This question that you've posed is a very curious one to me as well. I know that my great great grandfather intimately knew Jesse James. I know that my great grandfather had met Jesse James when he was 10 years old when Jesse James visited them, and stayed with them. This story has been passed down from my great grandfather, to my grandfather to me. I'm unaware of my great granfathers first name at the moment, but my grandfather's name is Harry Howard. They were all from Kansas. My father was born in Kansas in 1936 before moving to Seattle in 1939. I was reading something on the net today that stated that Jesse James took the name 'Howard' from a friend of his, a Kentuckian by the name of Charles Black Howard. I know my grandfather has two brothers name John and Charles Howard. I have Howard family relatives in Kansas, Idaho and Washington all from this vein. Wish I knew more, I'm certain more is to come. I'm going to look into Charles Black Howard and his ancestry if possible. Love to hear from you if any of this information is related to you in any way.