Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. 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. There he associated with Native Americans from the Creek and Seminole tribes, learning their language and customs. Understanding that the penalty for a slave to strike his master was death, Bass fled to Indian Territory and lived as a fugitive among the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole peoples. Drag images here or select from your computer for Jane Jennie Reeves memorial. 1896 - Nellie Reeves Dies Nellie Reeves, the wife of Bass Reeves, dies of tuberculosis. Photos and Memories (1) based on information from your browser. Bass married Nellie Jinny Reeves (born Wilson) in 1864, at age 26. Born a slave in 1838 in Crawford County, Arkansas, Bass Reeves served Arkansas state legislator William S. Reeves. The quicker of the two, Reeves shoots first, killing his quarry in self-defense. They had 11 children: Robert E Reeves, Bass Reeves and 9 other children. as one of the most successful lawmen in the Indian Territory. In 1875, Isaac C. Parker was appointed federal judge of Indian Territory. The dispute went all the way up to the Supreme Court of Oklahoma in April of 1908. The story of Bass Reeves is sometimes cited as the inspiration for The Lone Ranger. Bass was hired as a U.S. Deputy Marshal by Judge Issac Parker, known as "the hanging judge". After reading about Bass Reeves, take a look at 9 iconic Black soldiers who risked it all to fight for America. Google Books. Reeves was married twice and had eleven children. Roll M1509. marksman, Reeves was an imposing law enforcement officer at six foot two. A system error has occurred. Winnie was a widow when she married Bass Reeves. Wikimedia CommonsBass Reeves was known for his exceptional shooting skills and his ability to dodge bullets. Like the many outlaws he had arrested, he was tried before Judge Isaac Parker. The TSHA makes every effort to conform to the principles of fair use and to comply with copyright law. The American Civil War ends. Paid in fees and rewards, he would make a handsome profit, before spending a little time with his family, and returning to the range once again. By many historical accounts, Nat was a skilled cowboy. It is not known the exact location of Jennie's grave, the listing from the cemetery log with her name as unknown location in this block. He then became a city police officer in Muskogee, Oklahoma. While there is not a large amount of information on Wiley Escoe in circulation, he was known as a lawman, and a Black deputy U.S. As such, he was authorized to arrest both black and white lawbreakers. Bass Reeves, 1838 - 1910. (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. 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. Bass Reeves . Then, learn about the Buffalo Soldiers, the first all-Black peacetime regiments in U.S. history. The real Bass Reeves was born in July of 1838, died in January 1910, and was the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshall that lived west of the Mississippi River. 1866 - Bass Reeves settles down . On November 13, 1914, Ben Reeves life sentence was commuted and he was released three days later. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. But we dont necessarily get that reality when the only image of a cowboy that we have in our minds is John Wayne or The Lone Ranger. During the Civil War he fled to the Indian Territory of Oklahoma, where he took refuge with the Seminole, Cherokee, and Creek Indians, learning their customs, languages, and tracking skills. At the most opportune moment, Reeves escaped while George was sleeping and took off out west for Indian Territory. Reeves approached the three murderous Brunter brothers and handed them a warrant for their arrest. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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 real Bass Reeves was born in July of 1838, died in January 1910, and was the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshall that lived west of the Mississippi River. Children. Accessed on July 7, 2021. In 1889, after Bass was assigned to Paris, Texas, he went after the Tom Story gang of horse thieves. He became a barber and on November 20, 1900, married Castella Brown. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. (Fort Smith Times). and his owner had an altercation over a card game. There have also been quite a few impressive bronze statues that were erected in his likeness. In 1909 his health failed, and he died on January 12, 1910, of Bright's disease. [5] Career Reeves and his family farmed until 1875, when Isaac Parker was appointed federal judge for the Indian Territory. Ben kept in close contact with his sisters and their stepmother, but his relationship with his father appears to have been strained. He married Nellie Jennie (or Jinney), a Texas native, in 1864, and they raised a family of ten, five boys and five girls. