Jess was orphaned at age five and grew up under the harsh hand of a preacher man who owned the local orphanage. At age eleven, he ran away and headed out west where he quickly learned life wasn't fair and it wasn't easy for a boy with no family.

By age sixteen, he'd learned to make his living as a gunslinger, train robber and card sharp. He lived his life hard and was ruthlessly shot in the back on his way to his wedding by his best man who was the only man he'd ever trusted  who wanted to collect the bounty on his head.