Frank James in Advance Missouri

The Friday December 3, 1909 Bloomfield (Missouri) Vindicator reported:

“The St. Louis Post-Dispatch of November 30th, contained the following article. We are disposed to doubt the statement that Frank James lives in this country but give the article to our readers for what it may be worth.”

“This country” as The Vindicator described it was Stoddard County, Missouri. More specifically the community of Advance.

According to the Post-Dispatch (reprinted by The Vindicator):

“Miss Irene James, , daughter of Frank James, the one time Missouri train bandit, will forsake the spangles of a circus rider for the calcium of the stage when she goes into “stock” this week as a member of the Imperial Theater Company.

For two years as one of the sawdust ring stars of Ringling Bros’ circus , Miss James has put to good use the training she got when, as Mrs. William P. Dyer, she rode and cared for the horses at Ferguson, St. Louis County.”

According to the paper William Dyer eventually sold the stable and he and his wife moved to East St. Louis. It is at this location that Mrs. Dyer sought a divorce and the restoration of her maiden name James, citing she did not know where he husband was.

My father is living in Advance, Stoddard County, Missouri.

Irene James, daughter of Frank James.

Irene Dyer-James stated in the newspaper article that:

“I am staying at 1414 Kings Highway since I came in off the road, at the home of Mrs. Luey Hamilton, this will be my first venture on the stage.

My father is living near Advance, Stoddard County, Missouri, though some people here seem to have the impression that he is in Oklahoma. He has a fine southeast Missouri farm and dairy.

Most of the neighbors known him as Alphonso James and that is the name under which he gets his mail. He never talks of the old days anymore , and few of his Stoddard County acquaintances know of his career.”