Bass Reeves (July 1838 – January 12, 1910) was an enslaved Manservant, runaway slave, gunfighter, farmer, scout, tracker, Railroad Agent and Deputy
U.S. Marshal. He spoke and understood the Five Civilized Tribal languages including
Cherokee,
Choctaw,
Chickasaw,
Seminole and
Creek. Bass was one of the first African-American Deputy U.S. Marshals west of the Mississippi River mostly working in the deadly Indian Territory. The region was saturated with horse thieves, cattle rustlers, gunslingers, bandits, bootleggers, swindlers, and murderers. Bass made more than 3,000 to 4,000 arrests in his lifetime, only killing twenty men in the line of duty.[1][2]
Bass was born into slavery in
Crawford County, Arkansas. His family were slaves belonging to Arkansas state legislator William Steele Reeves. During the American Civil War, his owners fought for the Confederacy. At some point, Bass escaped and fled to Indian Territory where he learned American Indian languages, customs, tracking and survival skills. He eventually became a farmer and rancher. By 1875, Bass was hired as a Deputy U.S. Marshal along with other individuals. He was 37 years old. Bass was well acquainted with the Indian Territory and served on their land for over 32 years as a peace officer covering over 75,000 square miles, now part of Oklahoma. He was a victim of several tragedies during his lifetime. He accidentally shot his cook, William Leach, which led to the court case United States vs. Bass Reeves, for which he was acquitted, his first wife Jennie died in 1896 and in 1902 he had to arrest his son Benjamin "Bennie" Reeves who was charged with murdering his wife Castella Brown. Bennie was convicted and found guilty by a jury on January 22, 1903, in Muskogee. The presiding judge was C. W. Raymond. Bennie was sentenced to the U.S. prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for his natural life. [3] His son was released after eleven years in prison and lived out the rest of his life as a model citizen.[4][5][a]
Bass encountered some of the most ruthless outlaws of his day. His weapons of choice were the
Winchester Models 1873 and 1892. They were guns that conveniently fit dual-purpose handgun/rifle cartridges. He also briefly used the 1873 Colt Single Action .45 caliber Peacemaker.[6] He tracked and killed notorious outlaw Jim Webb. Webb murdered over eleven people.[7] Another notorious desperado Bass encountered was murderer and horse thief Wiley Bear. Bass rounded him up along with his gang which included John Simmons and Sam Lasly. Bass was in a gunfight with the Creek desperado Frank Buck whom he shot and killed.[3] Bass was immortalized in the popular media including TV shows, films, novels, poems, and books. He was also inducted into the
Texas Trail of Fame.[8] A bronze statue of Reeves was erected in Pendergraft Park in Fort Smith, Arkansas and the Bass Reeves Memorial Bridge in Oklahoma, was named after the legendary lawman.[9]
When the
American Civil War began, George Reeves joined the
Confederate States Army, taking Bass with him. According to the Reeves family, at some time between 1861 and 1862 he attacked George Reeves following an argument during a poker card game. He escaped to Indian Territory which is now Kansas and Oklahoma. Once there, he became acquainted with the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole, learning their customs, languages, and tracking skills.[4][5][13] The
Emancipation Proclamation gave Reeves his freedom. As a
freedman, Reeves returned to Arkansas and farmed near
Van Buren.[8][14][15][16][17]
Career
Reeves and his family farmed until 1875, when
Isaac Parker was appointed
federal judge for the
Indian Territory. Parker appointed
James F. Fagan as U.S. marshal, directing him to hire 200 deputy U.S. marshals. Fagan had heard about Reeves, who knew the Territory and could speak several Native languages.[14] He recruited him as a deputy. Reeves, age 37, was the first Black deputy to serve west of the Mississippi River.[11][14] Reeves was assigned as a deputy U.S. marshal for the
Western District of Arkansas, which had responsibility also for the Native reservation Territory.[18] He served there until 1893. That year he transferred to the
Eastern District of Texas in
Paris, Texas, for a short while. In 1897, he was transferred again, serving at the Muskogee Federal Court in the Native Territory.[18]
Reeves worked for 32 years as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory and became one of Judge Parker's most valued deputies. Reeves brought in some of the most dangerous fugitives of the time. He was never wounded, despite having his hat and belt shot off on separate occasions.[11]
In addition to being a marksman with a rifle and revolver, Reeves developed superior detective skills during his long career. When he retired in 1907, Reeves had on his record thousands of arrests of
felons, some accounts claiming over 3,000.[11][14] According to his obituary, he killed 14 outlaws to defend his life.[14] Reeves even had to arrest his son for murder.[11] Benjamin "Bennie" Reeves was charged with the murder of his wife. Despite the perpetrator being his son, Reeves insisted on the responsibility of bringing Bennie to justice. Accounts of the incident report that Bennie was captured by his father, or turned himself in. He was ultimately tried and convicted, serving 11 years at
Fort Leavenworth in
Kansas before his sentence was commuted. He reportedly lived the rest of his life as a model citizen.[11]
When Oklahoma became a state in 1907, Reeves, then 68, became an officer of the
Muskogee Police Department.[11] He served for two years before he became ill and retired.[14]
Later years and death
Reeves was once charged with murdering a
posse cook. At his trial before Judge Parker, Reeves claimed to have shot the man by mistake while cleaning his gun. He was represented by former United States Attorney
