He tracked two outlaws to their mothers house in the Red River Valley. A year after moving to Arkansas, Reeves fell in love. Maybe a Dutton or two will show up, too. Reeves shot Webb with his Winchester at 500 yards after Webb narrowly missed him several times. Instead, he always asked somebody to read him the contents of the warrants that the Marshals presented to him. Tontos fictionalized story was far from the only racist part of the adaptation of the Lone Rangers life. After refusing to surrender, Reeves killed Dozier in a gunfight on December 20, 1878.In 1882 Bass Reeves arrested outlaw [12] Belle Starr for horse theft, but some say that Belle Starr turned herself in when she heard that Bass Reeves was looking for her. Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. At the outbreak of the Civil War, George was made an officer in the 11th Texas Cavalry Regiment, second in command to Col. William G. Young. He hung up the stirrups at 68 years oldso that he could become another kind of officer. The story of the Lone Ranger is far more legend than reality. [9]Bass Reeves was the first African American Deputy to be appointed west of the Mississippi River. Because Reeves spent his early years in enslavement, even as an adult man, he couldnt read. Marshal Leo Bennett in Muskogee, Oklahoma, only to find[13] his own son had been charged with the murder of his wife. Reeves brought in some of the most dangerous fugitives of the time; he was never wounded despite having his hat and belt shot off on separate occasions. Bass Reeves served as a valet for his masters son during THE CIVIL WAR. Before Reeves could respond, the gunman shot his belt in half. At his trial before Judge Parker, Reeves claimed to have shot the man by mistake while cleaning his gun; he was represented by former United States Attorney W. H. H. Clayton, who was a colleague and friend. The men with a $5,000 bounty on their heads woke up in handcuffs. The memorial was held close to the 110th anniversary of Reeves' death in 1910. So, when Reeves learned that his son was a wanted man, the lawman demanded the warrant. Talk about motherly love! And he got his man as often as any of the deputies. Fortunately, it was a lucrative business. If so, login to add it. Introducing 'Bass Reeves,' a 'Yellowstone' Spinoff, 'Yellowstone' Season 5 Is "Gonna Be Bloody", Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Some say the Quentin Tarantino movie, Django, was based on his life.[17]. His son likely wasnt happy with his decision. They didnt always give him that option. Bass Reeves was indeed the Invincible Marshal. Reeves and his companion avoided the first flurry of bullets, and the sound of the laughter pinpointed Doziers location. Bass Reeves (July 1838 January 12, 1910) was an American law enforcement official, historically noted as the first black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. For this reason, Reeves found unusual support from the inhabitants of the land he patrolled during his career. Scandalous Facts About Hollywood Celebrities, Lawyers Reveal Their Most Jaw-Dropping Court Cases, Extravagant Facts About Josephine Baker, The Black Pearl of Paris, Couldnt Pay Me To Go Back: Absolutely Wild Stories Of High School Drama, Catherine The Great Was a Mighty EmpressUntil Her Brutal Downfall, These Mortifying Mistakes Make Us Want To Hit Undo. 1 of 3 In a statue of Bass Reeves residing in the Lamar County Courthouse, sculptor Eddie Dixon arms the famed lawman with a double-barreled shotgun. Not too many years before, he was the target of law enforcement officials himself. Native Territory comprised most of what became Eastern Oklahoma on November 16, 1907, when Oklahoma became a state. According to the letter of the law, it didnt matter who they were. This is one gunslinger who wont soon be forgotten, so dive in and discover the action-packed life of Bass Reeves. [1] Bass Reeves may have served Colonel George R. Reeves, the son of William Reeves, the owner of Bass Reeves when he was a slave. My mom never told me how her best friend died. They sheltered him from lawmen who sought to return him to slavery. The federal jail court was in Van Buren for the western district of Arkansas and Indian Territory. Reeves had a beat in downtown Muskogee, during . Then, Reeves met a woman named Winnie Sumter and fell in love all over again. They would travel with a crew, at least one posseman or more, a cook, a guard and one or two wagons with supplies. Bass Reeves delivered two prisoners to U.S. Eventually, he moved to Arkansas where he settled down, got married, had 10 children and his knowledge of THE INDIAN territories and the fact that he spoke several native languages landed him a job as the first African-American U.S. [5], Reeves was married twice and had eleven children. Judge Isaac Parker was an unbelievably harsh man. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? Dozier was a cattle-rustler and stagecoach bandit with a seriously bad reputation. Reeves was now 69 years old, the only deputy U.S. marshal I have found that started with Judge Parkers regime in 1875 and worked up to Oklahoma statehood in 1907. The tough man was definitely no stranger to loss in his life, but this was different. [6] Reeves served in that district until 1893, when he transferred to the Eastern District of Texas in Paris, Texas. Bass took the warrant and bought his son in for murder shortly thereafter his son convicted and sent to Leavenworth. Selmas David Oyelowo will star as Bass Reeves, alongside the recently announced Dennis Quaid as Deputy U.S. Marshall Sherrill Lynn. Almost a year out from a planned opening of the new $60 million museum, its the lawmans family tree the curator wants most. Marshal west of the Mississippi River. Reeves couldnt stay on as a ranger forever. The Lone Ranger has appeared in thousands of radio episodes, hundreds of television episodes, hundreds of comic books, six films, and dozens of novels. [1] It appears plausible that Reeves was kept in bondage by William Steele Reeves's