An odd coincidence of melody (Canada) anf lyrics (Gordon MS. Collection) was printed in Fife and Fife, 1969 (1982), "Cowboy and Western Songs, "Text and Melody C."

JESSE JAMES (Fife and Fife C)

Living in Missouri was a bad bold man,
He was known from Seattle down to Birmingham,
From Boston, Massachusetts, right across the states,
Nevada, Colorado, and the Golden Gates.

Chorus:
Some people will forget a lot of famous names,
But every nook and corner knows of Jesse James.
We used to read about him in our homes at night,
When the wind blew down the chimney we would shake with fright.

Jesse said, "Boys, some coin we need,"
Polished up his rifle, got his trusty steed,
Then he galloped over to his brother Frank,
And said, "We're going to make a raid on the Pittsfield bank."

Next morning they arrived in town at ten o'clock;
The cashier at the bank got an awful shock,
While Jesse had him covered with his 'forty-four"
His pals took out a half million "bones" or more.

Jesse one day in his cabin one day all alone,
His wife had left him there to straighten up the home-
Scrubbing out the kitchen when the doorbell rang,
In walked Ford, a member of the outlaw gang.

A picture of Jesse's wife was hanging on the wall,
Jesse says to Ford, "Tonight we make a haul,
The western mail will run through town,"
Went to get his rifle, knocked the picture down.

Jesse says to Ford, "I'll hang it up again."
So he stepped and stood upon a chair,
Then Ford aimed his Forty-four at Jesse's head,
And the news went round the country that Jesse James was dead.

Now we know that Jesse never would have lost his life
If it hadn't been for the picture of his absent wife.
Next week on his tombstone the legend ran,
"If you want to be a bandit, stay a single man."

With music and chords, pp. 258-259. Melody C: FAC I 479, collected by Edith Fowke from Tom Powell, Napanee, Ontario, Canada. Text C: Gordon 3217, Manuscript Collection, Library of Congress (area of collection not stated).
No dates given, but probably late; a humorous version.