He still always got his manand when they asked him to produce his warrants, he always pulled out the right one. Despite running up against hardened crooks, the 200-pound, six-foot slinger apparently never wavered. Adams served as Reeves posseman, and they were involved in numerous police actions together in and around Muskogee. Over his long career as a lawman, the mustachioed slinger racked up a body count of 14 men. Introducing 'Bass Reeves,' a 'Yellowstone' Spinoff, 'Yellowstone' Season 5 Is "Gonna Be Bloody", Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. During his time as a Deputy U.S. Then, he knocked on the door and asked for a place to rest. The U.S. Her passing absolutely devastated him. Tontos fictionalized story was far from the only racist part of the adaptation of the Lone Rangers life. As the first Black deputy west of the Mississippi River, Reeves arrested more than . 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. The U.S. Bass claimed that he fought in the Civil Warfor the South! It was later proven that Ned was not guilty of the crime. 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. He was brought up on first-degree murder charges in January 1886 and relieved of duty. 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. His likeness has appeared in at least seven television series, four films, a play, two board games, and at least six books. 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. As a black man living in the south in the 19th century, records about Reeves are spotty at bestbut the stories paint a picture of a formidable man. Most marshals were afraid to take the caseno one wanted to track down the son of the infamous Bass Reeves. Its a sequel to a prequel (of sorts), but it can still be viewed and enjoyed separate from Yellowstone. Many lawmen had tried to apprehend the outlaw, but none were successful until it came to Reeves. Despite his brutal methods, Reeves was an honorable man to his core. 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 Other reasons, Kennedy adds, included Reeves age. Reeves was born in Crawford County, in Northwest Arkansas, around 1838. [2] He served for two years before he became ill and had to retire. Such a dark beginning really sets the stage for the twisted tale of law and violence that followed. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. [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. There is no indication of race on federal records. Some say the Quentin Tarantino movie, Django, was based on his life.[17]. More U.S. marshals died in service while hunting down fugitives in the Western District of Arkansas than any other place. They didnt always give him that option. He was known for his politeness and courteous manner. [5], Reeves was married twice and had eleven children. Marshal badge and bullets that one belonged to U.S. Deputy Marshal Bass Reeves. In 1907 Bass Reeves' time as a deputy marshal came to an end, because law enforcement was taken over by state agencies after Oklahoma became a state. During that time he was sent to arrest some of the most desperate characters that ever infested Indian Territory and endangered life and peace in its borders. His children were named Newland, Benjamin, George, Lula, Robert, Sally, Edgar, Bass Jr., Harriet, Homer and Alice. The Northern District was made up of the Cherokee, Creek and Seminole Nations. He knew that every chase was potentially his last. These are just a few of the incredible stories of a man who hunted down men nobody else could capture. [78] Reeves was born into slavery in Grayson County, Texas in 1838. Marshals Service also started doing these events in 2012 in conjunction with the Cherokee Nation. Typically, local posses accompanied Reeves on his expeditions and stakeouts. His wife had an affair. 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. He recruited Bass Reeves as one of his deputies because of his knowledge of the territory and tribes. At others, he took on the guise of an outlaw. In 1865 the Civil War ended and slaves were freed by the[5]Thirteenth Amendment. The legend of Bass Reeves will only continue to grow as more discover his story. In the late 1870s, although Reeves was a deputy U.S. marshal, much of his work was as a posseman for other deputy U.S. marshals, including Robert J. But they didnt stay there for 30 years, Spears said of the trio with Parkers Court. He beat the man BACK AND depending on what you read, either killed him or almost killed him. Fortunately, he managed to find love again several years later. Bass Reeves was born in Crawford County, Arkansas in 1838. He hunted his son down and clapped him in irons. For this reason, Reeves found unusual support from the inhabitants of the land he patrolled during his career. 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. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. Bass raised horses and served as a scout for deputy U.S. marshals going into the Indian Territory. In 1864 he married Nellie Jennie (d. 1896) and after her death Winnie Sumter (19001910). 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. At Muskogee, Reeves worked under Leo E. Bennett, the former Indian agent for the Five Civilized Tribes, headquartered at the same town. Marshal Bass Reeves. As a black man tasked with law enforcement in unceded, Indigenous territory, Reeves was in a precarious situation. At his death, several newspapers, in and out of state, stated he had killed more than 20 men in the line of duty. 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. He was barred from competitive turkey shoots, although he always claimed to be only fair with a rifle. 7: Caught in a Bad Romance, Brandon Sklenar is the Baddest Dutton of Them All, The 'Outer Banks' S3 Finale Is Intense as Hell. In 1893, Bass Reeves was transferred to the Eastern District federal court at Paris, Texas. Topping, James H. Mershon and Jacob T. Ayers. When he retired in 1907, Reeves claimed to have arrested over 3,000 felons. Specifically fort smith where judge parkers court house is located. 