My mother's maiden name was Howard. According to her my great,great grand dad was Robert Howard. The James's and Howards were cousins that lived a on farm's not far from the one another. As she told it when I was just a small child when I used to overhear my Father and Mother talking about their history. My Mother's family were all from Clay County Missouri and my Father's Family were from Howell County Mo. According to the way my mother used to tell the story, Robert Howard and Jessie James could have passed for twin brothers. Robert Howard used to visit Jessie quite often and there are people in Missouri today thet will tell you that Jessie was not shot by Robert Ford,that Robert Howard was visiting that day and Robert Ford shot the wrong Man. As Jessie/Robert was shot in the back of the head ,positive ID was never made.Lots of people in that part of the country will tell you that Jessie James died an old man in that part of the country in the early 1900's.