We may never know exactly how many black men served as Deputy U.S. Marshals, a placard at the Historic Site reads. [2][5] Reeves was initially assigned as a Deputy U.S. 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. Marshal Bass Reeves. Hold your horses though, because theres no official release date for Bass Reeves just yet. It didnt take a genius to get to the bottom of this one. At Muskogee, Reeves worked under Leo E. Bennett, the former Indian agent for the Five Civilized Tribes, headquartered at the same town. Husband of Nellie Reeves and Winnie J. Sumner Reeves He appointed [8] James Fagan as U.S. He died of Bright's disease (nephritis) on January 12, 1910. He served in the Indian Territory for 32 years. Her passing absolutely devastated him. On one occasion, Reeves went deep undercover. Earlier, Upham had commanded the Arkansas State Militia and had destroyed the Ku Klux Klan in that state. 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. Though he had a hard reputation, Reeves was, by all accounts, a mild-mannered and polite man. Talk about motherly love! 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. Reeves, it seems, was the most famous of them all. His children were named Newland, Benjamin, George, Lula, Robert, Sally, Edgar, Bass Jr., Harriet, Homer and Alice. 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. Bass Reeves: Lawman, gunslinger, trail-blazer. He tracked two outlaws to their mothers house in the Red River Valley. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? 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. Other times, bullets took his hat from his head, buttons from his coat, and the reigns from his hands. Over the course of his career, which began when he was in his fifties, mind you, Reeves brought in a tremendous 3,000 felons. Who knows! That year he transferred to the Eastern District of Texas in Paris, Texas, for a short while. "Some say because Bass beat up George after a dispute in a card game. According to the letter of the law, it didnt matter who they were. [3], As a freedman, Reeves moved to Arkansas and farmed near Van Buren. I think Bass Reeves claim to fame is his persistence, and he bounced back after the murder trial.. Bass claimed that he fought in the Civil Warfor the South! Marshals Museum. [2][5] He killed 14 outlaws to defend his life. 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. Research shows that Reeves stayed in Fort Smith until 1893. Reeves made a name for himself early in his career when he struck out after the famous outlaw Bob Dozier. Marshal west of the Mississippi River. Despite being disturbed and deeply shaken by the incident, Reeves nonetheless insisted on the responsibility of bringing Bennie to justice. In the card game Cartaventura Oklahoma, one plays the fictional escape of Bass Reeves with five possible outcomes. 7: Caught in a Bad Romance, Brandon Sklenar is the Baddest Dutton of Them All, The 'Outer Banks' S3 Finale Is Intense as Hell. Reeves was also known to love racing his sorrell horse, and would go to extremes to serve writs. The details of his sons doings were unpleasant. [11] The United States Court at Fort Smith, was the largest in the nation. Oklahoma became a state in 1907. He said he took part in the Battle of Pea Ridge, the Battle of Missionary Ridge, and the Battle of Chickamauga. [5], One of his sons was charged with the murder of his wife. Have you taken a DNA test? In 1910, he made his final salute. 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. He was known for his politeness and courteous manner. 1.2K views, 17 likes, 3 loves, 29 comments, 16 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from U.S. He liked to brag that there was never any crime reported on his beat. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Dave Kennedy, curator of collections and exhibits, said recently the museum is still in search of Bass Reevess descendants, the Southwest Times Record reported. After 1900, Muskogee had city police, with two deputy U.S. marshals stationed there, Bass Reeves and a white man David Adams. More U.S. marshals died in service while hunting down fugitives in the Western District of Arkansas than any other place. Bass Reeves, a former slave, fiercely defended the Old West during his 32-year tenure as deputy U.S. marshal. Art T. Burton, a retired college history professor, has written four critically acclaimed history books on the American Western frontier. Marshals. The memorial was held close to the 110th anniversary of Reeves' death in 1910. People in period dress were at the Bass Reeves Memorial on Saturday at Three Rivers Museum. The same newspaper in March of 1885 reported Reeves bringing in 13 prisoners. Director Isaiah Washington Writers Robert Johnson Isaiah Washington Stars The Lone Ranger was an escaped slave named Bass Reeves. As usual, Reeves confronted Story directly. Family history states that Bass and George got into an argument over a card game during the Civil War. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. He married a woman named Nellie Jennie, and they must have been really into each other. Until then, theres always plenty of Sheridans Paramount shows, such as Yellowstone, 1923, Tulsa King, and Mayor of Kingstown, to feast your eyes on. During that era, he made one of his top arrests with the capture of the Seminole Indian fugitive known as Greenleaf in April 1890. Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? I dont think of any of these as spinoffs, but rather as complete stories that have common roots, Sheridan told Deadline about 1883. 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. After his release, he apparently turned his life around and lived out the rest of his life without offense. He was so good, in fact, that he was regularly banned from participating in competitive turkey shoots, a popular pastime in the West. Reeves deputization made history. Two weeks later he returned to Muskogee with his son and turned him over to Marshal Bennett. After a citizens petition and an exemplary prison record, his son was pardoned and was never in trouble with the law again. Marshal credited with being the inspiration for The Lone Ranger. Bass got so upset at being cheated, he beat his master down and knocked him out. Who Is John Dutton's Grandfather in '1923'? Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark historyor the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. Reeves worked hard. The residents of the territory said he could whip any two men with his fist. 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. [5] He married Nellie Jennie from Texas, with whom he had ten children, five boys and five girls. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. Reeves was arrested and lodged in the Fort Smith federal jail until he could make bond in June of that year. When the altercation turned physical, Reeves released a well-deserved beatdown on the Colonel. Deputies would work out of Fort Smith and venture into the Indian Territory with warrants and open warrants. 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. Reeves's former position as a U.S. His career stretched from the U.S. Federal Court for the Western District of Arkansas in 1875 until two years after Oklahoma gained statehood in 1907.. 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. For this reason, Reeves found unusual support from the inhabitants of the land he patrolled during his career. These are just a few of the incredible stories of a man who hunted down men nobody else could capture. In 1909, the tough lawman finally came across an enemy that he couldnt best: Brights Disease. Clayton, formerly the U.S. Attorney in Judge Parkers court, and William M. Cravens. While working as a water boy and field hand with his family as a youngster, Bass would originate and sing songs about guns, rifles, knives, robberies and killings. Finally, it came time to bring him down. The public won't want to miss the unveiling of these pieces on Saturday," said Jessica Hougen, curator of collections and exhibits for the U.S. He would then memorize their details before striking out to pursue his target. From a glance, Bass Reeves was the first Black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. This appointment was made by Judge Isaac C. Parker in May of 1975. Despite his brutal methods, Reeves was an honorable man to his core. 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