7 True Facts About Bass Reeves, a Legendary Cowboy of the Wild West
Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan has spent the last few years lassoing fans in with Western TV shows full of drama, the wild frontier, and cowboys. Of course, we love the cast and characters in the original and all the Yellowstone spinoffs. You simply cannot find a more beloved family on television than the Duttons! But Sheridan's newest project, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, has a twist that's extra exciting.
Season 2 of 1883 will focus on the life of a real-life American cowboy and a pretty famous one at that! You won't find John Dutton III or any of his ancestors in a history book, but you will find Bass Reeves, aka the man who inspired The Lone Ranger. His story is the stuff of American legend, and there are so many facts about his life that make him a perfect fit for the Yellowstone universe. The series is currently filming in Texas with David Oyelowo starring in the title role. While we wait patiently for this guaranteed hit to drop, here's a quick crash course on the man, the myth, the legend!
Bass Reeves was born before the Civil War.
In July 1838, Reeves was born into slavery. He and his family were owned by a man named William Steele Reeves, then purportedly his son Colonel George R. Reeves. They forced him to join the Confederate army at the outbreak of the Civil War, but he eventually escaped and lived as a fugitive in Indian Territory among the Creeks and Seminoles.
He was a true family man.
After the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, Reeves relocated to Van Buren, Arkansas, where he bought land, worked as a farmer, and married Nellie Jennie. They started a family together, eventually having 11 children.
He was the first black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River.
According to Britannica, in 1875, Federal Judge Isaac Parker of the Western District of Arkansas commissioned Reeves to be a deputy U.S. marshal. Reeves was recruited to work in the Indian Territory due to his deep knowledge of the area and fluency in the Creek and Seminole languages, mainly responsible for apprehending wanted fugitives.
He is reported to be one of the most successful lawmen in the Indian Territory.
Bass Reeves served for over 30 years and brought 3,000+ criminals to justice! He killed 14 outlaws and was known for bringing in some of the most dangerous fugitives. Among his most famous catches, Reeves tracked outlaw Tom Story for five years, eventually killing him in a gunfight. Since that period lasted from 1884 to 1889, we might see Tom Story in the new show!
During his years as a marshal, Reeves was reportedly never injured, though he did have his belt and hat shot off on separate occasions.
He didn't let his past hold him back.
Since Reeves was born a slave, he grew up illiterate and remained so his entire life. Regardless, he didn't let his lack of education stop him from being a successful lawman. According to Black Past, Reeves would frequently memorize the warrants that were read to him by federal judges or court officials.
As a man of the law, he was noted for his integrity and ingenuity.
Reeves was known as a fair and honest agent of the law. On one occasion, he arrested his church minister for selling illegal alcohol. At one point, Reeves arrested his own son after engaging in a weeks-long manhunt to track him down. Despite being shaken by the incident, Reeves had insisted on bringing him to justice. (The son was tried and convicted but later given a full pardon.) According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, Muskogee Police Chief Bud Ledbetter once said that he "never quailed in facing any man."
His career as a marshal ended in 1907.
In 1907, the state of Oklahoma took on policing duties over Indian Territory, which brought an end to Reeves' career as a U.S. marshal. He wasn't about to retire, though, and at 69, he became a policeman for the city of Muskogee. Bass Reeves eventually died of Bright's disease (nephritis) at the age of 71, but not before he left his mark on history as one of the greatest American frontiersman to have ever lived.
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