Anna Ralston

Notes:

BIOGRAPHY: [Broderbund WFT Vol. 11, Ed. 1, Tree #0789
Anna Ralston, with a B.A. in Science and Literature, was working as a school teacher when she met Frank James. They eloped and had only one child, Robert. She spent the remainder of her life at the James' farm, was cremated and buried beside her beloved Frank.

BIOGRAPHY: [Broderbund WFT Vol. 15, Ed. 1, Tree #1589
Anna graduated from the Independence Female College in 1872 with a B.A. in Science and Literature and became a school teacher. She was a "magnificent" horse woman and a "superb" pistol shot. Anna never let herself be interviewed or photographed. One day in June 1874, she told her father she wanted to visit her brother-in-law in Kansas City. He took her to the train and she sat with a family friend, who thought she seemed "rather excited". They were greeted at the station and Anna said she had to speak to a friend on the train and that she would take a hack to their home. That was the last they ever saw of her. Several days later her parents received a letter that she was married and was going west, signed, Anna Reynolds. She was 21 and Frank was 31. They tried to trace her, but to no avail. Later, Reynolds son was in Frank's fathers import business and said that his son "Frank" had married his sister. After telling her father, he disowned her. After the wedding they joined Jesse, "Zee" and Susie in Texas. Several years later Frank visited his father-in-law and was not a pleasant occasion. They lived under aliases in Texas, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, as well as other places. In the summer of 1882, they arranged for Frank's surrender to the Governor of MO, T.T. Crittenden. There were letters written from jails in Independence and Gallatin, Mo. and Huntsville, Ala. while awaiting trial. They shared their long life after his acquittal, when he worked as a shoe clerk, theatre doorman, race starter and farmer. Frank liked literature as did Anna. He would recite Shakespeare. They went to the theatres in all the large cities. She seemed happy and never appeared to regret her decisions. She continued to live at the old farm with her son and his wife. Her ashes are buried beside Frank's in Hill Cem., Independence, Mo.

Anna married Alexander Franklin James on 6 Jun 1874. Alexander (son of Robert Sallee James and Zerelda Elizabeth Cole) was born on 10 Jan 1843 in Kearney, Clay County, MO; died on 15 Feb 1915 in Fletcher, OK; was buried after 6 Jul 1944 in Hill Park Cemetery, Independence, Jackson County, MO. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Robert Franklin James was born on 6 Feb 1878 in Nashville, Davidson County, TN; died on 18 Nov 1959 in James Farm, Clay County, MO.