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Reeves, who at this point was now nearly 70, joined the Muskogee Oklahoma Police Department as the only Black patrolman. Oops, we were unable to send the email. White outlaws had so terrorized the interior groups, especially the Creeks and Seminoles, that Whites, with or without a badge, were unwelcome. There is no announced release date for "1883: The Bass Reeves Story" yet, but we'll keep you updated. west of the Mississippi River. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. His mother died in 1896 due to consumption (tuberculosis) leaving his father widowed with eleven children to care for. Buffalo Soldiers, the first all-Black peacetime regiments in U.S. history. Marshal. The couple ultimately raised five girls and five boys together. And when he wasnt in disguise, he was recognized by the silver dollars he left as his calling card. In 1889, Love married his wife Alice and retired from cowboy life. S > Sumter | R > Reeves > Winnie (Sumter) Reeves, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. He takes Bass, now a grown man, with him as a guard and valet and still as his slave. Story panicked and drew his gun, but Reeves drew and shot him dead before Story could fire. Nellie Reeves (Jennie) Also Known As: ""Nellie Jennie"" Birthdate: estimated between 1814 and 1874 : Birthplace: Texas, United States: Death: Immediate Family: Wife of . ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. Winnie was a Cherokee Freedman.[1]. Written, directed, and scored by Jeymes Samuel, this movie highlights a moment in history and shows that cowboys came in different forms, contrary to popular belief. 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. Unavailable. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. If you change your mind, you can easily unsubscribe. 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Section 107 related to Copyright and Fair Use for Non-Profit educational institutions, which permits the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), to utilize copyrighted materials to further scholarship, education, and inform the public. He married Nellie Jennie (d. 1896) in 1864 and Winnie . and taking on other aliases to assist his apprehension of criminals. The state of Oklahoma at the time was two different territories: Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory. Although Reeves was a skilled frontiersman and spoke several languages, he had never learned to read. George Reeves joins the confederate army. Starring in the limited series is David Oyelowo ("Selma," "The Butler," "Les Miserables"), as was previously announced when this was going to be a standalone series. A beloved community figure, his funeral is attended by hundreds. Although details are unclear, it is believed that during an argument over game of cards, Bass struck George. Reeves buys farmland near Van Buren, AR. Possibly based on his exceptional record, Reeves is acquitted. Bass Reeves was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons. He met and married his first wife Nellie Jennie from Texas with whom he had 10 children (5 boys and 5 girls). Together with his wife, spend the next ten years farming and raising ten children (five sons and five daughters): Newland, Benjamin, George, Lula, Robert, Sally, Edgar, Bass Jr., Harriet, Homer and Alice. On February 13, 1903 he was received at Ft. Leavenworth Penitentiary and became Inmate No. In 1889, after Reeves was assigned to Paris, Texas, he went after the Tom Story gang for their long-term horse theft operation. His wife, Nellie Jennie Reeves, tries to persuade Bass not to leave for his own safety,. Below is an article about Reeves from Matt Helm first published in blackpast.org. His whole life was defined by stranger-than-fiction experiences. Initially, Bass Reeves worked as a water boy, and then he later became a field hand. When Isaac C. Parker was appointed judge for the Federal Western District Court at Fort Smith, Arkansas, on May 10, 1875, to bring law to the Indian Territory, one of his first official acts was to swear in a United States marshal and appoint 200 deputies to curb the lawlessness in the area. By all accounts, Reeves was also a master of disguise. If the name Bass Reeves sounds familiar to you, there are a few reasons. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Among them were Bob Dozier, a master criminal whose illegal activities included cattle and horse theft, land swindles, and murder, and who eluded Reeves for several years before being killed after refusing to surrender in the rain and mud in the Cherokee Hills. A real-life hero. The deputy's respect for the law was legendary. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Jane Reeves (147727516)? Also starring ESSENCE digital cover star Zazie Beetz, Edi Gathegi, RJ Cyler, Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield, Delroy Lindo, Daniel Deadwyler and Deon Cole, The Harder They Fall premieres on Netflix on November 3. After their emancipation and citizenship, the Cherokee Freedmen and their descendants struggled to be accepted as a legitimate part of the Cherokee Nation. