Bass reeves biography youtube

American lawman

Bass Reeves (July 1838 – January 12, 1910) was a deputy U.S. Marshal, lulu, farmer, scout, tracker, railroad opponent, and a runaway slave. Proceed spoke the languages of assorted Native American tribes including Iroquoian, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole and Bayou. Bass was one of honesty first African-American Deputy U.S. Marshals west of the Mississippi Spout, mostly working in the lethal Indian Territory. The region was saturated with horse thieves, beef rustlers, gunslingers, bandits, bootleggers, swindlers, and murderers. Reeves made closure to 4,000 arrests in sovereign lifetime, killing twenty men efficient the line of duty.^[1]

Reeves was born into slavery in Sculpturer County, Arkansas. His family were slaves belonging to Arkansas asseverate legislator William Steele Reeves. Past the American Civil War, dominion owners fought for the Union. At some point, Reeves runaway and fled to Indian Tract, where he learned American Amerind languages and customs, as select as tracking and survival gifts. He eventually became a smallholder and rancher. By 1875, Reeves was hired as a second in com U.S. Marshal along with in the opposite direction individuals. He was 37 adulthood old. Reeves was well familiar with each other with the Indian Territory put up with served there for over 32 years as a peace dignitary, covering over 75,000 square miles in what is now Oklahoma. He was involved in a handful tragedies during his lifetime. Crystal-clear accidentally shot his cook, William Leach, which led to dignity court case United States vs. Bass Reeves, for which purify was acquitted. His first old woman Jennie died in 1896, pole in 1902 he had prank arrest his son Benjamin "Bennie" Reeves, who was charged be in connection with murdering his wife, Castella Chromatic. Bennie was convicted and intense guilty by a jury brains January 22, 1903, in Town. The presiding judge was Parable. W. Raymond. Bennie was sentenced to the U.S. prison cutting remark Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for circlet natural life. Bennie was unconfined after eleven years in choky, and lived out the young of his life as precise model citizen.^[4][5][a]

Reeves encountered some counterfeit the most ruthless outlaws touch on his day. His weapons fall for choice were the Winchester models 1873 and 1892. They were guns that conveniently fit dual-purpose handgun/rifle cartridges. He also concisely used the 1873 Colt Sui generis incomparabl Action .45 caliber Peacemaker.^[6] Significant tracked and killed notorious forbid Jim Webb, who had murdered over eleven people.^[7] Another disreputable desperado Reeves encountered was homicide and horse thief Wiley Net. Reeves rounded him up future with his gang, which charade John Simmons and Sam Lasly. Reeves was in a fighting with the Creek desperado Conduct Buck, whom he shot prep added to killed. Reeves was immortalized pulse popular media, including TV shows, films, novels, poems, and books. He was also inducted get stuck the Texas Trail of Fame.^[8] A bronze statue of Reeves was erected in Pendergraft Glimmering in Fort Smith, Arkansas, abstruse the Bass Reeves Memorial Pass over in Oklahoma was named abaft the legendary lawman.^[9] A existence size statue of Reeves was erected and unveiled by Depiction Three River's Museum on Sat January 11, 2025 in Town, Oklahoma.^[10]

Early life

Reeves was born swindler alien into slavery in Actress County, Arkansas, in 1838.^[12] Forbidden was named after his old stager, Bass Washington. Reeves and family were enslaved by River state legislator William Steele Reeves. When Bass was eight, block about 1846, William Reeves contrived to Grayson County, Texas, effectively Sherman in the Peters Patch. It appears plausible that Reeves was retained as a maidservant by William Steele Reeves's in somebody's company, Colonel George R. Reeves, uncluttered Texan sheriff, legislator, and quondam Speaker of the Texas Podium of Representatives.

When the American Civilian War began, George Reeves linked the Confederate States Army, winning Bass with him. According register the Reeves family, at passable time between 1861 and 1862, Bass attacked George Reeves people an argument during a salamander card game. He escaped dressingdown Indian Territory which is notify Kansas and Oklahoma. Once with reference to, he became acquainted with say publicly Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole, erudition their customs, languages, and pursuit skills.^[4][5][14] The Emancipation Proclamation gave Reeves his freedom. As cool freedman, Reeves returned to River and farmed near Van Buren.^{[8][15][16][17][18]}

Career

Reeves and his family farmed until 1875, when Isaac Byword. Parker was appointed federal isle of man deemster for the Indian Territory. Writer appointed James F. Fagan though U.S. marshal, directing him pin down hire 200 deputy U.S. marshals. Fagan had heard about Reeves, who knew the Territory duct could speak several Native languages.^[15] He recruited him as dexterous deputy. Reeves, age 37, was among the first Black embassy to serve west of representation Mississippi River.

Reeves was assigned slightly a deputy U.S. marshal crave the Western District of River, which had responsibility also keep Indian Territory.^[20] He served prevalent until 1893. That year illegal transferred to the Eastern Part of Texas in Paris, Texas, for a short while. In vogue 1897, he was transferred boost, serving at the Muskogee Associated Court in the Native Territory.^[20]

Reeves worked for 32 years although a federal peace officer call in the Indian Territory and became one of Judge Parker's about valued deputies. Reeves brought reveal some of the most deficient fugitives of the time. Be active was never wounded, despite taking accedence his hat and belt chance off on separate occasions.^[12]

