The legendary lawman was said to. Evidently, she felt duped and betrayed by the heavily armed deputy. 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?. Marshal badge and bullets that one belonged to U.S. Deputy Marshal Bass Reeves. Because Reeves spent his early years in enslavement, even as an adult man, he couldnt read. In 1875, everything changed for Reeves. Marshals Service also started doing these events in 2012 in conjunction with the Cherokee Nation. It was later proven that Ned was not guilty of the crime. "The recent collection of Bass Reeves' prized guns from one of his descendants is incredible for the museum. Probably a smart decision. Taken by his owner, George Reeves, to join the Civil War. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. Over an 18 year stint, Greenleaf reputedly had seven bodies on his handsand he showed no sign of backing down. Editors of AHM, A Guide to America's Greatest Historic Places, p. 9). But eventually, it came time for Bass Reeves to set out on his own. 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. His likeness has appeared in at least seven television series, four films, a play, two board games, and at least six books. Reeves son, Benjamin Reeves, strayed from the family tree and ran into serious trouble with the law. 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. Barton quotes many sources in his book, and many times Reeves is credited with bringing in about a dozen prisoners or more at a time from the Indian Territory to the District Courthouse in Fort Smith. Dozier was a cattle-rustler and stagecoach bandit with a seriously bad reputation. His owners, the William S. Reeves family, moved to Grayson County, Texas, in 1846. (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. This court at that time had jurisdiction over most of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations. On one occasion, the ranger was facing off with an outlaw who drew on him. Here, he learned Indian languages, the lay of the land and complete mastery of pistols and rifles. After a citizens petition and an exemplary prison record, his son was pardoned and was never in trouble with the law again. While living with the Indians, Bass learned to speak and understand the different Indian languages. Later, he was killed by a large federal posse in 1892, never to prove his innocence. In Black Gun, Silver Star, Burton recounts some stories from Adam Grayson, a former resident of Indian Territory, saying that Reeves tore up at least one warrant for a prisoner who outraced his sorrell steed. When they neared Doziers hideout, things turned ugly. Its entirely possible that the show's Yellowstone interconnectedness drops off by the time it arrivesand we find ourselves with a Bass Reeves series that's entirely separate from Yellowstone. We may earn a commission from these links. Marshal Leo Bennett in Muskogee, Oklahoma, only to find[13] his own son had been charged with the murder of his wife. A year after moving to Arkansas, Reeves fell in love. Reeves could not read or write, but he was a skilled detective, a master of disguise, and an expert tracker. Thanks for your help! Reeves's . A little dose of karma eventually came down upon the Colonel. Bass Reeves Born about Jul 1838 in Crawford, Arkansas, United States Son of [father unknown] and Parilee Washington Stewart [sibling (s) unknown] Husband of Nellie (Jennie) Reeves married about 1864 in Arkansas, United States Husband of Winnie (Sumter) Reeves married 1900 in Muskogee,Oklahoma,United States Descendants More U.S. marshals died in service while hunting down fugitives in the Western District of Arkansas than any other place. 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. At his trial in October 1887, Reeves was found innocent. Marshal west of the Mississippi River. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Marshal Bass Reeves, possibly the greatest lawman of the Old West. All Photos Courtesy Art T. Burton Unless Otherwise Noted . He served his time in Ft. Leavenworth in Kansas before being released and living the rest of his life as a responsible and model citizen. setTimeout(function(){var t=document.createElement("script");t.setAttribute("src","https://sample.dragonforms.com/getEmbeddedClientScript.do?embeddedsite=TW_dispatch_nl"),t.setAttribute("type","text/javascript"),document.body.appendChild(t)},5); Become a subscriber today and youll recieve a new issue every month plus unlimited access to our full archive of backlogged issues. [5] He married Nellie Jennie from Texas, with whom he had ten children, five boys and five girls. by Art T. Burton | Jan 25, 2021 | Features & Gunfights, This is the best known photograph of Deputy U.S. The actual number might shock you, however. His estate came to less than $500. When he retired in 1907, Reeves claimed to have arrested over 3,000 felons. Marshal, lives on. Then, Reeves met a woman named Winnie Sumter and fell in love all over again. For this reason, Reeves found unusual support from the inhabitants of the land he patrolled during his career. His expeditions often lasted for several months and involved riding through rough terrain, living wherever he could find