There was a fine line between lawmen and outlaws in the Old West, and sometimes, men crossed it. A little dose of karma eventually came down upon the Colonel. 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?. http://politicalblindspot.com/the-real-lone-ranger-was-an-african-a https://www.policeone.com/police-heroes/articles/6408028-Police-His Geni requires JavaScript! When those old gunfighters are sittin around up there in Valhalla discussing who was the, The real law-and-order heros long and Winding road to cinematic and television fame. The Fort Smith Elevator reported Reeves bringing in 12 prisoners in April 1884. Marshal badge and bullets that one belonged to U.S. Deputy Marshal Bass Reeves. After it became one of the most popular shows on television, Paramount greenlit a prequel miniseries titled 1883. Two weeks later he returned to Muskogee with his son and turned him over to Marshal Bennett. He died in 1910. Marshals Museum. [1] When Bass was eight (about 1846), William Reeves moved to Grayson County, Texas, near Sherman in the Peters Colony. Dave Kennedy, curator of collections and exhibits, said recently the museum is still in search of Bass . Marshals Museum in Fort Smith has an impressive collection of guns and documents related to famed Deputy U.S. Spears is now leading an effort to erect a bronze statue of Judge Parker downtown. In 1848, George was elected tax collector, and in 1850, he was elected sheriff of Grayson County. Its not known exactly where Bass Reeves is buried, but in the 1990s the Oklahombres organization placed a small marker bearing Reeves name in the Old Agency Cemetery in Muskogee. His children were named Newland, Benjamin, George, Lula, Robert, Sally, Edgar, Bass Jr., Harriet, Homer and Alice. A little boy sits transfixed in a movie theater as Reeves brings a crooked white sheriff to justice. When he retired in 1907, Reeves claimed to have arrested over 3,000 felons. Other than a few scrapes and bruises, Reeves made it through his career entirely unscathed. He proved this ability time and time again by holstering Colts on both sides. George also happened to be the towns sheriff. Please add Bass to the American Heroes category. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. The talented marksman and guide quickly started making a name for himself. Interest was, With a budget of $250 million, this summers Disney movie, The Lone Ranger, will be. [1][2] Reeves was named after his grandfather, Basse Washington. Apparently, the six-foot lawman was a talented actor and took on a variety of aliases and disguises as he prowled outlaw country. Reeves was one of those men. [2] His family were slaves of Arkansas state legislator William Steele Reeves. Portrayal in Film: Timeless (TV Series) S1E14 2017. From the shackles of slavery to the US Marshals Service, Reeves lived a life of conflict, excitement, and heartbreak. Reeves did one thing, and he did it very well: He tracked down outlaws on the lam. [2], When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Reeves, then 68, became an officer of the Muskogee, Oklahoma police department. He also rode the Oklahoma range on a massive white stallion. Native Territory comprised most of what became Eastern Oklahoma on November 16, 1907, when Oklahoma became a state. Thanks for your help! Bass won many turkey shoots for his master, which in Texas was prestigious for George. (http://www.ifyouonlynews.com/videos/the-lone-ranger-was-real-and-he ), Bass Reeves also knew a thing or two about laying down the law. Bass Reeves was involved in the "Wild, Wild West," part of the westward expansion of the United States. Bass started as a water boy until he was old enough to become a field hand like his parents. Topping, James H. Mershon and Jacob T. Ayers. The Legend of Bass Reeves by author Gary Paulsen is a Western written for young readers. Yellowstone, set in the present day, follows the Dutton family as they try to protect the largest ranch in the United States from hedge funds and governmental bodies looking to take their generational land away from them. Reeves and Webb had a gunfight in June 1884 near Bywaters Store, which was a stagecoach stop. He took a job as a patrolman with the Muskogee Oklahoma Police Department. They were an unstoppable force and an immovable object, and there was only one way this was going to go down. Bass Reeves began to earn a reputation for his courage and success at bringing in or killing many outlaws of the territory. At Factinate, were dedicated to getting things right. As noted in Art Burtons 2006 book, Black Gun, Silver Star, Reeves has been known to historians for quite some time and was even mentioned in Larry McMurtrys 1997 novel Zeke and Ned. But Reeves is left out of the picture in S.W. When Reeves faced trial, he was lucky enough to know the right people. Specifically fort smith where judge parkers court house is located. Tom Wing, history professor with the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, feels that Reeves was so well respected by local lawmen that he was offered a light duty job with the Muskogee Police Department. Dozier escaped from Bass Reeves for several years until he tracked Bob Dozier down in the Cherokee Hills. In 1909, the tough lawman finally came across an enemy that he couldnt best: Brights Disease. (Fort Smith National Historic Site. Bass Reeves was the first black man to be appointed a U.S. Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi. In real life, he carried a .44 caliber . It was pretty tame compared to his old beat, but at 68, that was probably for the best. Introducing 'Bass Reeves,' a 'Yellowstone' Spinoff, 'Yellowstone' Season 5 Is "Gonna Be Bloody", Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. For the next ten years, he lived a quiet life on his country farm. [a] During his long career, he had on his record more than 3,000 arrests of dangerous fugitives, and shot and killed 14 of them in self-defense. As noted by the U.S. Park Service in a history of Bass Reeves, Judge Parker believed that black men would make great officers of the law in the Indian Territory, due to shared mistrust that existed between Indians and blacks toward the white man. That entry also notes that racial tensions were particularly high at the time and caused whites to feel anger toward a black man who had the power to arrest them.. Federal Judge Paul Brady and his wife Xernona were in Fort Smith on Monday (April 11) to donate a gun, U.S. Is it a sequel to a prequel? Art T. Burton AFRICAN AMERICANS, RUFUS CANNON, FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT FOR WESTERN ARKANSAS, ROBERT L. FORTUNE, FREEDMEN, INDIAN TERRITORY, GRANT JOHNSON, ZEKE MILLER, ISAAC CHARLES PARKER, SEGREGATION In 1910, he made his final salute. At others, he took on the guise of an outlaw. Marshals office in Muskogee was downsized, and Reeves found himself out of work. He appointed [8] James Fagan as U.S. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. He knew that he would have to escape, so he went to what is Oklahoma today and found a HOME with the Seminole and Creek American Indians. Starring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, 1883 depicted the first Dutton family members to travel the Oregon Trail and settle in Montana, where the Yellowstone Ranch is set in the series. Reeves was also known to love racing his sorrell horse, and would go to extremes to serve writs. As the years passed, the American government seized more and more territory. Marshal Bass Reeves was arguably the greatest lawman and gunfighter of the West, a man who served as a marshal for 32 years in the most dangerous district in the country, captured 3,000 felons, (once bringing in 17 men at one time), and shot 14 men in the line of duty, all without ever being shot himself. BLOODY RECORD OF, Reeves Noted Secret Service Manhunter Dead Muskogee Okla Jan 12, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, 1836-1922. http://www.ifyouonlynews.com/videos/the-lone-ranger-was-real-and-he First black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. Bass got so upset at being cheated, he beat his master down and knocked him out. They would later have 11 children in the household. This was his first taste of work with the US government in an official capacity. Reeves was inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame in 2013; he's had bronze statues erected in his likeness, and a bridge in Oklahoma now bears his name. He became the first black man to work as a deputy west of the Mississippi River. After his capture by Reeves, residents came from as far as 20 miles to see that Greenleaf was in handcuffs before they took him to Fort Smith. He was barred from competitive turkey shoots, although he always claimed to be only fair with a rifle. Other reasons, Kennedy adds, included Reeves age. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Taken by his owner, George Reeves, to join the Civil War. Greenleaf terrorized the area for years, but to Reeves, he was just another bounty. Sadly, Reeves beloved wife, Nellie Jennie, passed in Fort Smith in 1896. His son was eventually tracked and captured, tried and convicted. He was an excellent shooter, but he took this talent to the next level: The lawman was completely ambidextrous. [2] He served for two years before he became ill and retired. Judge Parker ruled on the situation and acquitted Reeves of all charges. Heartbroken, this is when Bass Reeves took matters into his own hands. Given the 30-odd years he spent as a ranger, this is quite a remarkable achievement. The series will star David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves, a real-life former slave who became the first Black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi in the 1870s. Many claim this infamous lawman's exploits were the inspiration behind the Lone Ranger. Bass would travel west to Fort Sill, north to Fort Reno and sometimes Fort Supply, picking up and arresting felons who broke federal law in the Indian Territory. In 1897 he was transferred to the Muskogee Federal Court. Well, as a deputy in Indian Territory, Bass Reeves rode his horse from Fort Smith to Fort Renoa distance of 800 mileson more than one occasion. [5] He was an uncle of Paul L. Brady, the first African-American appointed a Federal Administrative Law Judge (in 1972). Saddle up, because this ones a bit of a doozyI'll explain Bass Reeves as best as I can. At Muskogee, Reeves worked under Leo E. Bennett, the former Indian agent for the Five Civilized Tribes, headquartered at the same town. He was 62 tall and extraordinarily strong. On one occasion, the ranger was facing off with an outlaw who drew on him. He tried to apprehend the fugitive Jim Webb, who had been foreman on the Billy Washington Ranch in the Chickasaw Nation. After escaping his masters, Reeves traveled to Oklahoma, or Indian Territory, as it was known then. Webb had earlier killed a Black farmer who accidently burned some grazing land on the Washington Ranch. Deadline reported that the crew is officially filming in Texas, so it may be a while before we see the legendary lawman on our screens. President Ulysses S. Grant appointed a U.S. congressman from Missouri named Isaac