The recent hit movie, “The Assassination of JesseJames,” stirred more than a passing interest in East Texas, especially in Collin, Grayson, Hood and Leon counties. In 1863, during the Civil War, WilliamClarkQuantrill led his guerillas from Missouri to winter quarters in north East Texas. Among the men who rode with him were Jesse and FrankJames.

Quantrill camped northeast of Sherman in Grayson County, and Jesse developed an affinity for the town, and later spent his honeymoon there, using money taken in a Missouri train robbery.

The James boys also stayed in McKinney, the county seat of Collin County, and circulated freely among the townspeople. They were looked upon not as outlaws, but as Confederate heroes.