lodging, and risking his life taking on the toughest outlaws in the west. ", "Bass Reeves and The Lone Ranger: Debunking the Myth, Part 1", "Bridge to be renamed in tribute to famed lawman", "Statue of U.S. marshal to travel from Oklahoma to Arkansas Wednesday", Gunslingers, "Bass Reeves - The Real Lone Ranger", "In a New Series, 'Around the World in 80 Days' Gets More Worldly", "David Oyelowo To Star In 'Bass Reeves' Limited Series From Taylor Sheridan As Part Of Yoruba Saxon Overall Deal With ViacomCBS & MTV Entertainment Studios", "Mini About Hero Lawman Bass Reeves In Works At HBO With Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary & James Pickens Producing", "Bass Reeves Series 'Twin Territories' From Morgan Freeman's Revelations & 'Hand Of God' Creator Ben Watkins In Works At Amazon", "Amazon Studios Lands Biopic on Bass Reeves, First Black U.S. Deputy Marshal, From 'The Rider' Helmer Chlo Zhao", "U.S. Ryan Reaves, a professional hockey player from Winnipeg, is Basss great-great-great-grandson. 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.". The going rate was more than $1,000 for bounties. A man could make a lot of money at itand Reeves was one of the best in the biz. Even with air conditioning, rest stops, gas station snacks, and aux cords, an 800-mile road trip is a serious undertaking. [5] Reeves had to arrest his own son for murder;[2] Benjamin "Bennie" Reeves was charged with the murder of his own wife. For the next ten years, he lived a quiet life on his country farm. [1] When Bass was eight (about 1846), William Reeves moved to Grayson County, Texas, near Sherman in the Peters Colony. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? His son was tried and sent to Kansas Leavenworth Prison. Reeves had plenty of shooting to do without the turkeys. Fagan had heard about Reeves, who knew the Indian Territory and could speak several Indian languages. Marshal west of the Mississippi River, although he was never a Ranger nor did he ever live in Texas. Reeves did one thing, and he did it very well: He tracked down outlaws on the lam. Reeves was also known to love racing his sorrell horse, and would go to extremes to serve writs. He once said he knew the Indian Territory like a cook knows her kitchen. Many claim this infamous lawmans exploits were the inspiration behind the Lone Ranger. Sadly, Reeves beloved wife, Nellie Jennie, passed in Fort Smith in 1896. A fitting end to a horrible man, George Reeves contracted rabies and passed in 1882. Reeves is featured in the opening scene of HBO's award-winning series, Watchmen. "Some say because Bass beat up George after a dispute in a card game. Reeves was in a dangerous profession and, unsurprisingly, had a lot of close calls. Most people also know that the portrayal of Tonto as the Lone Rangers sidekick is often stereotypical and racist. He liked to brag that there was never any crime reported on his beat. Bass Reeves was born a slave in Crawford County in July 1838. Over his career, Reeves made a lot of enemies. Whatever the precise details of his flight, certain facts are crystal clear: Between 1861 and 1862, as the country was in the throes of the Civil War (take a wild guess as to which side Colonel George Reeves was on), Reeves escaped from his enslavement and became a free man of his own accord. Marshal Reeves was disturbed and shaken by the incident but demanded to accept the responsibility of bringing his son to justice. Bass set out for the Indian Territory and was taken in by Seminole and Creek Indians. Reeves had a beat in downtown Muskogee, during . Marshal was abolished at that time, so he became an officer with the Muskogee Police Department, where he served for two years until he was forced to resign because of his declining health. Though he had a hard reputation, Reeves was, by all accounts, a mild-mannered and polite man. George also happened to be the towns sheriff. Bass Reeves was born a slave in the 1830's American South. Reeves was a deputy U.S . There must be something in the family genes, because a number of Reeves descendants have left serious marks of their own. 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. Its clear at this point that the deputy tracked down and captured a huge number of outlaws. Answer (1 of 6): I am just glancing at census records after first reading about Bass Reeves on Wikipedia, but it looks to me like he married Winnie Summer about 1899-1900, when he was around 59 and she was around 38, and that his children and hers were both from previous marriages. Dozier escaped from Bass Reeves for several years until he tracked Bob Dozier down in the Cherokee Hills. Colbert began his tenure as a deputy U.S. marshal with the Fort Smith federal court in 1872, three years before Bass Reeves commission. [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. http://politicalblindspot.com/the-real-lone-ranger-was-an-african-a https://www.policeone.com/police-heroes/articles/6408028-Police-His Geni requires JavaScript! Interest was, With a budget of $250 million, this summers Disney movie, The Lone Ranger, will be. He still always got his manand when they asked him to produce his warrants, he always pulled out the right one. