American Folk Figure. Wife of Western Outlaw Frank James. The daughter of wealthy Independence, Missouri businessman Samuel Ralston, she was working as a school teacher when she met and married Frank James, brother of Jesse James. The cremated remains of her husband had been kept in storage until the death of Ann Ralston. On July 26, 1944, the cremated remains of both Frank James and wife Ann Ralston were buried in Hill Park Cemetery (the Saturday, August 5, 1944 edition of the Independence "Examiner" featured an article on the front page of the paper about their burial). The Ralston home, located at 2121 Sterling Road, Independence, Missouri, still stands today.∼This woman was the wife of legendary outlaw Frank James. His real name was Alexander Franklin James (brother of Jesse James). I find it sad that so much mention is made of her husband and her brother-in-law, but most accounts don't even say her name. Once in a while, they will say "his wife", but some don't even mention he was married. I did find her headstone right along side of her husband, Frank, on Find A Grave, but when I went to look her up, I found no record. She outlived her husband by almost 30 years, and she outlived her brother-in-law Jesse James, by almost 60 years. Being the wife in pioneer times and outlaw times of the old west deserves some recognition I think. I have in my possession a letter written by her, and the envelope with its 2 cent stamp, that she wrote in 1915, about a month after Frank's funeral, in which she lamented, "Best Wishes from a lonely old woman whoes (sic) life work is ended." I found that very sad. I also wonder what she did for the next almost 30 years if she thought her life's work was done when her husband, Frank, died. I just think she deserves a name, a spot, a recognition that she hasn't gotten thus far. I am not absolutely positive that Ralston was her maiden name, but pretty sure. It shows on the tombstone as Ann Ralston James. Since I have some possessions of hers, I'd like to know more about her. Maybe a picture? Has anyone got one? I recall reading one time that she left the world's shortest elopement note to her parents when she ran off with Frank. I'd like to find that book again, if I can, and confirm what I think I read, and be able to quote the note. If and when I do, I'll add it here.
Another site, a duplicate one for Frank James shows that her name was Anna Ralston James (but her tombstone says Ann). And it says they had a son, Robert Franklin James. I might be interesting to find out what happened to Robert Franklin James and to Jesse James Jr.
Oh, and I can't quite read the birth year on the tombstone with her famous husband Frank James; so I'm not sure if it is 1853 or 1854.