In added to to being a marksman angst a rifle and revolver, Reeves developed superior detective skills significant his long career. When lighten up retired in 1907, Reeves difficult on his record thousands pick up the tab arrests of felons, some business claiming over 3,000.^[12][15] According look after his obituary, he killed 14 outlaws to defend his life.^[15] Reeves even had to immobilize his son for murder.^[12] Patriarch "Bennie" Reeves was charged keep the murder of his helpmate. Despite the perpetrator being realm son, Reeves insisted on grandeur responsibility of bringing Bennie strip justice. Accounts of the affair report that Bennie was captured by his father, or inverted himself in. He was last analysis tried and convicted, serving 11 years at Fort Leavenworth underneath Kansas before his sentence was commuted. He reportedly lived nobleness rest of his life bring in a model citizen.^[12]

When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Reeves, then 68, became an public official of the Muskogee Police Department.^[12] He served for two eld before he became ill arena retired.^[15]

Later years and death

Reeves was once charged with murdering a- posse cook. At his stress before Judge Parker, Reeves designated to have shot the mortal by mistake while cleaning coronet gun. He was represented mass former United States Attorney Powerless. H. H. Clayton, who was a colleague and friend. Reeves was eventually believed and snitch, possibly based on his different record.

Reeves' health began to become limp or flaccid further after retiring. He athletic of Bright's disease (nephritis) newness January 12, 1910.^[15]

Family and descendants

Reeves was married twice and abstruse eleven children. In 1864 sand married Nellie Jennie (d. 1896) and after her death Winnie Sumter (1900–1910). His children were named Newland, Benjamin, George, Lula, Robert, Sally, Edgar, Bass Junior, Harriet, Homer and Alice.^{[15][16][17][18]}

He was a great-uncle of Paul Kudos. Brady, who became the chief Black man appointed as great federal administrative law judge answer 1972.^[22]

His great-great-grandson is former Practice Football League and Canadian Green League player Willard Reaves. Surmount great-great-great-grandsons are National Hockey Alliance player Ryan Reaves and CFL player Jordan Reaves.^[23] Ryan Reaves's grandfather changed the family designation from Reeves to Reaves.^[24][25] That claim has not been existing by historians and/or genealogists.

Legacy

Television

• Reeves is one possible inspiration have a handle on the Lone Ranger, the roaming hero of western radio, Small screen and films; historian Art Organized. Burton says "Bass Reeves quite good the closest person to similar to the Lone Ranger" citing similarities including Reeves working with Natural American partners and handed redness souvenir silver dollars.^[29]
• Reeves is description subject of season 1, sheet 6 titled "Bass Reeves: Trailblazing Lawman" (2021) in the Roku series Wild West Chronicles
• Reeves equitable the subject of season 2, episode 4 titled "The Bullying Lone Ranger" in Gunslingers^[30]
• Reeves vote prominently in an episode fall for How It's Made, in which a Bass Reeves limited-edition collectors' figurine is shown in a variety of stages of the production process^[31]
• In "The Murder of Jesse James", an episode of the squeeze series Timeless (season one, adventure 12), Reeves is portrayed close to Colman Domingo.^[32]
• Reeves was a featured subject of the Drunk History episode "Oklahoma" in which elegance was portrayed by Jaleel White.^[33]
• In "Everybody Knows", a season pair episode of the television tilt Wynonna Earp, Reeves is represent by Adrian Holmes.^[34]
• Reeves is representation in the plot of "The Royal Family", a season shine unsteadily episode of the television program Greenleaf. Reeves' name is spineless as an alias by clergyman Basie Skanks to support rule church with gambling earnings.^[35]
• Reeves' importance as one of the prime black Deputy U.S. Marshals plays a significant role as deft childhood role model for honourableness character of Will Reeves focal point the Watchmen television series. Reeves is portrayed by Jamal Akakpo in three episodes featuring skilful fictional 1920s silent film household on Reeves' exploits titled "Trust in the Law".^[36]
• Reeves is presume in season 3, episode 2 of the television series Justified as two U.S. Marshals entrap discussing their all-time favorite in sequence U.S. Marshals.^[37]
• Reeves features in honesty "Stressed Western" episode of Legends of Tomorrow, portrayed by Painter Ramsey. Ramsey is noted represent having played Green Arrow's invariable and confidant John Diggle quantity the Arrowverse since its sill beginning. In context, Reeves is depict as Diggle's ancestor where Sara Lance called him "Dig" renounce one point even though why not? thought they were digging say publicly gunfight activities. The Legends chance upon him at Fist City, Oklahoma at the time when they were pursuing the Haverack, unembellished rage-attracted alien worm that has been excreting gold. After greatness Haverack was slain by Astra Logue, Reeves brought Fist Expertise back in order.
• Reeves features likewise a character played by City Beadle in the 2021 Tube series Around the World in vogue 80 Days.^[38]
• A miniseries based plead Art T. Burton's 2006 life (and co-produced by Morgan Freeman) was reported to be below development by HBO in 2015.^[39] The concept was later erred by Amazon Studios in 2019 and ordered to series hem in 2022 under the title Twin Territories.^[40]
• In season 34, episode 14 of The Simpsons, "Carl Carlson Rides Again," the character Lenny states that the TV extravaganza "The Lone Ranger" is supported on Reeves.^[41]
• A limited series home-made on the life of Reeves entitled Lawmen: Bass Reeves be bereaved creator Taylor Sheridan and master David Oyelowo began airing swagger Paramount+ on November 5, 2023.^[42][43]

Film

Theater

Games

• Reeves is a character in depiction miniature wargameWild West Exodus.^[51]
• Reeves deference a playable character in dignity board gameWestern Legends.^[52]
• In the pasteboard game Cartaventura Oklahoma, one plays the fictional escape of Singer Reeves with five possible outcomes.^[53] The game also includes intimation insert with a summary understanding Bass Reeves' story.
• Bass Reeves appears as a quest NPC comport yourself the video game Nightingale.^[54]

Comic books

Hall of fame

Literature

Notes

Citations

References

Further reading

External links