Robert Ewing Younger (October 29, 1853 – September 16, 1889) was an American criminal and outlaw, the younger brother of Cole, Jim and John Younger. He was a member of the James–Younger Gang. He stood six feet, two inches tall and had deep blue eyes, muscular arms, and a thick neck.
Life
Born in Missouri on October 29, 1853, Robert was the thirteenth of fourteen children born to Henry Washington Younger and Bersheba Leighton Fristoe. During the Civil War his brothers Cole and Jim rode with Quantrill's Raiders. Bob was only 8 when the war broke out in 1861. He saw his father killed by Union soldiers and his home burned to the ground.
After the war, his older brothers formed the James–Younger Gang with Frank and Jesse James. For ten years the gang robbed banks, trains, and stage coaches across Missouri, Kansas and other nearby states.
Bob Younger is believed to have first joined the gang in 1873. He was likely involved in the James-Younger Gang's first train robbery on July 21, 1873. The robbery of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad took place in Adair, Iowa, yielded about $3,000, and resulted in the death of an engineer during derailment of the train.