Myra Maybelle Shirley, the legendary Belle Starr, was not involved in any gunfights, but she did seem fond of carrying a six-shooter, as seen in Bob Crofut's 1997 painting Bandit Queen. (Bob Crofut, Ridgefield, Conn.)
The life of Myra Maybelle Shirley, better known as Belle Starr, has been romanticized by many writers and, of course, by Hollywood. The appeal of a 'lovely lady' leading thieves and rustlers has been powerful through the years, often too powerful to allow facts to spoil the stories. Many tales were published by the
National Police Gazette in the 19th century, and other publications picked up on the intriguing copy. Fraudulent biographies, spiced by bogus letters and entries from Belle's diaries, sold for 25 cents. The fascinating, often fantastic, stories led to the myth and legend of Belle Starr.
Belle Starr, according to the legend, was the 'Bandit Queen'–a lovely lady who ruled outlaw gangs with her guns, her will and her personal favors. This amoral, amorous adventuress associated with the James boys and the Youngers. She was alleged to have borne Cole Younger's illegitimate child. Her marriage to bandit Jim Reed was said to have been performed on horseback, not by a man of the cloth, but by another member of the gang. She has been credited with stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, cleaning out crooked poker games with her six-shooters, and galloping down city streets with pistols blazing.
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After her first husband was shot down, Belle married Sam Starr and, legend has it, became the mistress of the notorious outlaw Bluford 'Blue' Duck. Her home was called the headquarters for the several bands of rustlers and brigands that she captained over the years. In the end, though, shotgun blasts left the 'Petticoat Terror of the Plains' dying in the road just a few days before her 41st birthday. Speculation on who shot her from ambush has produced several suspects, but the fact her killer was never brought to justice only adds to her legend.
Belle's true life was one without glamour. The so-called Bandit Queen was actually an unfortunate woman hardened by her times and associates. She has been described as 'bony and flat chested with a mean mouth; hatchet faced; gotch-toothed tart.' In her later years, she really was a companion to known thieves and felons, but it is doubtful she ever did more than steal horses and provide a haven for fugitives.
Her father, John Shirley, was the black sheep of a well-to-do Virginia family. He moved west to Indiana, where he was married and divorced twice. His third wife was Eliza Pennington, on the Hatfield side of the feuding Hatfield and McCoy families. The Shirley family moved to southwest Missouri in 1839. John Shirley prospered raising wheat, corn, hogs and blooded horses.
Bell was probably born near Carthage, in Missouri's Jasper County. Shirley family records, supported by the 1850 federal census data, indicate that three children were born while the family resided in Jasper County–John Allison 'Bud' in 1842; Myra Maybelle (or Maebelle) on February 5, 1848; and Edwin in 1850.
The next decade brought financial success and two more sons to the Shirleys. They sold their land in 1856 and moved to Carthage, the growing and developing county seat. The capital from the sale of their land was used to purchase city lots and to build a wayside inn, a tavern, a livery stable and a blacksmith shop. The businesses occupied almost an entire city block. The 1860 census estimated the worth of John Shirley's holdings at $10,000, a significant sum in those days. He was a respected member of the community; his library was an attraction to the intelligentsia, as were Eliza's piano and her gracious Southern manners.
Myra Belle attended the Carthage Female Academy, where she was instructed in 'the three Rs,' along with music and classical languages. She was a bright student. Although educated as a lady, she flaunted her status as a little rich girl. Growing up in a hotel, she always had an audience. She also loved the outdoors. She spent countless hours roaming the countryside with her older brother Bud, who taught her to be a competent rider and to handle guns. But good times in Carthage became troubled times with the advent of the Civil War.
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Belle Starr had a son when she was sixteen. His name was Charles Acton. His daughter Mabel Acton lived in Panama, OK. Charles died in Williams, OK, a few miles from Ft. Smith, AR. His death certificate lists Belle as his mother. According to the book by Glen Shirley, Charles was living in the home with Belle at Younger's Bend at the time of her murder. He and Pearl picked her up out of the road the day she was murdered. How come none of the books talk about her son?
