Reeves was responsible for apprehending criminals in a 75,000-square-mile (194,000-square-km) region of what is now mostly Oklahoma and Arkansas. Well known for his valour, Reeves killed 14 outlaws and apprehended more than 3,000 throughout his tenure (including his own son), according to contemporary reports.
How is Bass Reeves remembered today?
Reeves was among the first African Americans to serve as a marshal west of the Mississippi . Making over 3,000 arrests during his illustrious career marks him as one of the most successful lawmen in U.S. history.
How did Bass Reeves change the world?
Over the 35 years that Bass Reeves served as a Deputy United States Marshal, he earned his place in history by being one of the most effective lawmen in Indian Territory, bringing in more than 3,000 outlaws and helping to tame the lawless territory.
How did Bass Reeves manage to escape slavery?
It was during the Civil War that Reeves made his great escape. As the story goes, Reeves beat up his master after a dispute over cards — and then fled to avoid punishment. (However, others say Reeves simply heard that slaves were being freed and decided to run in order to free himself.)
Why did Bass Reeves become a marshal?
After the war Reeves settled down in Van Buren, Arkansas, as a farmer. ... Parker took over the Fort Smith federal court, Parker commissioned Reeves as a deputy U.S. marshal . He is believed to be one of the earliest African Americans to receive a commission as a deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River.
What was one strategy Bass Reeves?
Reeves was a master of disguise , a tactic he used to sneak up on unsuspecting outlaws. They would undoubtedly see a giant black man on a giant horse coming for them, so when Bass was closing in on a man, he would switch to a smaller ride, and he learned tricks from the Indians on how to look smaller in the saddle.
Did Bass Reeves ever get shot?
Reeves brought in some of the most dangerous criminals of the time; he was never wounded despite having his hat and belt shot off on separate occasions. In addition to being a marksman with a rifle and revolver, Reeves developed superior detective skills during his long career.
Why did Bass Reeves go to jail?
In January 1886, two years after shooting his cook, Reeves was indicted for first-degree murder , arrested by Deputy U.S. Marshal G.J.B. Frair and held in the Fort Smith federal jail. It took six months before Reeves could make bond.
Are there any movies about Bass Reeves?
Real-life Arkansas lawman Bass Reeves plays a role in an upcoming Netflix movie. Netflix’s “The Harder They Fall ” tells the story of Nat Love as he seeks revenge against the man who murdered his parents.
Is The Lone Ranger a true story?
The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend, Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in a radio show on WXYZ (Detroit), conceived either by station owner George W.
Who was the first black sheriff?
Walter Moses Burton lived in Fort Bend County at the time of slavery. When slavery ended in 1865, he became a free man. He then worked to help create a better community. He was the first African American elected Sheriff in the county.
Who was the best lawman in the Old West?
Deputy U.S. 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.
Is Django based on Bass Reeves?
Bass Reeves: The Real-Life Django, A Legendary African-American Marshal. The original ‘Django’ was a man named Bass Reeves, a bad-ass legendary African-American Wild West marshal arrested 3,000 outlaws and killed 14 men... ... Bass Reeves was born into slavery in 1838 in Crawford County, Arkansas.
Where is Bass Reeves buried?
| Birth Jul 1838 Crawford County, Arkansas, USA | Death 12 Jan 1910 (aged 71) Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma, USA | Burial Agency Cemetery Muskogee , Muskogee County, Oklahoma, USA | Memorial ID 8584642 · View Source |
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Is The Lone Ranger Based on Bass Reeves?
Absolutely. “ Bass Reeves is the closest real person to resemble the fictional Lone Ranger on the American western frontier of the nineteenth century,” Burton wrote. Born a slave in 1838 in Crawford County Arkansas, Reeves’s owner was William S. Reeves, a cotton farmer and prominent politician in the area.