W. H. H. Clayton, who was a colleague and friend. Reeves was eventually believed and acquitted, possibly based on his exceptional record.[19]
Reeves' health began to fail further after retiring. He died of
Bright's disease (nephritis) on January 12, 1910.[14]
Family and descendants
Reeves was married twice and had eleven children. In 1864 he 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 Jr., Harriet, Homer and Alice.[14][15][16][17]
Reeves is the subject of season 1, episode 6 titled "Bass Reeves: Trailblazing Lawman" (2021) in the Roku series Wild West Chronicles
Reeves is the subject of season 2, episode 4 titled "The Real Lone Ranger" in Gunslingers[27]
Reeves figures prominently in an episode of How It's Made, in which a Bass Reeves limited-edition collectors' figurine is shown in various stages of the production process[28]
In "The Murder of Jesse James", an episode of the television series Timeless (season one, episode 12), Reeves is portrayed by
Colman Domingo.[29]
Reeves was a featured subject of the Drunk History episode "Oklahoma" in which he was portrayed by
Jaleel White.[30]
In "Everybody Knows", a season two episode of the television series Wynonna Earp, Reeves is portrayed by
Adrian Holmes.[31]
Reeves is mentioned in the plot of "The Royal Family", a season two episode of the television series Greenleaf. Reeves' name is used as an alias by pastor Basie Skanks to support his church with gambling earnings.[32]
Reeves' status as one of the first black Deputy U.S. Marshals plays a significant role as a childhood role model for the character of Will Reeves in the Watchmen television series. Reeves is portrayed by Jamal Akakpo in three episodes featuring a fictional 1920s silent film based on Reeves' exploits titled "Trust in the Law".[33]
Reeves is mentioned in season 3, episode 2 of the television series Justified as two U.S. Marshals are discussing their all-time favorite historical U.S. Marshals.[34]
Reeves features in the "Stressed Western" episode of Legends of Tomorrow, portrayed by
David Ramsey. Ramsey is noted for having played
Green Arrow's ally and confidant
John Diggle in the
Arrowverse since its inception. In context, Reeves is portrayed as Diggle's ancestor where
Sara Lance called him "Dig" at one point even though he thought they were digging the gunfight activities. The Legends encounter him at Fist City, Oklahoma at the time when they were pursuing the Haverack, a rage-attracted alien worm that has been excreting gold. After the Haverack was slain by
Astra Logue, Reeves brought Fist City back in order.
A miniseries based on Art T. Burton's 2006 biography (and co-produced by
Morgan Freeman) was reported to be under development by
HBO in 2015.[36] The concept was later acquired by
Amazon Studios in 2019 and ordered to series in 2022 under the title Twin Territories.[37]
In season 34, episode 14 of The Simpsons, "Carl Carlson Rides Again," the character Lenny states that the TV show "The Lone Ranger" is based on Reeves.[38]
In They Die by Dawn (2013), Reeves is portrayed by
Harry Lennix.[41]
Hell on the Border is a 2019 action film based on the early law enforcement career of Reeves, starring
David Gyasi. It was written and directed by Wes Miller and features
Ron Perlman in a supporting role.[42]
In April 2018,
Amazon Studios was reported to be developing a
biopic of Reeves with the script and direction helmed by
Chloé Zhao.[43] No subsequent announcement was made about the fate of the project.
A theatrical production about Reeves entitled Cowboy, written and directed by
Layon Gray, debuted in 2019 at the
National Black Theatre Festival.[47] It opened Off-Broadway in December of 2022 and is playing through December 2023 at
The Actors' Temple West 47th St in Manhattan.
Reeves is a playable character in the
board gameWestern Legends.[49]
In the card game Cartaventura Oklahoma, one plays the fictional escape of Bass Reeves with five possible outcomes.[50] The game also includes an insert with a summary of Bass Reeves' story.
Bass Reeves appears as a quest NPC in the video game
Nightingale.[51]
Brady, Paul L. (2005). The Black Badge: Deputy United States Marshal Bass Reeves from Slave to Heroic Lawman. Los Angeles, Calif.: Milligan Books.
ISBN0-9759654-5-X.
OCLC62315198.
Burton, Arthur T. (2006). Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
ISBN0-8032-0541-4.
OCLC68481191. Republished in 2022:
ISBN9781496234469
Brown, Russ (2019). Miss Chisum: A colorful 19th century Texan romance. Amazon International: Russ E. A. Brown.
ISBN979-8438814542.
OCLC1381888902.[57]
Notes
^Indian Territory comprised most of what became Eastern Oklahoma on November 16, 1907, when Oklahoma became a state. Reeves's former position as a Deputy U.S. 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.
Citations
^Art T. Burton (April 10, 2015).
"Bass Reeves". Fort Smith, Arkansas: National Park Service.
Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
^
ab"Texas Trail of Fame". texastrailoffame.org.
Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
^Art T. Burton (November 17, 2023).
"Encyclopedia of Arkansas". encyclopediaofarkansas.net.
Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
^
ab"United States Census, 1870". FamilySearch.org. p. 10, family 75, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,550. Retrieved April 1, 2016. Bass Reeves, Arkansas, United States
^
ab"United States Census, 1880". FamilySearch.org. enumeration district ED 50, sheet 582A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0042; FHL microfilm 1,254,042. Retrieved April 1, 2016. Bass Reeves, Van Buren, Crawford, Arkansas, United States
^
ab"United States Census, 1900". FamilySearch.org. citing sheet 20B, family 468, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,241,853. Retrieved April 1, 2016. Bass Reeves, Muscogee (part of M K & T Railway) Muscogee, Creek Nation, Natives Territory, United States