Being a direct decendant of Belle & Sam Starr (Her husband) Belle only had 2 children whose name's was Eddie Reed and Pearl Younger (But she always went by Pearl Starr)
Myra Maybelle Shirley (AKA Belle Starr) never had a son or any child at the age of sixteen. Her only two children was Pearl Starr (Real name Pearl Younger) and Eddie Reed.
Hay i am looking for any relitves. I am the great great great granddaughter of Belle Starr. I am 21. My Fathers name is Gordan Starr!! Please contact me!! I also have royal family from my moms side her last name is Beauchamp. Please if anyone can help me with info of my family blood line contact me @ jnniferann@hotmail.com or kikio_of_japan@yahoo.com
Always,
Jennifer Ann Starr/Beauchamp/Dozier
P.S. i also just got married to a blood line of Maskatiers there last name is Dozier. Please help me find more
Um wow i was just wondering the same thing… i am a great great great something to Belle Starr… maybe a neice… but im on the Shirley side of this toll so :) my email is whitneybug94@comcast.net
thanks :)
Whitney Shirley
hello there my name is catalina estrella ortiz "star" does that mean anything too u
i can help
well belle star is my great great great great great aunt so if anybody knows any thing about her please tell me
because it was a little girl that was born to pearl not belle in fact it would be belles granddaughter estrella "majestic star" she was stolen by her grandmother at the age of five to inherit what would in time be a fortune belle had pearl killed after time spent in the nut house it was told she shortly after being realeased from the assylum hung herself witch in fact was a lie she did everything in her power to take bak what was hers to her last breath
Charles Acton was born in 1865. He can be found in the 1900 and 1910 Census in Sebastian Co., AR. Can someone tell me is this the child of Cole Younger's? This definately fits if she and Cole had an affair in 1864.
I'm realated to her an I'm 13 and I want to know more.can u help??
I'm related to her and the James Brothers, i am only 14 now but i know a lot about her!
My dad can he has done family genealogy all the way back to the 1400s. Contact him starrman48@yahoo.com. His name is Standly Starr.
I sometimes perform a one-woman show on the life of Belle Starr……in costume or not! After a lot of research, I realize not many facts to draw on. Why have we created such a legend around this story….hm…outlaw women always get attention?? My book on the women of Texas music alludes to this idea. http://www.kathleenhudson.net
If you are related to her then you are related to me! Where do you live? We're in Okla.
We are in Hot Springs, AR but we are from Fayetteville. The Starr family actually created Adair Co. in OK. My dad Standly Starr has traced the Starrs all the way back to the 1400s. His email is starrman48@yahoo.com. He has done a LOT of research over the past 14yrs.
The man that shot Sam starr was his cousin Franklin Peirce West. Belle was killed in Hoyt, Oklahoma and her home is near "Eufaula" Oklahoma get you spelling correct!
Get your story straight
Belle was not killed in Hoyt, Oklahoma. She was killed at Youngers bend about a 1/2-a mile from her home and was found by a neighbor (Who could have been the killer) and her daughter Pearl
I was born and raised in a small town called Shirley, Mo. I was told that this is were Belle was from. Is there any truth to this statement because the area I am from was not mentioned.
Sorry but no this is not true, Belle was born Myra Maybelle SHIRLEY and she was born in Carthage, MO. February, 1848 and that is why your town is not mentioned.
I am a descendent of Myra Maybelle Shirley AKA Belle Starr.. If you are also related , please email me. As I am trying to update a family tree etc. and would love to add any and all information you can provide… Thanks ! Stacey Kokomo , Indiana TruckDriver1972@aol.com
Hello TruckDriver1972@aol.com
I to am a truck driver of 41 years (Retired now) and live in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
I am also related to Belle and Sam Starr, I was born in Fayetteville, AR. about 50-75 miles from where Belle & Sam owned their farm called Youngers bend. My last name is Starr
Sam was killed by Frank P. West in a drunken shoot out where he also killed Frank P. West, They shot each other
Belle was shot in the back from ambush and killed just 2 days before her 41st birthday. She was born Myra Maybelle Shirley Feb 5, 1848 and was murdered Feb 3,1888.