14 were shot in self-defense. He was given the name of his owner, William Reeves. [5] He recruited him as one of his deputies and Reeves was the first African-American deputy west of the Mississippi River. After tracking the notorious outlaw, Reeves captured him without much of a struggle. 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. . Though it hasnt been explicitly stated, many outlets have just been calling the series Bass Reeves. by Art T. Burton | Jan 25, 2021 | Features & Gunfights, This is the best known photograph of Deputy U.S. In fact, his personality was so warm that it comes up in countless contemporary sources detailing his many adventures and arrests. Reeves did one thing, and he did it very well: He tracked down outlaws on the lam. He was hired as a city policeman in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he served for about two years. Being ambidextrous he always wore two Colt pistols and he rarely missed his mark. Arkansas native Bass Reeves was one of the first black lawmen west of the Mississippi River. 1.2K views, 17 likes, 3 loves, 29 comments, 16 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from U.S. All face the same hardships and dangers.. For a slave to hit his master in Texas was punishable by death. After the war, George was reelected to the Texas State Legislature, and at his death on September 5, 1882, he was Speaker of the House of Representatives for the State of Texas. Hold your horses though, because theres no official release date for Bass Reeves just yet. The lawman was such a good shot that nobody wanted to face him in competition. The memorial was held close to the 110th anniversary of Reeves' death in 1910. 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. To be fair, it was back when George Reeves still owned him, so he didnt have much of a choice. In 1910, he made his final salute. I dont think of any of these as spinoffs, but rather as complete stories that have common roots, Sheridan told Deadline about 1883. . He caught over 3000 criminals in his career. Reeves was also known to love racing his sorrell horse, and would go to extremes to serve writs. The same newspaper in March of 1885 reported Reeves bringing in 13 prisoners. Parker appointed James F. Fagan as U.S. 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 . Word of the relationship somehow got out. Maybe a Dutton or two will show up, too. The St. Louis Globe Democrat in October 1885 reported that Reeves had arrested 17 felons in the Indian Territory and brought them to Fort Smith. Reeves died in Muskogee on January 12, 1910, after a short illness. Eventually, Reeves decided he had to fulfill his obligation personally. Reeves didn't just take it, though. [1] He was one of the first African Americans to receive a commission as a Deputy U.S. All were two years in age apart. In 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery. discoveries. 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. Marshal west of the Mississippi river, who served in the Oklahoma and Arkansas territory in the mid-1800s and early 1900s. Reeves and Webb had a gunfight in June 1884 near Bywaters Store, which was a stagecoach stop. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. A little dose of karma eventually came down upon the Colonel. Bass Reeves served 35 years as a Deputy United States Marshal in that time he arrested 3,000 outlaws and killed 14 men, he always said that he never shot a man when it was not necessary for him to do so in the discharge of his duty to save his own life. The Three Rivers Museum in Muskogee also has several artifacts from Reeves career as a lawman. Other times, bullets took his hat from his head, buttons from his coat, and the reigns from his hands. He died on January 12, 1910, of kidney disease. Dozier escaped from Bass Reeves for several years until he tracked Bob Dozier down in the Cherokee Hills. But, no matter how well the farm did, Bass Reeves was never meant to be a farmer. When Reeves drew his warrant, Story drew his Coltbig mistake. Bass Reeves was the first black man to be appointed a U.S. Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi. [6] Reeves served in that district until 1893, when he transferred to the Eastern District of Texas in Paris, Texas. It sat on his desk for two days while he decided what to do. (He appears to. In 1875, everything changed for Reeves. Other than a few scrapes and bruises, Reeves made it through his career entirely unscathed. Bass went with George into the war, serving as his body servant. Reeves is featured in the opening scene of HBO's award-winning series, Watchmen. Reeves was interviewed in 1902, and at that time he stated that he had arrested over 3,000 men and women who broke federal law in the Indian Territory. The deputies covered an area of 75,000 square miles. Deputy U.S. [5], Reeves was himself once charged with murdering a posse cook. Marshals Museum: The museum loves to talk to the descendants of historic Marshals and Deputies and we receive. After some malfeasance and misappropriations of federal funds, William Story was fired as the judge of the Western District of Arkansas federal court at Fort Smith. They also had another child together. Reeves and his posse burned Christies home to the ground. Deputy United States Marshal Bass Reeves reunites with his former partner turned fugitive Sam Tanner. Instead, he always tried to take everyone in alive. Reeves son, Benjamin Reeves, strayed from the family tree and ran into serious trouble with the law. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. After escaping his masters, Reeves traveled to Oklahoma, or Indian Territory, as it was known then. Reeves was born into slavery and gained his freedom when he escaped during the Civil War, fled to the Indian Territory (Arkansas and Oklahoma) and lived among the Native Americans. When Reeves located the cabin of Christie in the Cherokee Nation, his posse burned it down, but Ned escaped capture and death. Marshal west of the Mississippi River. 