Bass Reeves (July 1838 – January 12, 1910) was an American law enforcement officer. He was the first black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River. He worked mostly in Arkansas and the Oklahoma Territory.[a] During his long career, he had on his record more than 3,000 arrests of dangerous criminals, and shot and killed 14 of them in alleged self-defense.
Early life[edit]
Reeves was born
into slavery in Crawford County, Arkansas, in 1838.[1][2] He was named
after his grandfather, Bass Washington. Reeves and his family were enslaved by
Arkansas state legislator William Steele Reeves.[1] When Bass was
eight (about 1846), William Reeves moved to Grayson County, Texas, near Sherman in the Peters
Colony.[1] It appears
plausible that Reeves was kept in bondage by William Steele Reeves's son,
Colonel George R. Reeves, who was a sheriff
and legislator in Texas, and a one-time Speaker of the Texas House of
Representatives until his death from rabies in 1882.[3]
When the American Civil War began, George Reeves, Bass'
enslaver, joined the Confederate Army, taking Bass with him. It is unclear how,
and exactly when, Bass Reeves left his enslaver, but at some point during the
Civil War, he gained his freedom. One account recalls how Bass Reeves and
George Reeves had an altercation over a card game. Bass severely beat his
enslaver, and fled to the Natives Territory where he lived among the Cherokee,
Creeks and Seminoles.[2][3][4] Bass stayed with
these Native tribes and learned their languages until he was freed by the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished
slavery, in 1865.[3]
As a freedman, Reeves moved to
Arkansas and farmed near Van Buren.[5][6][7][8]
Career[edit]
Reeves and his family
farmed until 1875, when Isaac Parker was
appointed federal judge for the Natives
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.[5] He recruited him
as a deputy; Reeves was the first black deputy to serve west of the Mississippi
River.[2][5] Reeves was
assigned as a deputy U.S. marshal for the Western District of Arkansas, which had
responsibility also for the Native reservation Territory.[9] 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.[9]
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 criminals of the time; he was never wounded despite having his hat
and belt shot off on separate occasions.[2]
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 over
3,000 arrests of felons.[2][5] He killed 14
outlaws to defend his life.[5] Reeves had to
arrest his own son for murder, [2]Benjamin
"Bennie" Reeves, who was charged with the murder of his own wife.
Deputy Marshal Reeves was disturbed and shaken by the incident, but demanded
the responsibility of bringing Bennie to justice. Bennie was eventually tracked
and captured, tried, and convicted. He served 11 years at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas before his
sentence was commuted; he reportedly lived the rest of his life as a model
citizen.[2]
When Oklahoma became a state
in 1907, Reeves, then 68, became an officer of the Muskogee Police Department.[2] He served for
two years before he became ill and retired.[5]
Later years and death[edit]
Reeves was himself
once charged with murdering a posse cook. At his
trial before Judge Parker, Reeves reported to have shot by mistake while
cleaning his gun; he was represented by former United States Attorney W. H. H. Clayton, who was a colleague
and friend, and eventually was believed and acquitted, possibly based on his
exceptional record.[10]
Reeves' health began
to fail further after retiring. He died of Bright's disease (nephritis) on
January 12, 1910.[5]
Family and descendants[edit]
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. [5][6][7][8]
He was a great-uncle
of Paul L. Brady, who became the first black man
appointed as a federal administrative law judge in 1972.[11]
His
great-great-great-grandson is National Hockey League player Ryan Reaves.[12]
Source for more
information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Reeves
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