In the Old City Cemetery in Seymour, Indiana, there is a small gated plot that contains three graves of the infamous Reno brothers—Frank, William, and Simeon aka “Sim”.  While no one would consider central Indiana the Old West, it is where the first train robbery in US history took place.

The Reno brothers were the nucleus of a gang that terrorized the Midwest.  They were one of the very first gangs that consisted mainly of brothers—others followed, such as, the James Younger Gang, the Dalton Gang, etc.  The Renos perpetrated small petty crimes at first, illegal card games, then burglaries, horse thieving, robberies, and they were suspected of murder.  They grew more violent and eventually held Seymour hostage as they held up in the local hotel.  Then they conducted a series of four train robberies, the first just outside the railroad hub of Seymour in late October 1866.  The crime spree went on for two more years before they were caught.

Many of the gang members were awaiting trial when a group of vigilantes broke into the jail holding them.  Ten members of the gang, including Frank, William, and Sim were strung up and lynched.  None of the members of the vigilante group were ever identified or arrested.

A small plaque notes who they were:

“RENO GRAVES

Frank, William, and Simeon Reno, Leaders of the infamous Reno Gang that committed the world’s first train robbery at Seymour, October 6, 1866 were hanged by vigilantes in the New Albany Jail, December 12, 1868 and interred here December 15, 1868.”

Though the Reno Brothers were the first band of gang members to rob a train, they weren’t last. And even though they had national notoriety at the time, they have been nearly forgotten.