If you get this I have done a family tree on the Starr's and was able to go back 1450. The name Starr use to be spelled (Before 1450) Steere & the Starr's originated from England.
I can be contacted at starrman48@yahoo.com
I am a Missourian but I know many direct decsendents that live in arizona and texas. I am her 10th great granddaughter and my mother is a Shirley.
Hi, Could you please tell me what Belle's Mother's maiden name is.
Thank you very much, Jo
oren and mami rorgers are my great grand parents gradndma mami madin name is callison i dont know how close of relaion the starr are but let me know if you know anymore than i do i can get more info if need
thanks
belles mothers maiden name is tapia or maybe due to alterations thruout time it could be ortiz but i could be loosin my mind
I am not sure how old this is or anything like that. But I know for a fact that I am related My grandmother, great grandmother and my own mother told me stories of Belle Starr's time with Jesse James, the infamous Western bandit and of how she met her demise. I know that I am related through my Grandmother, Joy and her mother, Velma who all are descendants of Crescent, Oklahoma. I have not been successful in tracking down my family tree that would link me to her because most of the websites cost money (that I don't have) but I would love to fill in the gaps. Thank you and good luck to you as well!
I just started looking into my families history so I don't know too much. But I do know that my Great Great Grandmother Anna Mae had 12 children and one of those 12 was Velma. My Mother was not sure, but she thought they traveled from Maysville, Oklahoma in 04/04/1910.
Did your Great Great Grandmother Velma have 11 siblings?
I too am related to Belle, she is in my family tree, but as I have just begun, I have no knowledge of exactly where. My grandmothers cousins have completely done the family tree on that side a number of years ago, since then my grandmother has passed away and my mother has had a stroke leaving her unable (so far) to communicate with me. I am researching Belle for a women's history class and I will be impersonating her for a report. Any help ful hints or other information would be appreciated.I will check this site often for any info. Thanks
I am a decendent of Sam Starr. My grandfather is Jack Starr, but I dont know much about our family history. If any know anything about the Starrs please contact me.
I am a direct blood line decendant of Belle Starr. If you would like, you can send me your email address' and I can send you what geneology I have. My information was collected through countless hours of research by Phillip Steele. Jckson300@aol.com
Im just curious for years I lived in a house in NY and have always been told that Belle Star had once lived there..kinda like a summer place I guess you would say… any one know of any truth to this?? just wondering Thanks!
I'm doing a report on Belle Starr and i don't know how to start my report. If anyone is willing to help me I would appreciate it alot.
my wife and in laws are relatives her father beverly shirley was as mean as the rest,i remember her great aunt calling on the phone and saying kiss my as- she was 70 years old when my wife visited the family they were not allowed to go in the house and would not talk about belle starr, like they were hiding a secret, believe me theres some meanness in that family and my wifes dad was bull whip by henry shirley, i heard belle bull whip her bim, so i think henry was belles son in alias true story,
My grandmother who passed away a few years ago was Hazel Pauline Shirley and Belle Starr was a cousin of hers, I think like 2nd cousins.
Hi There . Not sure when yur report is due. But, I found a 44 page report on Belle the other day Dallas western outlaws. I am a cousin through my great x2 grandmother. Good luck Tm……
If I can help drop me a line.
im related to belle!!!
wowww me to
well i am a desendent from jesse james. my great grandmothe is
his 2nd cousin. if you have any other info let me know!
thank you!!
i hope that you can help!
i am a descendent of belle starr from my dad's mothers side. i dont
know much more than that. i live in a little town called willard
in missouri and my grandmother always is trying to get me to do
reports on her so i can learn some family history. if you could
help me find out some things on how i am related to her it would
be greatly appreciated. my email is msmith@mowisp.net.
thanks. see ya
mikaela :)
p.s. if you dont know anything please dont send me messages
My great-aunt told me I was related to Belle Starr, that she used to come
and stay at the Cunningham household, Missouri. The Cunninghams are
related to the Shirley's through the Quick's. I am told just trying to verify
if anyone has any more info please let me know. sam_starr@yahoo.com
Does anyone also know if Sam Starr was her pimp?
