Marshals museum in fort smith has an impressive collection of guns and documents related to famed deputy u. A western adventure from the author of the bass reeves stories kindle edition by ray, charles, thompson, paul l. Us marshall bass reeves sculpture by harold holden the. Marshal who served under the hangin judge, isaac c. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Deputy marshal west of the mississippi river and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our. Baridi nkokheli, city of fort smith director of sanitation, conducts a bass reeves presentation at a black history month event held at the 188th fighter wing headquarters auditorium feb. Dave kennedy, curator of collections and exhibits, said recently the museum is still in search of. Born into slavery, bass reeves became the most successful us marshal of the wild west. Marshal bass reeves, became legend in the indian territory.
History a man, his scrapbook, and the marshals servicewhen retired chief deputy patrick j. Born a slave in arkansas, reeves grew up in grayson county, texas, following the relocation of his owner, william s. Marshal, bass reeves arrested 3,000 felons, killed 14 men, and was never shot himself. His territory included arkansan and oklahoma region. Art burtons evidence to support his conclusion that reeves was the reallife lawman is pretty compelling.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or. Reeves, bass the encyclopedia of oklahoma history and. Deputy marshal west of the mississippi river and a great frontier hero. Us marshals museum searches for bass reeves relatives. This project takes us to the classic old west to play out the life of frontier marshal bass reeves. Reeves according to research is the only deputy on record who started working for parkers court in 1875 and worked up to statehood in 1907.
Marshal bass reeves collectors grade ubertiwinchester 1873. Fort smith, arkansas, is quite proud of its history. The magnificent, bronze statue of the great africanamerican deputy u. Black and indian gunfighters of the indian territory, 18701907 austin, tex eakin press, 1991. The real lone ranger was black, and now there is a. In this bass reeves film, lawless, three outlaws divvy up a dead mans belongings. A particularly intriguing part of this gallery is the exhibit that tells the incredible story of bass reeves, a man who escaped slavery to later become a united states marshal.
Nov 28, 2017 this is a brief history of bass reeves, one of the first africanamerican deputy united states marshals. Born to slave parents in 1838 in crawford county, arkansas, bass reeves would become the first black u. But of all the sheriffs of the frontier, one man stands out as a true hero. The united states marshals service usms is a federal law enforcement agency within the u. He was famous for arresting more than 3,000 criminals and killing 14 dangerous felons in selfdefense. Honoring deputy us marshal bass reeves catalyst partners. Marshal bass reeves, born as a slave in arkansas, grew up in lamar and grayson counties, texas, where he belonged to col. Among those he captured was bob dozier, a murderer and cattle and horse thief who eluded reeves for several years before being tracked down and killed after refusing to surrender. Dave kennedy, curator of collections and exhibits, said recently the museum is still in search of bass.
Marshal in the indian and oklahoma territories during those wild and wooly days before statehood came in 1907. But of all the sheriffs of the frontier, one man stands out as a. History a man, his scrapbook, and the marshals service. Arkansas, 1875, after shooting 5 men to save a judge and then going into indian territory after a lethal outlaw, bass reeves becomes the first black deputy marshal west of mississippi. Bass reeves escaped numerous assassination attempts on his life, he was the most feared deputy u. I mad this skin in the spirit of black history month i forgot the username of the creator of the original skin look up bass reeves plastic bass reeves u. Bass reeves worked a total of thirtytwo years as a deputy u. Pyne of the district of rhode island passed away in 1983 at the age of 93, he left behind a personal scrapbook which is a treasure trove of marshals service history and an insight into the man he was. Hollywood is joining fort smith in honoring one of the men who hunted outlaws in the wild west. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the adventures of bass reeves deputy u.
By 1898 johnson transferred to the northern district, which was headquartered at muskogee. Fagan hired him as a deputy us marshal and appointed him in the indian territory as he could speak indians language. Born to slave parents,bass reeves would become the first black u. The real lone ranger was black, and now there is a movie. Another plotline depicts him years later, after emancipation, at the height of his deputy career, when he has. While in fort smith, i had the pleasure of meeting jim dunn, a retired lawyer who is now heading up a project to build a museum there dedicated to the u. That reeves was also an african american who had spent his early life as a slave in arkansas and texas makes his accomplishments all the more remarkable. This is a brief history of bass reeves, one of the first africanamerican deputy united states marshals. Aug 06, 20 bass reeves, he argues, was almost certainly the reallife inspiration for the lone ranger. Bass reeves, he argues, was almost certainly the reallife inspiration for the lone ranger. This book is a fictionalized story of bass reeves, the legendary black deputy u. Marshal bass reeves appears as one of eight notable oklahomans, the most feared u. Bass reeves, born 1838, crawford county, arkansas, u. His reputation for persistence, his total fearlessness, his skills.
Reeves became a legendary lawman for judge isaac parker of the western district of arkansas federal court in fort smith, arkansas. Reeves worked in the indian territory for thirtytwo years. Us marshals museum searches for bass reeves relatives ap news. The legend of bass reeves by gary paulsen scholastic. Marshal bass reeves, a true legend of the american west. Biography bass reeves was born in july 1838 as a slave in. With ron perlman, frank grillo, zahn mcclarnon, david gyasi.
