Robert Ewing Younger (October 29, 1853 – September 16, 1889) was an American criminal and outlaw, the younger brother of Cole, Jim and John Younger. He was a member of the James–Younger Gang. He stood six feet, two inches tall and had deep blue eyes, muscular arms, and a thick neck.

Life

Born in

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

on October 29, 1853, Robert was the thirteenth of fourteen children born to Henry Washington Younger and Bersheba Leighton Fristoe. During the Civil War his brothers Cole and Jim rode with Quantrill's Raiders. Bob was only 8 when the war broke out in 1861. He saw his father killed by Union soldiers and his home burned to the ground. After the war, his older brothers formed the James–Younger Gang with Frank and

Jesse James Jesse Woodson James (September 5, 1847April 3, 1882) was an American outlaw, Bank robbery, bank and Train robbery, train robber, guerrilla and leader of the James–Younger Gang. Raised in the "Little Dixie (Missouri), Little Dixie" area of M ...

. For ten years the gang robbed banks, trains, and stage coaches across Missouri, Kansas and other nearby states. Bob Younger is believed to have first joined the gang in 1873. He was likely involved in the James-Younger Gang's first train robbery on July 21, 1873. The robbery of the

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad The original Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P RW, sometimes called ''Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway'') was an American Class I railroad. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock. At ...

took place in Adair, Iowa, yielded about $3,000, and resulted in the death of an engineer during derailment of the train. Other robberies where Bob Younger is believed to have participated include the gang's first train robbery in the state of Missouri on January 31, 1874, at Gads Hill on the Little Rock Express/Iron Mountain Line, as well as the $30,000 robbery of the Kansas Pacific Railroad in Muncie, Kansas, on December 8, 1874. Bob Younger was implicated along with two of his brothers by robber Hobbs Kerry, who was caught and convicted for his role in a robbery of the

Missouri Pacific Railroad The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad o ...

at Otterville, Missouri, on July 7, 1876. On September 7, 1876, the gang attempted to rob the First National Bank in

Northfield, Minnesota Northfield is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota and Rice County, Minnesota, Rice counties in the U.S. state, state of Minnesota. It is mostly in Rice County, with a small portion in Dakota County. The population was 20,790 at the 2020 U ...

. The citizens included many Union army veterans who fought back effectively, and in the ensuing shootout all three of the Younger brothers were wounded, including Bob, who was wounded in the elbow and later in the chest. Two Northfield citizens were killed in the botched raid. Bob, Cole and Jim surrendered on September 21, after they were surrounded, while Jesse and Frank James escaped Minnesota.

Imprisonment and death

Bob Younger pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in prison. He died of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

in prison at

Stillwater, Minnesota Stillwater is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Washington County, Minnesota, Washington County. It is in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, on the west bank of the St. Croix River (Wisconsin-Minnesota), S ...

on September 16, 1889, at the age of 35. His body was shipped to

Lee's Summit, Missouri Lee's Summit is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri and a suburb of the Kansas City metropolitan area. It resides in Jackson County (predominantly) as well as Cass County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 101,108, making it the 6th ...

where a funeral was held. He was buried in the Lee's Summit Cemetery.

Film and television portrayal

*'' Days of Jesse James'' (1939) portrayed by Forrest Dillon *'' Bad Men of Missouri'' (1941) portrayed by

Wayne Morris Wayne Morris (born Bert DeWayne Morris Jr. February 17, 1914 – September 14, 1959) was an American film and television actor, as well as a decorated World War II fighter ace. He appeared in many films, including '' Paths of Glory'' (1957), ' ...

*'' The Younger Brothers'' (1949) portrayed by

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...

*'' The Great Missouri Raid'' (1951) portrayed by Paul Lees *'' Best of the Badmen'' (1951) portrayed by Jack Beutel *'' The True Story of Jesse James'' (1957) portrayed by Anthony Ray *'' Bronco'' (1960) portrayed by Bill Tennant *'' Young Jesse James'' (1960) portrayed by Robert Palmer *'' The Legend of Jesse James'' (1966) portrayed by

Tim McIntire Timothy John McIntire (July 19, 1944 – April 15, 1986) was an American character actor, perhaps best known for his starring roles as Alan Freed in the film ''American Hot Wax'' (1978), as singer George Jones in the television movie ''Stand by ...

*'' The Intruders'' (1970) portrayed by Zalman King *'' The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid'' (1972) portrayed by Matt Clark *'' Poor Devil'' (1973) portrayed by Nicholas Georgiade *'' The Long Riders'' (1980) portrayed by Robert Carradine *'' Frank & Jesse'' (1995) portrayed by Todd Field *'' American Outlaws'' (2001) portrayed by Will McCormack *'' Shootout!'' (2005) portrayed by Keith Lewis

References

External links

*
Younger family genealogy on the official website for the family of Jesse James: Stray Leaves, A James Family in America Since 1650
{{DEFAULTSORT:Younger, Robert 1853 births 1889 deaths James–Younger Gang American bank robbers Outlaws of the American Old West 19th-century deaths from tuberculosis People from Lee's Summit, Missouri People of Missouri in the American Civil War American people convicted of murder American people who died in prison custody American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment Tuberculosis deaths in Minnesota People convicted of murder by Minnesota Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Minnesota Prisoners who died in Minnesota detention Gunslingers of the American Old West