son, Colonel George R. Reeves -- a Texan sheriff, legislator, and one-time Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives until his death from rabies in 1882. At Muskogee, Reeves worked under Leo E. Bennett, the former Indian agent for the Five Civilized Tribes, headquartered at the same town. Despite being disturbed and deeply shaken by the incident, Reeves nonetheless insisted on the responsibility of bringing Bennie to justice. We want our readers to trust us. Reeves was quicker and dropped the outlaw. Reeves, a deputy U.S. marshal, was one of many black law officers, sheriffs, deputies, and judges who helped keep law and order alive in the "Wild West.". He also rode the Oklahoma range on a massive white stallion. According to Art Burton, a well-respected historian, Bass Reeves is the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, a fictional Texas Ranger who has become one of the most recognizable cultural icons in American history. Marshals who rode for Parker have received fame over the years: Paden Tolbert bringing in Ned Christie, for example. Reeves County in West Texas is named for him. At his trial before Judge Parker, Reeves was represented by former United States Attorney W. H. H. Clayton, who had been his colleague and friend. Editors of AHM, A Guide to America's Greatest Historic Places, p. 9). He just needed a way inso he came up with a devious plan. One of the most infamous men in Indian Territory went by the name Greenleaf. Picture this on horseback, with a leather saddle and stiff boots. However, the ranger never drew his weapon first. So harsh, in fact, that he was given the nickname The Hanging Judge. The reason for this nickname isnt difficult to riddle out. [5], He was himself once charged with murdering a posse cook. Join the. After five years and several hundred thousand dollars in fundraising, Spears and his committee saw the unveiling of the large bronze Bass Reeves Legacy Monument by H. Holden at Ross Pendergraft Park in downtown Fort Smith in May 2012. The same newspaper in March of 1885 reported Reeves bringing in 13 prisoners. Bass Reeves worked with lawman such as [10] Heck Thomas, Bud Ledbetter, and Bill Tilghman. The Legend of Bass Reeves by author Gary Paulsen is a Western written for young readers. Sebastian County Circuit Judge Jim Spears, now retired, is credited with leading an effort to prominently enshrine the folk hero in bronze. Taken by his owner, George Reeves, to join the Civil War. Muskogee was the principal town in the Indian Territory and had a large African American population with many federal offices in town. Ironically, Reeves was brought up on first-degree murder charges, not manslaughter or criminal negligence, after a new U.S. marshal was hired, the first former Confederate officer Reeves would work for. From 1920-1970, Kennedy explained, the name Bass Reeves, as well as those of Grant Foreman and Robert Fortune were forgotten outside the circle of family and local history. Its probably fair to say that Bass himself wasnt too broken up when he heard the news. In the Old West, its hard to separate the good guys from the bad. During that era, he made one of his top arrests with the capture of the Seminole Indian fugitive known as Greenleaf in April 1890. Bass Reeves was one of the greatest peace officers in the history of the American western frontier. [5] He married Nellie Jennie from Texas, with whom he had ten children, five boys and five girls. He was an excellent shooter, but he took this talent to the next level: The lawman was completely ambidextrous. He got close to the two sons, told tall tales of thievery, and waited. Bass Reeves is a part of US Black history. [2], When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Reeves, then 68, became an officer of the Muskogee, Oklahoma police department. He captured the two gang members in the Red River Valley, but it wasnt exactly simple: The boys mother chased him for three miles, cursing his name the whole time! But theres one last twist in this story: Bennie received a pardon in 1914. He served for two years, in that time there were no crimes on his beat. [2] Once he had to arrest his own son for murder. He was apparently well dressed, with spit-polished boots and a striking, wide-brimmed hat on his head. As the first Black deputy west of the Mississippi River, Reeves arrested more than . By all accounts, he drew quickly and never missed his mark when the time came. Though it wont include anyone from the cast of 1883, Bass Reeves will follow the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshall west of the Mississippi River in U.S. history. There is no indication of race on federal records. This troubled his mother greatly as she thought he wanted to be an outlaw. After the war, Bass Reeves settled down outside Van Buren, Arkansas, and maintained a horse ranch and small farm. It is unclear how, and exactly when, Bass Reeves escaped, but at some point during the Civil War, he gained his freedom. [78] Reeves was born into slavery in Grayson County, Texas in 1838. FORT SMITH, Ark. While he lived with the local Indigenous tribes, Bass became a guide for government officials who traveled through the Indian Territory. Bass was also very quick and accurate with a pistol. [3] During the American Civil War, Bass parted company with George Reeves. [1] When Bass Reeves was eight (about 1846), William Reeves moved to Grayson County, Texas, near Sherman in the Peters Colony. Most marshals were afraid to take the caseno one wanted to track down the son of the infamous Bass Reeves. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. He proved this ability time and time again by holstering Colts on both sides. At this point, with a downtown Fort Smith statue of Reeves erected in 2012, along with several True West Magazine stories and a 1992 induction in the Hall of Great Westerners at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, it would be peculiar if someone asks Whos Bass Reeves?. 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