The Legendary Lawman Bass Reeves
College and University / Science / Biology
Today we're going to talk about one of the most amazing men of the old west, someone you may not have heard of - the legendary lawman Bass Reeves. Reeves was the first black deputy to serve west of the Mississippi. The old west was a very dangerous place. Luckily there were fearless men back then who seemed to have ice water in their veins when trouble came. You've probably heard of some them, like Wild Bill Hickock, Bat Masterson and Wyat Earp. Now learn about Bass Reeves.
The Old West in America where life was hard. Often lawless and short if you found yourself in the wrong place and at the wrong time. But fortunately there were lawmen back in those days that seem to be born for the times. Fearless men who seem to have ice water in their veins when trouble came. You probably know some of them like Wild Bill Hickok, Bat Masterson, and Wyatt Earp. But today we are going to talk about one of the most amazing law man of that era who you may not have heard of. A fellow named Bass Reeves.
Reeves was born into slavery in Crawford, Arkansas in 1838. He grew up on a plantation owned by William Steele Reeves. William Reeves had a son named George. George eventually became a colonel, and served in the Civil War. It appears Bass Reeves served under him. Their relationship went south during a card game. They had a disagreement over something and it turned into a fight. Bass was a big man who stood six foot two. He beat up George and fled into Indian territory.
Reeves lived with various Indian tribes until he was freed by the 13th Amendment in 1865 which abolished slavery. His time with the Indians proved to be very fruitful.He not only studied many of their ways but he also learned many different Indian languages which served him well in the future.
As a free man and now no longer needing to hide for beating up the colonel, Reeves must?ve felt reborn. With a new lease on life he moved to Arkansas and began trying his hand in farming. He met and then married a woman named Nellie Jennie and they had eleven children together.
In 1875 U.S. Marshall James Fagen was told he needed to hire two hundred deputy U.S. Marshalls.Fagen have heard about Reeves and how he knew the Indian territory and that he could speak several Indian languages. He hired Reeves and Reeves became the first black deputy to serve west of the Mississippi River. The rest as they say is history. For the next thirty-two years as a deputy marshal Bass created and astounding record. He is believed to have arrested more than three thousand people and killed fourteen outlaws all without receiving a single gun wound.
His tracking skills and his ability to shoot equally well with his right or left hand gave him a serious advantage over most criminals. Reeves once hunted down a notorious outlaw named Bob Dozier. Dozier was wanted for a number of crimes including rustling, horse theft, robbery, land swindles, and murder. Reeves tracked him into the Cherokee hills which is now Oklahoma. Dozier learned that Reeves was tracking him and he sent word that if he didn?t stop he would kill him. Reeves sent a message back to Dozier that if he?d stop running he?d bring him in unharmed.
On the evening of December twentieth, eighteen seventy-eight, Bass heard the sound of a gunshot and heard a bullet whisper by his head. Reeves saw a shadow moving through the trees and the two exchanged more gunfire. It was then that Reeves could see Dozier through the trees. To his surprise Dozie was laughing loudly behind because he thought he had shot Reeves. Bass took that opportunity to jump out from the shadows and order Dozier to drop his gun. Dozier dropped into a crouch and was about to fire but Reeves was ready and he killed Dozier with a shot to the neck.
Belle Starr was another notorious outlaw and liked to associate with famous criminals like Frank and Jesse James. At times she was wanted for stagecoach robbery, and horse theft. She was a crack shot and allegedly carried one or two pistols with cartridge belts across her hips. But Reeves has gained such a fierce reputation that as soon as Starr learned that Bass Reeves was coming after her she turned herself in.
Reeves was also known to disguise himself and would sometimes pretend to be an outlaw or a hobo to get closer to the criminals he was hunting down. Another thing notable about Reeves was his remarkable honesty and integrity, and respect for the law. After his own son was wanted for the murder of his own wife he tracked him down and he arrested him despite being very disturbed by the incident. His son was tried and convicted but later given a full pardon. His son Bennie went on to become a model citizen after this incident.
Reeves also arrested his own church minister when he discovered he was selling illegal alcohol. In 1907 after thirty-two years Reeves retired as a marshal and became a police officer.
He summed up his attitude towards the law once when he said, ?Maybe the law ain?t perfect, but it?s the only one we got, and without it we got nuthin?.?