Tactics that walked the line between guile and guts were used for survival by frontier marshals just as they are used by u. Reeves, later to become the speaker of the house in the texas legislature. Bass reeves monument former slave, respected lawman a 25foot work of art honors the illustrious lawman, believed to be the first black u. Feb 22, 2012 hollywood is joining fort smith in honoring one of the men who hunted outlaws in the wild west. The sculpture is bronzetone and made to look identical to the monument in fort smith, arkansas by. That is until they realize one of them is keeping a secret. In 1838nearly a century before the lone ranger was introduced to the public bass reeves was born a slave in the arkansas household of william s. The life and legend of frontier marshall bass reeves. Attractions united states marshals museum fort smith. Introduction bass reeves, a famous african american deputy u. Many heroic lawmen of the wild west, familiar to us through television and film, were actually violent scoundrels and outlaws themselves. Reeves, born into slavery, served for 32 years under federal judge isaac c.
Deputy marshal maybe the law aint perfect, but its the only one we got, and without it we got nuthin bass reeves born to slave parents in 1838 in crawford county, arkansas, bass reeves would become the first black u. Actor morgan freeman is one of the producers that will adapt the art t. Bass reeves july 1838 january 12, 1910 was an american law enforcement officer. He faced some of the most murderous outlaws known to. Bass reeves frontier marshal volume 2 english edition ebook. Oct 01, 2016 the water boy later becomes a deputy u. One of parkers deputies was bass reeves, the first black man sworn in to the post. En 1875, isaac parker a ete nomme juge federal pour le territoire indien. Marshal bass reeves ever pulled on a criminal copy link facebook twitter reddit flipboard pocket bass reeves, wearing his iconic push broom mustache. Nov 05, 2019 when bass reeves reached the age of 37, us marshal james f. A western adventure from the author of the bass reeves stories. A sculpture by celebrated western artist harold holden that pays tribute to the life and legacy of the feared african american us marshall, bass reeves.
Born a slave, he escaped to indian territory now known as oklahoma, captured over three thousand men and women as a deputy u. He worked mostly in arkansas and the oklahoma territory. Bass reeves arrested 3,000 felons, killed 14 men, and was never shot himself. The late chief deputy patrick pyne, district of rhode island, right escorts two defendants accused. One plotline depicts reevess youth as a slave, including his service as a body servant to a confederate cavalry officer during the civil war. This western action movie is adapted from the bestselling novel trilogy penned by author fred staff, and features real life exploits of u. Feb 24, 2019 i mad this skin in the spirit of black history month i forgot the username of the creator of the original skin look up bass reeves plastic bass reeves u. In the years after the civil war, the greatest lawman to operate in the untamed wilderness frontiers was u. Johnson, grant the encyclopedia of oklahoma history and.
In 1875 he began a new career, receiving his commission as a u. Feb 20, 20 in this bass reeves film, lawless, three outlaws divvy up a dead mans belongings. Maybe the law aint perfect, but its the only one we got, and without it we got nuthin bass reeves. Born as a slave, after the civil war he went west to engage in farming. The marshals service is the oldest american federal law enforcement agency. Deputy marshal west of the mississippi river and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our nations history owned by a man named william reeves, a farmer and politician.
Nov 7, 2018 bass reeves july 1838 12 january 1910 was one of the first african americans possibly the first to receive a commission as a deputy u. A history of frontier justice in the indian territory, 18341896 author. Marshal bass reeves to be dedicated may 26 in pendergraft park honors one of the western frontiers greatest lawmen, and fort smiths historic ties to the u. He was the first black us marshal to serve in the indian territory and was assigned in the western district of arkansan. Us marshals is a ruleslight tabletop roleplaying game that assumes the playercharacters are marshals or deputy marshals in the american wild west, official representatives of the federal government of the united states of america enacting the laws, subpoenas, and will of federal courts, congress, and the president with broadreaching jurisdiction. By 1875, reeves and his family were living back in western arkansas, and it was there that he was approached to apply for a position as a deputy u. Morgan freeman brings bass reeves miniseries to hbo. This literaryhistorical novel details the life of africanamerican deputy us marshal bass reeves between the years 18381862 and 18831884. The sculpture is bronzetone and made to look identical to the monument in fort smith, arkansas by harold holden entitled into the territory. A legendary lawman on the western frontier who rode for judge isaac parker, persimmon hill june 1992. See more ideas about african, black history and black cowboys. Porter illustrating the famed lawman wielding a rifle in one hand and a pistol in the other. It was estimated of the 22,000 whites living in the indian territory, 17,000 were criminals. A 25foot work of art honors the illustrious lawman, believed to be the first black u.
Deputy marshal bass reeves was born into slavery but ran away and headed north to the indian territory where lived with the creek and seminole becoming fluent in all the languages of the five civilized tribes. Nov 15, 2019 this western action movie is adapted from the bestselling novel trilogy penned by author fred staff, and features real life exploits of u. Bass reeves, american lawman who was one of the first deputy u. Do describe the life and exploits of bass reeves the first african american us marshall. S marshal, was in charge of the west of the mississippi river. Reports regarding reevess activities and whereabouts. Reeves, bass the encyclopedia of oklahoma history and culture. He was the first african american to receive a commission as a u. Deputy marshal, under the direction of judge isaac c. Dave kennedy, curator of collections and exhibits, said recently the museum is still in search of bass reeves s descendants. The real lone ranger was black, and now there is a movie about him watch the trailer to hell on the border, about bass reeves, the first black u. Marshals and their deputies have served as the instruments of civil authority by all three branches of the u. During his long career, he was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons. Bass reeves, u s marshal i was researching the novel true grit by charles portis for a book club presentation, when i started reading articles about real u s marshals who served when judge parker and the western district of arkansas had jurisdiction over indian territory in the 1870s and 1880s.