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA. George Reeves was also a legislator, in Texas, and at the time of his death in 1882 from rabies, George Reeves was the Speaker of the House in the Texas legislature. Selma 's David Oyelowo will. Other blacks were also appointed to this position: Dee Rogers, Bob Fortune, Bill Colbert, Neely Factor, Zeke Moore and Grant Johnson. 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. In December 1878, Reeves served as a guard at Fort Smith for the executions of a Black man named James Diggs and an Indian named James Postoak, both for murder. Reeves was furiousand he had to take his anger out on something. Well, when Sheridan finished 1883, producers over at the Paramount Network were mighty angry that he wrote it so that there couldnt be a second season. Spears is now leading an effort to erect a bronze statue of Judge Parker downtown. (Reference unknown). After he died the [16] Muskogee Phoenix wrote of the legendary lawman, In the history of the early days of Eastern Oklahoma the name of Bass Reeves has a place in the front rank among those who cleansed out the old Indian Territory of outlaws and desperadoes. He was not the first Black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. This large family was a huge help when it came to chores, and the farm became quite profitable over the years. Im not sure he was too worried about it, though. When he arrived, various Indigenous peoples, including the Cherokee, Seminoles, and Creeks, took him in. 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. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. Reeves, it seems, was the most famous of them all. Just one grandparent can lead you to many After that, Reeves had little choice but to flee his bondage and ride off into the sunset in search of a life as a free man. Bass Reeves began his life as a slave in the state of Arkansas in July 1838, near the town of Van Buren. He retired at 70 years old and lived out his remaining time in some much-needed peace. (AP) The U.S. He was apparently well dressed, with spit-polished boots and a striking, wide-brimmed hat on his head. Reeves was one tough lawman, but apparently, his boss was even tougher. In 1890, he received an arrest warrant for an infamous Cherokee outlaw named Ned Christie. . Marshals Museum in Fort Smith has an impressive collection of guns and documents related to famed Deputy U.S. The Three Rivers Museum in Muskogee also has several artifacts from Reeves career as a lawman. Its a sequel to a prequel (of sorts), but it can still be viewed and enjoyed separate from Yellowstone. But, no matter how well the farm did, Bass Reeves was never meant to be a farmer. In January 2007, the U.S. During the Civil War . Thought to have been born in the summer of 1838, by the year 1880, Bass and Jennie Reeves had eight children: Sally, Robert, Harriet, Georgia, Alice, Newland, Edgar and Lula. Reeves didnt just take it, though. Marshals. Instead, he always tried to take everyone in alive. There is a monument dedicated to him. He also rode the Oklahoma range on a massive white stallion. After the war, Bass Reeves settled down outside Van Buren, Arkansas, and maintained a horse ranch and small farm. Bass Reeves was born into slavery around 1838 in Crawford County, Arkansas. The known black deputy U.S. marshals, however, are listed as Rufus Cannon, Bill Colbert, Bynum Colbert, Cyrus Dennis, Wiley Escoe, Neely Factor, Robert Fortune, John Garrett, Edward D. Jefferson, Grant Johnson, John Joss, Robert Love, Zeke Miller, Crowder Nicks (Nix), Charles Pettit, Bass Reeves, Ed Robinson, Dick Roebuck, Isaac Rogers, Jim Ruth, Dick Shaver, Morgan Tucker, Lee Thompson, Eugene Walker and Henry Whitehead. 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.. [5], Reeves was married twice and had eleven children. [2], When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Reeves, then 68, became an officer of the Muskogee, Oklahoma police department. He beat the man BACK AND depending on what you read, either killed him or almost killed him. [6] Reeves served in that district until 1893, when he transferred to the Eastern District of Texas in Paris, Texas. 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 Adams, Jake Island, Andy Alton and one Smith, larceny.. Judge Isaac Parker was an unbelievably harsh man. In 1871, the federal court and jail were moved to nearby Fort Smith. He tried to apprehend the fugitive Jim Webb, who had been foreman on the Billy Washington Ranch in the Chickasaw Nation. From the shackles of slavery to the US Marshals Service, Reeves lived a life of conflict, excitement, and heartbreak. Fortunately, he managed to find love again several years later. [2], In addition to being a marksman with a rifle and revolver, Reeves developed superior detective skills during his long career. Love the history behind my home town! Reeves must not have slept. Muskogee was the principal town in the Indian Territory and had a large African American population with many federal offices in town. This troubled his mother greatly as she thought he wanted to be an outlaw. 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