Cole Younger Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Cole Younger (1844-1916) was a Confederate guerrilla fighting in divided Missouri during the Civil War. Joining the band of William Quantrill, he participated in the bloody raid on Lawrence, Kansas. After the war, Missouri was under Radical Republican governance, and Younger and his three younger brothers became outlaws, first robbing banks in the gang of Archie Clement, and - as other gang members were gradually killed off - becoming leader of the group, along with Frank and Jesse James. In 1873, the James-Younger gang moved on to train robbery. They probably owed their long career to Confederate sympathizers in the area, who sheltered them. On September 7, 1876, they staged a bold daylight raid on a bank in Northfield, Northfield Minnesota, far outside former rebel territory. This raid failed, resulting in a bloody gun battle which claimed the life of one Younger and several other gang members (as well as townspeople). The James brothers escaped to Missouri to continue their life of crime. Three Younger brothers were captured and, after a swift trial, sentence to life in the Stillwater Prison. Bob Younger died in prison (of TB) in 1889. Gradually, however, sentiment developed for the release of Cole and his brother Jim. Two years after (July 10, 1901), the two surviving brothers were released. Younger claimed to have repented his sinful ways, and joined the surviving James brother (Frank), in tours of the South which featured lectures and Wild West shows.