THE CALIFORNIA CONNECTION

[Margaret-Anne Moore]

Although many people do not realize it, California has connections to Outlaws from other parts of the country.  William Antrim, the stepfather of you-know-who, moved to San Luis Obispo County in later life to be near relatives and died there at the age of  80.  Drury Woodson James came here to look for gold during the Gold Rush with his brother.  The brother died, leaving his widow to raise their family on a farm in Missouri, but Drury stayed and became a prominent member of his community.  The rest is history because Drury's nephews became the best-known outlaws in the country.  The nephews may have actually visited him at his land holdings.  Bill Dalton left home before his brothers became notorious, and settled into life in California and hoped to engage in a political career.  When his brothers visited him and were accussed of committing a robbery in the Central Valley all of his hopes were dashed,  The brothers high-tailed it back to the Middle West leaving Bill holding the bag.  The robbery in question may have been committed by the Sontag Brothers.  One writer noted that although many movies portrayed all four brothers riding the outlaw trail together, Bill did not become an outlaw until after the Coffeyville fiasco.  Bill returned to the Middle West and joined up with other outlaws.  The Abeloe edition of Historic Spots in California contained a photograph of an old store in the La Honda area.  It is widely believed the Jim and Bob Younger were employed among the construction crew and that Cole may also have been there.  It was widely called the Bandit Built Store.  I believe the store building may have stood until around 1960.  at least one writer stated that Cole may have been sent to California early in 1865 on an official mission for the Confederacy, and may have actually been in San Francisco in April of that year.  There is a California Connection!