There is little evidence that any of the James' family came from Ireland. The father was a Baptist minister and his roots could be Welsh. It is tempting to surmise that if the Civil War had never happened, Jesse might have turned out differently. Also throw in the Pinkerton Detective Agency members of whom are said to have killed innocent members of the James family. For more info on Jesse and loads of other Western outlaws/lawmen try the "Encyclopedia of Western Lawmen and Outlaws" by Jay Robert Nash. ISBN 0-306-80591-X and published by Da Capo Press, New York. A mine of information.