Did an Iowa immigrant ancestor really sell a horse to Jesse James? That was a family story when I was growing up. Could it have happened?
This is the cover story in The Immigrant and the Outlaw: A Collection of Stories from America’s Heartland.
The older bearded man spoke with the heavy brogue of the Old Country. The younger man was an outlaw. They just may have met up southeast of Dexter, Iowa.
Dethlef Ohrt was born in 1837, on the five-mile-long island of Pellworm, then part of Denmark. About the time this North Frisian Island in the North Sea became part of Germany in 1865, Dethlef married Martha Jensen. Their first thatched-roof home was on the low-lying island, criss-crossed with canals, dotted with windmills to pump water from the land.
Jesse James, born in 1847, and his brother Frank, were gangsters who robbed 26 banks, stages, and trains, including a train robbery at Adair, Iowa, in 1873.
If Dethlef Ohrt did indeed sell the outlaw a horse, he would not have known who the buyer was. And according to several accounts, Jesse James–ten years younger than Ohrt–was polite when dealing with ordinary people.
Perhaps it was after news circulated about the train robbery that Ohrt realized that he’d sold one of his prized horses to the famous outlaw.
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This story was first published by The Des Moines Register, October 31, 1996.
The old Ohrt place was SE of Dexter, Iowa. Years later, my dad’s family lived there when he and his siblings were kids. Their mother (Ruby Blohm Neal) was a granddaughter of Dethlef Ohrt, so she probably spent time at this farm, although I have no photos. (I’m pretty sure her mother (Anna Ohrt Blohm) is in the photo above, second from left.)
The Immigrant and the Outlaw: A Collection of Stories from America’s Heartland will be released on Amazon.com May 13. The ebook is available for preorder now.
Such encouragement, Joy, to peek into family history! Oh…the intrigue! Can’t wait to read more! ❤️😘❤️
Bless you, Vicki. I wrote this before the internet, so Interlibrary Loan was involved!
Love the example you set for all of us, Joy — digging in, however we can, to find those amazing nuggets. xo! 💝
Thanks, Vicki!
😊💝😊
There was a Jesse James Cafe in Adair. There is an historical marker SW of Adair on the road to Anita.
There sure is, Bob! Adair lies at the west end of White Pole Road, the section now included in ads for this section that I-80 ruined for traffic. Dexter is at the eastern end, with Casey, Menlo, and Stuart in between.
Oh what an intriguing question. Sounds plausible to me. Ha ha. So of course, now I want to know what kind of deal did Dethlef Ohrt negotiate? Did he give away the farm or was he the one holding up Jesse James? Ha ha, congratulations Joy on the new book. Can’t wait to read more. That’s awesome.
Good one, Brian! At least part of the farm is still in the family, although I didn’t know that until recently!
What a teaser for your new book! Can’t wait to read it.
Thanks so much, Dennis. Comes out the 13th. This preorder for the ebook is something new for both Robin (my publishing guru) and me, so we’re testing it out.
Man, that would be some family history. Whether it was true or not, it sure makes for a great story. I just preordered my copy.
Thanks, Pete! It was fun to run down the details. I shouda been a researcher!
Wow!
Thank you for this preview of coming attractions for The Immigrant and The Outlaw!
Thanks so much, Liz. I’d hoped to set up a blog tour but couldn’t find the energy, but I’m having fun sharing some back stories this way!
You’re welcome, Joy. I think your loyal readers will buy the book without a book tour.
Great teaser. I have my copy on order, Joy. Looking forward to it.
Thank you, John. That one was such fun to work on!
Your teaser convinced me. I’ve pre-ordered a copy. Congratulations on a great book cover, too!
Thank you so much, Janet. Nelly Murariu has done the covers for all my books. She did the first one (“Leora’s Letters”, the WWII book) while she and her daughter still lived in Poland! They live in Canada now.
You have a masterful book hook for “The Immigrant and the Outlaw,” Joy. 🙂
Thanks, Nancy. It certainly was fun to work on!
This is very interesting to me, Joy, especially because I’ve seen movies about Jesse James. I think I’ll get your book.
Tim, thanks! I hope you’ll enjoy the whole thing!
I’m sure I will, Joy. 😍