I would like to know when Jack Starr died?
The reason I am asking of this is because I have a letter signed by
a Notary in Kansas. That says Jack Starr sold a 10 gauge double
barrel shotgun that Charlie and Bell Starr owned. I also have the
gun!
Hello,
I am A 7th grade student and need more info on Belle Starr Plz
help me out???!!!!!
/i am in 8th gradeband im doing a report on Belle starr and if anyone could help me out i would really appreciate it! its part of my homework!
thanks!
kATiE L!
This is so interesting to me because I have always loved Loius lamore & now I find out that I'm a desendant of belle starr. The family name is Lyons and we live in Nebraska, which is odd because everyone else is from Oklahoma or Missouri? Help me find out where the connection between the Lyons & Belle are?
so if you people say that you are related to Belle Starr the you can answer a lot of my qustions for me because in this little article it doesnt talk about her son until the very end and how did she become the bandit queen
and about her brother how come it says that he was under as Belles son
Hello my name is Myra and my grandmother told me that Belle Starr was in our family. I know alot of interesting facts about Belle and sadly her old hideout was torn down and the house she used to stay at in Fort Smith Arkansas was blown away by a tornado. My uncle still has her spit can though. I would really like for someone to help me trace. My grandmother married a Casey and I don't know what her maiden name was.
On the Frank and Jesse James heritage I would like to inform the people who believe they were related that I did a research on the brothers and found direct blood line relatives of theirs in Oklahoma. The property even has Frank and Jesses old hideout on it.
I don't know how this site works but I will include my e-mail address windynights@hotmail.com
I AM A STARR,MY GREAT GRANDMOTHERS LAST NAME WAS STARR, I FIND IT CRAZY THAT I HAVE A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE A MALE,THAT HE IS RELATED TO JESSE JAMES WHO AS WE KNOW BELLE RAN WITH,MY FRIEND AND I FEEL THERE IS A REASON WE HAVE CROSSED PATHS LIKE OUR ANCESTORES DID BUT WE DONT DO THE CRAZY THINGS THAT THEY DID,WE DOD FIND IN AMAZING WE TO OUR SUCH GOOD FRIENDS. THANX MICHELLE
My name is S. E. Starr and a direct decedent of the Oklahoma & Arkansas Starr's. I would love to exchange info with you. I did a family tree on my relatives over a period of 10-15 years and was able to trace back to 1450 and all the way back to England, Scotland and Ireland to where the Starr's originated from.
I am at starrman48@yahoo.com if you or any one wants to inquire about the Starr's drop me a line………
starrman my grandfather was james edward Reed my father was j.e.Reed if you did so mush reseach could u from out on jim reed kids plz we are from the ozarks in arkansas
I am her lots of greats grandaughter, and Jesse James is my Great Great Uncle! Belle is on my mother's side. Jesse James's little brother is on my fathers side. I find it fate that there genes crossed.
their*
My name is Tonya and I am the great great granddaughter of Belle Starr. My grandmother who is still living today has told my sister about her. We do not have all the information but would love to find out more.
SORRY!! But there is no Driskill in the Starr clan
I am a direct decedent of Sam & Belle Starr and was born about 50 miles from Younger's Bend where Sam & Belle had their farm.
My last name is Starr and I was born in Fayetteville, AR.