Bass Reeves died in 1910 at seventy of kidney disease. In May 2012 a bronze statue of Reeves was erected in Fort Smith, Arkansas. And in 2013 he was inducted into the Texas trail of fame.
It?s been speculated that Reeves may have been the inspiration for the Lone Ranger. Morgan Freeman has been talking about making a film about Reeves for years but that has never come to fruition. With all the terrible films Hollywood produces these days I think it?s way past time for a major motion picture about Bass Reeves. Don?t you?
Reeves was born into slavery in Crawford, Arkansas in 1838. He grew up on a plantation owned by William Steele Reeves. William Reeves had a son named George. George eventually became a colonel, and served in the Civil War. It appears Bass Reeves served under him. Their relationship went south during a card game. They had a disagreement over something and it turned into a fight. Bass was a big man who stood six foot two. He beat up George and fled into Indian territory.
Reeves lived with various Indian tribes until he was freed by the 13th Amendment in 1865 which abolished slavery. His time with the Indians proved to be very fruitful.He not only studied many of their ways but he also learned many different Indian languages which served him well in the future.
As a free man and now no longer needing to hide for beating up the colonel, Reeves must?ve felt reborn. With a new lease on life he moved to Arkansas and began trying his hand in farming. He met and then married a woman named Nellie Jennie and they had eleven children together.
In 1875 U.S. Marshall James Fagen was told he needed to hire two hundred deputy U.S. Marshalls.Fagen have heard about Reeves and how he knew the Indian territory and that he could speak several Indian languages. He hired Reeves and Reeves became the first black deputy to serve west of the Mississippi River. The rest as they say is history. For the next thirty-two years as a deputy marshal Bass created and astounding record. He is believed to have arrested more than three thousand people and killed fourteen outlaws all without receiving a single gun wound.
His tracking skills and his ability to shoot equally well with his right or left hand gave him a serious advantage over most criminals. Reeves once hunted down a notorious outlaw named Bob Dozier. Dozier was wanted for a number of crimes including rustling, horse theft, robbery, land swindles, and murder. Reeves tracked him into the Cherokee hills which is now Oklahoma. Dozier learned that Reeves was tracking him and he sent word that if he didn?t stop he would kill him. Reeves sent a message back to Dozier that if he?d stop running he?d bring him in unharmed.
On the evening of December twentieth, eighteen seventy-eight, Bass heard the sound of a gunshot and heard a bullet whisper by his head. Reeves saw a shadow moving through the trees and the two exchanged more gunfire. It was then that Reeves could see Dozier through the trees. To his surprise Dozie was laughing loudly behind because he thought he had shot Reeves. Bass took that opportunity to jump out from the shadows and order Dozier to drop his gun. Dozier dropped into a crouch and was about to fire but Reeves was ready and he killed Dozier with a shot to the neck.
Belle Starr was another notorious outlaw and liked to associate with famous criminals like Frank and Jesse James. At times she was wanted for stagecoach robbery, and horse theft. She was a crack shot and allegedly carried one or two pistols with cartridge belts across her hips. But Reeves has gained such a fierce reputation that as soon as Starr learned that Bass Reeves was coming after her she turned herself in.
Reeves was also known to disguise himself and would sometimes pretend to be an outlaw or a hobo to get closer to the criminals he was hunting down. Another thing notable about Reeves was his remarkable honesty and integrity, and respect for the law. After his own son was wanted for the murder of his own wife he tracked him down and he arrested him despite being very disturbed by the incident. His son was tried and convicted but later given a full pardon. His son Bennie went on to become a model citizen after this incident.
Reeves also arrested his own church minister when he discovered he was selling illegal alcohol. In 1907 after thirty-two years Reeves retired as a marshal and became a police officer.
He summed up his attitude towards the law once when he said, ?Maybe the law ain?t perfect, but it?s the only one we got, and without it we got nuthin?.?
Bass Reeves died in 1910 at seventy of kidney disease. In May 2012 a bronze statue of Reeves was erected in Fort Smith, Arkansas. And in 2013 he was inducted into the Texas trail of fame.
It?s been speculated that Reeves may have been the inspiration for the Lone Ranger. Morgan Freeman has been talking about making a film about Reeves for years but that has never come to fruition. With all the terrible films Hollywood produces these days I think it?s way past time for a major motion picture about Bass Reeves. Don?t you?
