. He tracked down After their emancipation and citizenship, the Cherokee Freedmen and their descendants struggled to be accepted as a legitimate part of the Cherokee Nation. Though the warrant had been lying on Bennetts desk for two days, the other deputies were reluctant to take it and though Reeves was shaken, he demanded to accept the responsibility for finding his son. Bass Reeves was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons. New Yellowstone Spin-Off Pivots To Focus On True-Life Legendary Badass Bass Reeves. Clayton. Todays post was written by Holly Rivet, archival technician at the National Archives in St. Louis. Reeves, along with the other deputies, was ordered to bring the outlaws back to Parker dead or alive. Dependability and devotion to duty were the benchmarks of Reeves's service to the government. Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and no longer a fugitive, Reeves left Indian Territory and bought land near Van Buren, Arkansas, where he became a successful farmer and rancher. In the early afternoon of June 7, 1902, a young Ben Reeves paid a visit to his estranged wife, Castella Brown, at her cousins house not far from their home in Muskogee, OK. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Bass Reeves marries Texas native Nellie Jennie. According to the Chickasaw Enterprise newspaper, at this point in his service as deputy US marshal, Reeves had apprehended more than three thousand people for violating federal laws in Indian Territory. One of the high points of Reeves career was apprehending a notorious outlaw named Bob Dozier. portalId: 20973928, Born to slave parents in 1838 in Arkansas, Bass Reeves was a member of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Sorry! Photos and Memories (1) Netflixs highly anticipated The Harder They Fall puts a new twist on the old West. of Oklahoma assumed policing duties over the Indian Territory. She was a Creek Freedwoman and a full member of the Creek Nation. Bass Reeves was born during the Antebellum Era, a turbulent time period before the American Civil War. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. The Inmate Case File of Ben Reeves (NAID 7861497), contains a wealth of information about his characteristics, correspondence, and his conduct while incarcerated. At this time he resided on South 2nd Street and worked as a manager at Meltons Caf. We need your support because we are a non-profit organization that relies upon contributions from our community in order to record and preserve the history of our state. GREAT NEWS! . Bass was now a free man and was able to settle in Arkansas, becoming a farmer near Van Buren. Delroy Lindo is an accomplished actor, with over 40 years of experience in film, television, and theater. He was one inspiration to the character Will Reeves (played by Jamal Akakpo) in the HBO series "Watchmen," one of the main characters in"The Harder They Fall" played by Delroy Lindo,and he is believed to be the inspiration for "The Lone Ranger." Winnie was a Cherokee Freedman.[1]. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Nellie Reeves (Jennie) Also Known As: ""Nellie Jennie"" Birthdate: estimated between 1814 and 1874 : Birthplace: Texas, United States: Death: Immediate Family: Wife of . Daniel J. Littlefield, Jr., and Lonnie E. Underhill, Negro Marshal in the Indian Learn more about managing a memorial . The quicker of the two, Reeves shoots first, killing his quarry in self-defense. Handbook of Texas Online, Lula Reeves 1881 - 1899. Cause of death - Peritonitis result of cancer.Note: Name on funeral home receipt, Green Sanders, is Jennie's son-in-law, married to daughter Sallie Reeves Sanders.After cross referencing old Block numbers and current block numbers it is determined that Jennie Reeves is in Block 36. His mother died in 1896 due to consumption (tuberculosis) leaving his father widowed with eleven children to care for. Arkansas where he bought land and worked as a farmer and stockman. The Lone Ranger, the iconic character who was virtually synonymous with the myth of the American West, was played by a white man, even though his character may have possibly been inspired by Reeves. Bass Reeves, was the first black U.S. Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi River and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our nations history. 3282. (1870 US Census, 1880 US Census). Although details are unclear, it is believed that during an argument over game of cards, Bass struck George. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) (Lincoln NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2006); Kathy Weiser, Legends of America, http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-BassReeves.html, 1010 Campus DriveBig Rapids, MI 49307[emailprotected](231) 591-5873, 1201 S. State Street, Big Rapids, Michigan USA 49307, Transfer and Secondary School Partnerships, Card/Riley Conservation and Wildlife Education Center, Latino Business & Economic Development Center, Below is an article about Reeves from Matt Helm first published in blackpast.org, Legends of America, http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WE-BassReeves.html. At the most opportune moment, Reeves escaped while George was sleeping and took off out west for Indian Territory. In 1907, law enforcement was assumed by state agencies and Reeves duties as a deputy marshal came to an end. In addition to farming and ranching, Reeves occasionally worked as a scout and guide for U.S. Deputy Marshals entering "Indian Territory" on business of the Van Buren Federal Court. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. In a statement he gave in February of 1903, he said, By constant worry over her actions and the breaking up of my home, and receiving such an answer I lost all control and shot her.