James Gang in Louisiana

River Rat

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Louisiana author Reggie Ann Walker-Wyatt of Shreveport will be a special visitor at the Catfish Festival on Saturday, April 12 in Winnsboro.

Walker-Wyatt, whose first novel was, "Chasing River, Trains and Jesse James," said while she's in Winnsboro she hopes to meet people with their own tales and family legends of Jesse James and James Gang member J. Frank Dalton.

"They were well known in this area, especially Dalton," she said.

Walker-Wyatt has done extensive research into the lives of outlaw legends James and Dalton. She theorizes that there were actually two men using the name "Jesse James" – the second being cousin Dalton.

"I believe there were two men operating as Jesse and they were cousins. This is how they could rob a bank in Kansas and one in Alabama the same day with both robberies being attributed to the James Gang," Walker-Wyatt stated.

She has identified men in old photos taken in the Delhi area as Dalton and possibly Cole Younger, another member of the James Gang.

Walker-Wyatt said getting people to talk about the outlaws and their time in Louisiana has been difficult at times, because some people don't want to admit they or their families had contact with the notorious crew. But she stresses the importance of documenting these kinds of stories.

"Oral history is so important. Some of the stories have not been recorded and in five or 10 years people are not going to remember or they will be gone," she said.

Walker-Wyatt said one tale she believes is true is Jesse James using the aroma of frying catfish to lure Union soldiers away from a barge down Bayou Macon while he and the gang hijacked the vessel.

"There was supposed to be gold, silver and whiskey on the barge," she said.

She said when the hungry Union solders smelled cooking catfish some of them left the barge to find out where it was and if they could get some. That left the barge basically unattended and the gang took over. Walker-Wyatt said a gunfight ensued on Bayou Macon, with the gang ultimately getting away with the barge.

"So there is a connection between Jesse James and catfish," she said.

Walker-Wyatt is preparing to publish the second book in her trilogy about the legends and truths of James and Dalton, and she wants people to share their stories with her.

"I hope by coming to the Catfish Festival some people will come forward," she said. "If it has anything to do with Jesse James, Frank Dalton or Cole Younger, I'm into it."

For more information on Walker-Wyatt, go to her Website, www.legendsandlores.com.
 

point hunter

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Hey RR. Thanks for this post. I am always interested in any tales of Jesse James in Louisiana. He and his gang were much more active in this area than the standard history books show. I just heard a story about him being down around the Sicily Island area. This was from a local who's grandfather told the story. He has passed on, so it's going to be harder to verify. I prefer primary or secondary sources if possible.
 

Grizsf

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I do realize this is 10 years old but new to me (this thread). History never ceases to exist though. Point Hunter, I live in between Harrisonburg and Sicily Island. The hills, mostly the Sonny Gilbert WMA, sits between me and Sicily Island. I've been researching for the past year hear concerning JJ and Sicily Island. If you are still interested please PM me.
 

Mar 28, 2022
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My name is Thomas Kerrigan. I have taken the Ancestry DNA test and you are right. His birth name was William Michael Carrigan and he was a Dalton cousin who lived in the Winnsboro, Louisiana area. He faked his death during the war and changed his name to Michael William Kerrigan after the Civil War. He was my great great grandfather. His wife was Sarah Ann Ferrington after the war but she was born a Farrington. She was a double Woodson descendant, a cousin of Jesse Woodson James. William Michael Carrigan's oldest brother was Confederate Colonial Alfred Holt Carrigan. After the war Alfred was a judge. He defended "Jesse" and Frank James by saying they never robbed a bank in Missouri. There is said to be a picture of Frank James with Alfred Holt Carrigan. Thomas Carrigan was a railroad man. When Jesse was supposedly killed Thomas took the body back to Missouri on his personal train. When the James gang would go hide out in Arkansas, they hid out at the Carrigan residence. The real Jesse James was William Michael Carrigan.
 

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