This is a great book; the author has done a deep dive into the life of Belle Starr and explained her life without the hype. After reading about her life, she married three times and was killed at 41 years, she made lousy choices, but she was not the wild bandit and murderer she was famed to be.
Mostly, Belle Starr was implicated by association. Her family knew Quantrill and his raiders; one of Belle's brothers rode with him. The Shirley's (Belle's family) were living in Confederate Bushwacker territory. Once Bud (Belle's brother riding with Quantrill) was killed, the family moved to Texas (1864). Frank and Jesse James, plus Cole and Jim Younger, were all Confederate Bushwhackers, so they knew the Shirley family.
Belle was a devoted mother but a lousy chooser of husbands. Each man had troubles with the law and they dragged her and the children down with them. Immediately before Belle's sudden death, she became estranged from both of her children. The murderer of Belle Starr was never found. Richard K Fox was the wonder of the National Police Gazette of New York. When he saw Belle's obituary, he decided to invent a new Wild West character -- and increase his circulation. He was wildly successful.
If you want to know the "real" Belle, pick up a copy of this book. The author also explains how the legend got started. Since the wild Belle is so much more interesting than the real one, guess which one is better known?
Mostly, Belle Starr was implicated by association. Her family knew Quantrill and his raiders; one of Belle's brothers rode with him. The Shirley's (Belle's family) were living in Confederate Bushwacker territory. Once Bud (Belle's brother riding with Quantrill) was killed, the family moved to Texas (1864). Frank and Jesse James, plus Cole and Jim Younger, were all Confederate Bushwhackers, so they knew the Shirley family.
Belle was a devoted mother but a lousy chooser of husbands. Each man had troubles with the law and they dragged her and the children down with them. Immediately before Belle's sudden death, she became estranged from both of her children. The murderer of Belle Starr was never found. Richard K Fox was the wonder of the National Police Gazette of New York. When he saw Belle's obituary, he decided to invent a new Wild West character -- and increase his circulation. He was wildly successful.
If you want to know the "real" Belle, pick up a copy of this book. The author also explains how the legend got started. Since the wild Belle is so much more interesting than the real one, guess which one is better known?