[1] It was in this statement that he confirmed that his father, the famous frontier Deputy U.S. On November 13, 1914, Ben Reeves life sentence was commuted and he was released three days later. His great-uncle, Paul L. Brady, was the first black person to be appointed as a federal administrative law judge in 1972. . Bass Reeves was born on the 16th of July 1838 in Crawford County, Arkansas, and named after his grandfather Bass Washington. Reeves was married twice and had eleven children. During this time, young Bass impresses the owner of his family with his pleasant demeanor and aptitude for working with livestock. He carried chains to secure prisoners to the wagon, as he sometimes had a dozen or more by the time he returned to Ft. Smith, where Judge Parker held court. . At this time, the Freemen's Bureau Act of. At the age of sixty-nine Reeves accepted a job as patrolman with the Muskogee city police department, and from 1907 to 1909 there was reportedly never a crime committed on his beat. After reading about Bass Reeves, take a look at 9 iconic Black soldiers who risked it all to fight for America. This would have made her birth year 1840 and closer to Bass Reeves' age. Despite his many disguises and calling cards, Reeves always treated his position with great respect. Year should not be greater than current year. Bass Reeves Born to slave parents in 1838 in Arkansas, Bass Reeves was a member of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Accounts vary on whether Bass beat up George as he left, and whether his immediate aim was freedom or to escape punishment over a card game dispute. Parker, in turn, appointed a U.S. And many people whom he arrested were sent to the House of Corrections in Detroit, which was the same city where The Lone Ranger was first introduced via radio in 1933. He was a skilled fighter and made a living as a fur trader in the old American West. According to Ben, she was unapologetic and said she thought more of his [John Wadlys] little finger than she did of my whole body. In a rage, he murdered his wife right then and there. It was here that he met and married his first wife, Nellie Jennie, from Texas, with whom he had ten children, five boys and five girls. The marshal was famous for fair-mindedness and was impossible to bribe or corrupt. Bass Reeves grew up illiterate and remained illiterate for his entire life. He married Nellie Jennie (d. 1896) in 1864 and Winnie . He spends the next 32 years as a federal peace officer in Indian Territory. Ben grew into a tall, lean man with slate blue eyes. his church minister for selling illegal alcohol. The story of Bass Reeves is sometimes cited as the inspiration for The Lone Ranger. Wikimedia CommonsBass Reeves was known for his exceptional shooting skills and his ability to dodge bullets. . However, it was his refusal to make exceptions that was extraordinary. [1] Inmate File of Ben Reeves, image 39 (NAID 7861497), Inmate Case Files, 7/3/1895-11/5/1957; Record Group 129: Records of the Bureau of Prisons, 1870-2009; National Archives at Kansas City, [2] Index to the Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory, 3/4/1907, image 579 (NAID 300320), Final Rolls of the Five Civilized Tribes, 18991914; Record Group 48: Records of the Office of the Secretary of the Interior, 1826 2009, [3] Inmate Case File of Ben Reeves, image 1-4 (NAID 7861497); Inmate Case Files, 7/3/1895-11/5/1957; RG 129, [5] Oklahoma. He cut an imposing figure as he patrolled the 75,000 square miles of Indian Territory. A year later, he married Nellie Jennie from Texas and immediately began to have a family. He killed fourteen men in the performance of his duty while assigned to the federal district courts at Paris and Sherman, Texas, during his thirty-two-year career as deputy. As such, he was authorized to arrest both black and white lawbreakers. There is no announced release date for "1883: The Bass Reeves Story" yet, but we'll keep you updated. Leave a message for others who see this profile. Then, learn about the Buffalo Soldiers, the first all-Black peacetime regiments in U.S. history. By several accounts, Reeves served as a guide for U.S. marshals going into the Indian Territory. A real-life hero. Stagecoach Mary is his on-again, off-again lover, and assists him in his journey for revenge. Standing six feet, two inches tall, he was often seen riding a large white stallion as he patrolled all 75,000 square miles of Indian Territory. An excellent In The Harder They Fall, Elba plays the role of Rufus Buck, the man responsible for killing Nat Loves parents, and carves a cross into Loves forehead. P640, [6] Inmate File of Ben Reeves, image 7 (NAID 7861497); Inmate Case Files, 7/3/1895-11/5/1957; RG 129, [7] Registration Card for Bennie Bass Reeves; World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. The couple ultimately raised five girls and five boys together. Beetzs character in The Harder They Fall is about 30 years younger than the actual Stagecoach Mary would have been in the late 1800s. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Reeves embarks on a manhunt for Jim Webb, a horse thief and cowboy believed to have killed eleven people; after a fierce gunfight, a dying Webb gives Reeves his scabbard and his pistol carved with notches from prior kills. During this time, Reeves health diminishes, forcing him out of the Muskogee police force. Nudie E. Williams, When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. The majority of his violations included jovial conversation with other inmates and one for trading barber services for a toothbrush. Make sure that the file is a photo. Two weeks later, Bass returned to Muskogee with his son in tow and turned him over to Marshal Bennett. . Benny Reeves served 22 years at Leavenworth Prison. If you change your mind, you can easily unsubscribe. Born into slavery in Virginia, James Beckwourth was freed by his white father and apprenticed as blacksmith in his early years. He was always acquitted of the deaths of his prisoners. Just a few years later, on January 12, 1910, Bass Reeves died of Brights disease an outdated term for a kidney disease that is now known as nephritis. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Jane Reeves (147727516)? Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Parents. years before being tracked down and killed after refusing to surrender. The court unanimously decided that there was no evidence Reeves murdered his wife with the intent of taking her land, therefore he was still entitled to it. Benny had fled to the badlands after the crime, and no other marshal was willing to pursue him. Freeman said that he has always wanted to do his own Western as long as its about Reeves. In 1889, after Bass was assigned to Paris, Texas, he went after the Tom Story gang of horse thieves. Try again later. Directed to hire 200 deputies, Fagan commissions Reeves as a deputy US marshal on his reputation for knowing the landscape of the Indian Territory and learning the languages of the indigenous people with whom he lived as a fugitive. He was paid fees in those days that sometimes amounted to thousands of dollars for a single trip . Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. The other deputies, was the first all-Black peacetime regiments in U.S..! 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