C. Parker to take over the Fort Smith federal court in March 1875. Unsurprisingly, Reeves took the task without complaint. As early as 1867 there was a posse out of Van Buren, Arkansas, sent to investigate a stagecoach robbery at Atoka, Choctaw Nation, that was led by a deputy U.S. marshal named Negro Smith. Joined by an ex Union Sharpshooter, they are in a race against time as they track Jack Donner and his vicious gang of killers to the oil-rich Texas town of Corsicana. He died on January 12, 1910, of kidney disease. As it turns out, the time to draw seemed to come up a lot. In fact, the Oklahoma City Weekly Times Journal once reported that Reeves was never known to show the slightest excitement, under any circumstance. Spears said Bill Black presented the idea for a Bass Reeves statue after Spears effort for a statue of President Zachary Taylor did not get traction. In 1855, George was elected to the Texas House of Representatives from Grayson County. We may never know exactly how many black men served as Deputy U.S. Marshals, a placard at the Historic Site reads. Ryan Reaves, a professional hockey player from Winnipeg, is Basss great-great-great-grandson. Bass severely beat George, and fled to the Indian Territory where he lived among the Cherokee, Creeks and Seminoles. Marshals who worked for the Federal Court at Fort Smith, Arkansas. Reeves was acquitted.[7]. Have you taken a DNA test? Bass Reeves was born a slave in Crawford County in July 1838. Bass Reeves was born a slave, but died a respected lawman, having served in the Indian Territory (and later Oklahoma), Arkansas and Texas, the National Park Service states. Reeves was headquartered at Calvin in the Choctaw Nation and carried many of his prisoners to the federal commissioner at Pauls Valley in the Chickasaw Nation. They had 11 children: William Reeves, Edgar Reeves, Lulu Reeves, Sally Reeves, Robert Reeves, Harriet Reeves, George Reeves, Alice Mae Reeves, Newland Reeves, Benjamin Bennie Reeves and Bass Reeves Jr. Bass married Winnie Reeves in 1864, at age 26 in Arkansas, United States. He was so good, in fact, that he was regularly banned from participating in competitive turkey shoots, a popular pastime in the West. Reeves was in a dangerous profession and, unsurprisingly, had a lot of close calls. He only had one man with him, but Bass Reeves didnt need much help. He was never KNOWN to make a mistake. 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. We may earn a commission from these links. Typically, local posses accompanied Reeves on his expeditions and stakeouts. Enter a grandparent's name. Bass Reeves was born a slave in the 1830's American South. His long muscular arms have attached to them a pair of hands that would do credit to a giant and they handle a revolver with the ease and grace acquired only after years of practice. Bass Reeves will be executive produced by Sheridan, David Oyelowo, Jessica Oyelowo, David Permut, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle and Bob Yari.MTV Entertainment Studios, Sheridan's Bosque Ranch . Reeves had plenty of shooting to do without the turkeys. Eventually, his work earned him a place as the hunted. Being ambidextrous he always wore two Colt pistols and he rarely missed his mark. Reeves became known in the early 1880s for bringing prisoners back to the Fort Smith court in double digits. In a happy subplot to an often harrowing tale, the two stayed together for the rest of their lives. It was later proven that Ned was not guilty of the crime. The U.S. They ended up having a whopping ten childrenfive boys and five girls. In this capacity, his familiarity with the land served him well. The residents of the territory said he could whip any two men with his fist. He was apparently well dressed, with spit-polished boots and a striking, wide-brimmed hat on his head. In 1900, at 62 years old, Reeves married for a second time. People in period dress were at the Bass Reeves Memorial on Saturday at Three Rivers Museum. Marshal Reeves was disturbed and shaken by the incident but demanded to accept the responsibility of bringing his son to justice. At the age of 67, Bass Reeves retired from federal service at Oklahoma statehood in 1907. [1] When Bass Reeves was eight (about 1846), William Reeves moved to Grayson County, Texas, near Sherman in the Peters Colony. (He appears to. After 1900, Muskogee had city police, with two deputy U.S. marshals stationed there, Bass Reeves and a white man David Adams. Reeves was born into captivity in 1838. When he arrived, various Indigenous peoples, including the Cherokee, Seminoles, and Creeks, took him in. [11], His great-great-grandson is former National Football League and Canadian Football League player Willard Reaves, while his great-great-great-grandsons are National Hockey League player Ryan Reaves and CFL player Jordan Reaves. Bass Reeves delivered two prisoners to U.S. At times, he dressed himself as a local farmer. He once said he knew the Indian Territory like a cook knows her kitchen. He hunted his son down and clapped him in irons. Here from 1875 until his death in 1896, the famous "Hanging Judge," Isaac C. Parker, presided over a court, keeping peace in the lawless territory. Bass Reeves began his life as a slave in the state of Arkansas in July 1838, near the town of Van Buren. Legend has it that Reeves ended up getting into a serious confrontation with his master over a card game in 1861. After the war, Bass Reeves settled down outside Van Buren, Arkansas, and maintained a horse ranch and small farm. However, the ranger never drew his weapon first. In 1872 the Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas (which included 74,000 miles of Indian territory) established quarters in the former barracks building of Fort Smith. Born a slave in Arkansas, Reeves grew up in Grayson county, Texas, following the relocation of his owner, William S. Reeves. An article suggests that Bass Reeves may have been the inspiration for the "Lone Ranger" --. He is a member of Western Writers of America and the Chicago Westerners Corral, and was made an honorary territorial marshal by Oklahoma Governor David Walters. Theres only one catch: Bass Reeves is not an original character. Clayton, formerly the U.S. Attorney in Judge Parkers court, and William M. Cravens. Selma 's David Oyelowo will. Bass took the warrant and bought his son in for murder shortly thereafter his son convicted and sent to Leavenworth. He liked to brag that there was never any crime reported on his beat. Reeves was furiousand he had to take his anger out on something. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. Working mainly the Arkansas and the Oklahoma Territory, Reeves would bring more than 3,000 dangerous criminals, outlaws, and murderers to justice - including his own son. For a slave to hit his master in Texas was punishable by death. 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. . Reeves didnt just take it, though. Bass Reeves: Lawman, gunslinger, trail-blazer. Williams son, Colonel George Reeves, was Basss legal owner. The only significant remains of the second fort [built in 1839] are the old stone Commissary Building and Judge Parker's Courtroom, which has been restored. He would then memorize their details before striking out to pursue his target. When Bass was eight, the Reeves family moved to northern Texas to Peters Colony in Grayson County near Sherman, Texas. Reeves was a deputy U.S . 14 were shot in self-defense. 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.". 1883: The Bass Reeves Story will be so different as it will focus on the historical figure Bass Reeves, an enslaved man turned U.S. According to an Oklahoma news article in 1907, outlaws in the West had a habit of posting cards on their turf with warnings to certain deputies. If you didnt think the .css-umdwtv{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#FF3A30;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-umdwtv:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}Yellowstone extended universe of shows could get any more confusing, well, youd lose that bet today. Fortunately, he had another useful skill. Later, Bass became a body servant to the son of William Reeves, Colonel George R. After 1905, Reeves did not arrest as many white felons as he had earlier in his career, due to the large influx of white settlers into the territory and racial attitudes shifting. As one of the most respected lawmen working in Indian Territory, he achieved legendary status for the number of criminals he captured. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. FORT SMITH, Ark. He was also a black dude. His likeness has appeared in at least seven television series, four films, a play, two board games, and at least six books. He was hired as a city policeman in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he served for about two years. Despite never drawing first, Reeves ended up in a lot of shootouts. Claude Legris, executive director of the Fort Smith Advertising and Promotion Commission and a member of the U.S. Bass went with George into the war, serving as his body servant. The Lone Ranger has appeared in thousands of radio episodes, hundreds of television episodes, hundreds of comic books, six films, and dozens of novels. [2] He served for two years before he became ill and had to retire. The legendary lawman was said to. [2][5] He is said to have shot and killed fourteen outlaws to defend his own life. Bass occasionally would serve as a guide into the Indian Territory for Deputy U.S. Bennie was jealous, angry, and violent. Despite his instantly-recognizable look, rumor has it that the lawman had a few other tricks up his sleeve. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. The Three Rivers Museum in Muskogee also has several artifacts from Reeves career as a lawman. [1] He was one of the first African Americans to receive a commission as a Deputy U.S. Reeves reputation quickly spread across the West. Abolitionists in the Indian Territory harbored him until it was safe to move. It looked like his luck was finally beginning to turnand more good fortune was on the horizon. 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. In 1887, Reeves had to sell his home and farm in the Catcher Community near Van Buren to pay for his first-degree murder defense with attorneys William H.H. [3], Later Reeves moved to Arkansas and farmed near Van Buren. Father of Benjamin Bass Reeves; Homer Reeves; Robert Reeves; Newland Reeves; Edgar Reeves and 8 others; Sally Reeves; Harriet Reeves; Georgia Reeves; Alice Reeves; Lula Reeves; Bass Reeves, Jr.; George Reeves and Private less , who had been foreman on the Washington Ranch died on January 12, 1910, kidney! Using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery apparently well dressed, with a budget $... James H. Mershon and Jacob T. Ayers back to the Fort Smith, Arkansas, and he it. In 1848, George was elected sheriff of Grayson County his mark lawman & x27. Elected tax collector, and violent hat on his beat the years passed, the time to draw seemed come! The talented marksman and guide quickly started making a name for himself in 12 prisoners in 1884. 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