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. . (AP) The U.S. The Fort Smith Elevator reported Reeves coming to town in August 1882 with 16 prisoners. Despite never drawing first, Reeves ended up in a lot of shootouts. Theres only one catch: Bass Reeves is not an original character. [14] He died January 12, 1910 from Bright's disease and although he was buried in Muskogee, Oklahoma, the exact location of his grave is unknown.[15]. Marshals. As usual, Reeves confronted Story directly. 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! Bass dragged his son into the courtroom himself, and the judge convicted him. It should be no surprise, then, that Parker had a soft spot for Reeves. Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas, which also had responsibility for the Indian Territory. Bass started as a water boy until he was old enough to become a field hand like his parents. Bass Reeves made it impossible for anyone to overlook him as he embarked on a three-decade stint as a deputy lawman under one of the most cutthroat judges in the West. His owners, the William S. Reeves family, moved to Grayson County, Texas, in 1846. I think Bass Reeves claim to fame is his persistence, and he bounced back after the murder trial.. The new deputy must have been an unmistakable figure in the Old West. He worked mostly in Arkansas and the Oklahoma Territory. Dave Kennedy, curator of collections and exhibits, said recently the museum is still in search of Bass Reevess descendants, the Southwest Times Record reported. At times, he dressed himself as a local farmer. He served in the Indian Territory for 32 years. Fortunately, it was a lucrative business. Ryan Reaves, a professional hockey player from Winnipeg, is Basss great-great-great-grandson. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Reeves County in West Texas is named for him. 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. Sadly, Reeves beloved wife, Nellie Jennie, passed in Fort Smith in 1896. Reeves was born into captivity in 1838. In 1855, George was elected to the Texas House of Representatives from Grayson County. prisoners. When Dozier heard that Reeves was after him, he sent out word that Reeves was placing his own life in his hands. Bass Reeves is a part of US Black history. He liked to brag that there was never any crime reported on his beat. Most people know that. There must be something in the family genes, because a number of Reeves descendants have left serious marks of their own. Native Territory comprised most of what became Eastern Oklahoma on November 16, 1907, when Oklahoma became a state. Despite his instantly-recognizable look, rumor has it that the lawman had a few other tricks up his sleeve. Bass took the warrant and bought his son in for murder shortly thereafter his son convicted and sent to Leavenworth. They were an unstoppable force and an immovable object, and there was only one way this was going to go down. Bass Reeves served as a valet for his masters son during THE CIVIL WAR. That year he transferred to the Eastern District of Texas in Paris, Texas, for a short while. Police departments and state agencies took over, meaning that marshals and deputies lost their authority. Judge Parker ruled on the situation and acquitted Reeves of all charges. Marshal Bass Reeves, possibly the greatest lawman of the Old West. All Photos Courtesy Art T. Burton Unless Otherwise Noted . Josh Rosenberg is an entertainment writer living in Brooklyn, keeping a steady diet of one movie a day; his past work can be found at CBR, Spin, Insider, and on his personal blog at Roseandblog.com. Bass occasionally would serve as a guide into the Indian Territory for Deputy U.S. Reeves earned his reputation. Bass Reeves worked with lawman such as [10] Heck Thomas, Bud Ledbetter, and Bill Tilghman. Marshals who worked for the Federal Court at Fort Smith, Arkansas. 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. He served for two years, in that time there were no crimes on his beat. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. This appointment was made by Judge Isaac C. Parker in May of 1975. In 1897, he was transferred again, serving at the Muskogee Federal Court in the Native Territory. [5], One of his sons was charged with the murder of his wife. The St. Louis Globe Democrat in February 1884 reported Reeves bringing in 12 prisoners to Fort Smith. [11] The United States Court at Fort Smith, was the largest in the nation. As Sheridan recently told Deadline, they wanted to hold a meeting to discuss how certain characters may have survived their deaths, so Sheridan worked up another peek into the window instead. Bass severely beat George, and fled to the Indian Territory where he lived among the Cherokee, Creeks and Seminoles. He thought hed hit his mark and he burst out in laughter. Marshals Bill Tilghman (1854-1924), Chris Madsen (1851-1944), and Heck Thomas (1850-1912). Fortunately, though, he had some connections. Art T. Burton, a retired college history professor, has written four critically acclaimed history books on the American Western frontier. (AP) The U.S. 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. [2] His family were slaves of Arkansas state legislator William Steele Reeves. This large family was a huge help when it came to chores, and the farm became quite profitable over the years. [8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Reeves). Im not sure he was too worried about it, though. When the men fell asleep, he burst into their room and threw them each in handcuffs. Then, Reeves met a woman named Winnie Sumter and fell in love all over again. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. The Eastern District federal Court at Fort Smith Elevator reported Reeves coming town., Texas Dozier heard that Reeves was himself once charged with the murder trial he to! 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