we are also related to belle starr. i found out when my daughter had to do a report on her.my mother would tell me about my grandmother telling her stories when she was younger.my grandmother did are family tree on her last days.when she past at an young age are family history went with her.all we have is what my mother remebers from those stories as a kid
Hello, I was wondering if anyone that is either kin or has done research on Belle Starr ever came across the name of Martha Thunderberk ? She was half Cherokee and the grandmother of a close friend of mine, She has handed down a colt derringer that she said was given to her by Belle Starr. Said they were close friends. Since it has been said that Belle knew Blue Duck , I'm thinking this is very possible. I now own the gun and just out of total curiosty would like to know if anyone has come across that name anywhere or her married name was Meade. any info would be appreciated. Thank You
Sue Johnson email lostgambler1@att.net
Hi! Theres info on different sites: Eric James.org, is one people can look for Jesse James kin. Also Rootsweb.com/ ~daisy/jamesged.com. I'm looking too! I'm kin to Belle Starr thru my Grandmother Vinnie Sage and Palestine Best..From the Muskogee, Ok. side. My husband is kin to Jesse James on his Moms side Catherine Weis and the Wallaces and Armstrongs. Thanks, Sandy
I too am related to Belle Starr. I know it comes from my father's side of the family. The last name is Phillips. From what I know my father's grandmother was most likely the niece of Belle
my name a jessica and I am related to belle Starr. I don't know how or what she is too me. I would really love to learn. I don't know much. My mother said to me once that she is related to us. We live with the shirley last name. If anyone soul help me out learning how she is related to me please contact me at. Cheesecake9111@aol.com. Thank you
i was told i am related by my granddad. i am wondering if any of the srarr clan can be traced to wynona .ok
WHEN I WAS YOUNG BACK IN THE FIFTYS DEVILS DEN BY TISHOMINGO OKLAHOMA HAD A CABIN WAS SAID TO BE BELLE STARS ON THE PENNINGTON CREEK NORTH OF TOWN MIGHT BE WORTH CHECKING OUT ! LOTS OF LUCK
TONY DEE BYERS TX
Finally, someone who did not repeat oll tall tales. Thank you.
I am doubly related to Belle Starr's first, and legal, husband, James C. "Jim" Reed. Sisters Susan Brock and Fatima Jane "Tima" Brock married first cousins. Susan to Solomon Reed, Fatima to David Reed.
Soon after the beginning of th Civil War, Jim's parents joined his mother's paeents and some of her siblins who had earlier moved to near present day Rhome, Wise Co., TX. After the end of the war, the now widowed Susan moved with sister Fatima and David Reed to Collin Co., TX. Jim and Belle married in Collin Co. Nov 1, 1866.
As Jim's mother's first cousin was the doctor in Carthage, MO and the widow of Fatima's son married a Pennington (Belle's mother was a Pennington), iut seems likely that Jim and Belle had know each other in Missouri.
When the Reeds returned from California, they did not move to Dallas, but lived on Coon Creek in Bosque Co., TX. This short creek empties into the Brazos River just south of Laguna Park..
While there, they would visit his cousin Louisa Ellen "louella" eed Gaston, daughter of Fatima Brock and David Reed who lived an adjoining Coryell Co. My great-grandmother, "Louella" told her children and grandchileen about vists by her "bad guy" cousin Jim and his wife , but she, a minister's wife, was nervous to have her bad guy cousin around. She said the wife was very nice. None knew her name until my research revealed she was best known as Belle Starr.
I do not have the names of Jim and Belle's daugher Rosa Lee "Pearl"'s descendants, but she was married several times. At one point, Rosa was sent to Benton Co. AR where some of Susan Brock Reed's siblings moved from Texas. Supposedly the child born to her there was sent to Solomon Reed's sister in Kansas who put it out for adoption without Pearl's knowledge.
Do not have the names of Pearls children, but she married 4 times – she married an Erbach, and Epple, Charles Kaigler and lastly, an Andews. Rosa died July 6, 1925 in Douglas, Cochise Co., AZ and buried in the Douglas Cemetery.
Would appreciate any inormation on her descendants.
In 1965 Pearl's youngest daughter was living in Elko, Nev and had been for several years. Her father was a river boat gambler. Jeannette Scott and her husband owed the The Pioneer Bar and Hotel. She has 3 sisters, one taught music at the University of Mississippi for awhile. I can't remember her name. All the girls had different fathers. Pearl was a sharp shooter in a wild west show at one time.
Jeanette had at least one daughter who lived in Elko then and had children.
Jeannette wrote a book on Belle Starr and had several of her things. The man that was with Belle when she was killed was Charles Mc Laughlin and he did not shoot her. He died in the late 1950's in Wendell. Idaho. He was way in his 90's.