in Kentucky now, researching and writing my history book, SOUL LIBERTY, soon to be published. They still call me Yankee. They still say I’ll never fit in. Never mind my family was here long before theirs, and still is. Never mind I know more about their families, than they know themselves. I came to Kentucky to write about the South, and to learn what I didn’t know. They’ve given me a first class education. I’ve been conned. [...]

• Christmas Rap from the Jesse James Family

   Every year, for over a decade, Thurston James played Santa Claus to adoring infants and children who visited him at the Sherman Oaks Galleria in Sherman Oaks California. He retired in 2004, eight months before he passed away. Though not offically a member of the Jesse James family, he was long regarded as such, and equally accepted by the family itself. Thurston’s dedication to the history of Jesse James was evident in the years of service he devoted to publishing [...]

• Midway Museum Peeps

  Had dinner the other night with my peeps (board of directors) of the Midway Museum, in Woodford County, Kentucky. We set our agenda for 2010, that includes a new web site I’m charged with building. Watch for an announcement here by the end of January. We’ve planned it to be a blockbuster. At least as good as Stray Leaves, and maybe better. By way of introduction, L-R, are Ken Alexander. He’s a former broadcaster, with a specific interest in the Kentucky army [...]

• Jesse James’ Hidden Treasure – Chapter 5 Deconstructed

  DOWNLOAD a deconstruction of Chapter Five, taken from the transcript of the History program Jesse James’ Hidden Treasure. Just when you thought you couldn’t digest any more turkey after Thanksgiving dinner yesterday, we’re serving up another generous plateful of funny turkey with all the hilarious trimmings for dessert. All courtesy of those whacky kooks – excuse me – cooks, Ron Pastore, Ralps Ganis, et al, from the the hell’s kitchen for history, formerly known as The History Channel. Just make sure you [...]

• Don’t look for history at what used to be The History Channel

  Following the blistering negative comments made all over the web about the recent program Jesse James’ Hidden Treasure, the other day I posted the following to my blog on the True West magazine web site, trying to explain why audiences no longer should expect to see bone fide history on what formerly was The History Channel. Some interesting comments were made about both the treasure hunting show and the cable channel. But none was better than a posting by Rio, [...]

• Jesse James’ Hidden Treasure – Deconstructing Chapter Three

  DOWNLOAD a deconstruction of Chapter Three taken from the transcript of the History Channel’s program Jesse James’ Hidden Treasure. The file is in .pdf format, and already contains initial commentary. As the fakery of this broadcast continues to be dissected, it appears others also have taken a dim view of the program. Other Jesse James interest groups have dismissed the program entirely. Surprisingly, those who enjoy the recreation of treasure hunting, have lambasted Jesse James’ Hidden Treasures outright. Members tell [...]