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Reeves had eleven children from two marriages. The 1880 Census also states that her father was born in Arkansas and her mother was born in Texas. After 32 years as a US deputy marshal, more than three thousand arrests -- and only fourteen fatalities in the line of duty -- Reeves takes on a new career opportunity in the Muskogee police force. In 1902 he arrested his own son, Benny, for murdering his wife (Reeves' daughter-in-law). Year should not be greater than current year. His reputation for persistence, his total fearlessness, his skills with a gun, and his ability to outsmart outlaws struck terror into lawbreakers in what we now call Oklahoma. He spends the next 32 years as a federal peace officer in Indian Territory. However, dodging bullets was by no means his only skill. By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our. [5] [6] [7] [8] Another outlaw was Tom Story, expert horse thief and murderer, who sold stolen horses south of the Red River from 1884 to 1889, and who lost his life at the Delaware Bend crossing in an attempt to beat Reeves to the draw. Mary retired in 1904 and died 11 years later at the age of 82. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. and killed fourteen outlaws during his years as a marshal, garnering a reputation He married Nellie Make sure that the file is a photo. In 1902, Bass Reeves son, Benny, was charged with the murder of his wife. So he decided to leave Indian Territory to farm his own land near Van Buren, Arkansas. As a part of the films rendition of the Rufus Buck Gang that breaks their leader from prison, Bill is as sly as he is ruthless. Period: 1865 to 1875. Of course, its worth noting that theres no concrete proof that Reeves inspired the famous character. There was an error deleting this problem. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. He married a woman named Nellie Jennie, and they must have been really into each other. The rest of the gang disbanded and were never heard from again. 1898 - The Muskogee Years Reeves transfers to Muskogee, Indian Territory Nov 28, 1901. Genealogy profile for Nellie Reeves Genealogy for Nellie Reeves (Jennie) (deceased) family tree on Geni, with over 240 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. 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. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Arkansas where he bought land and worked as a farmer and stockman. Nats father passed away when he was about 15 years old. The 13th Amendment is proclaimed, abolishing slavery in the United States. He earned the name Deadwood Dick in 1976 after winning $200 in a competition in the Dakota Territory that required contestants to rope, throw, tie bridles, and saddle a horse. It was during the Civil War that Reeves made his great escape. Because Dozier was unpredictable, he was also hard to catch and though many lawmen had tried to apprehend him, none were successful until it came to Reeves. Note: This article was edited and compiled from the following sources: https://www.greatblackheroes.com/government/bass-reeves/, https://allthatsinteresting.com/bass-reeves, https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-bassreeves/. Try again later. He registered for the draft on September 12, 1918 at the age of 39 as was required by law. Freeman said, This is a Black man in Americas legendary Western history who has been totally overlooked. He quickly gained a reputation as a tough and fearless lawman who managed to bring in outlaws thought to be invincible. Search above to list available cemeteries. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. When the Civil War broke out, William Reeves' son George was made a colonel in the Confederate army and took Bass to war with him. "Bass Reeves" was originally a standalone limited series that was coming to Paramount+ with Taylor Sheridan, but it's morphed a bit. Freedmen[2]is a term given to emancipated slaves and their descendants after slavery was abolished in the United States following the American Civil War. He was appointed a U.S. deputy marshal in 1875, and arrested over 3,000 criminals, killing 14 outlaws in the process. Among those he captured Her job was to protect the mail from thieves and deliver the mail, regardless of weather conditions. Although Bass Reeves accomplishments as a lawman greatly overshadow those of many of his more famous white contemporaries, the legend of Bass Reeves was, for the most part, lost to history. Marshal and order him to hire 200 deputies. At 71, two months after leaving the Muskogee police force, Bass Reeves dies of Brights disease. Mrs. Tolliver was defended by the Iowa Land & Trust who argued that Reeves had no right to the land in the first place as he is not a member of the Tribe. But according to biographer Art T. 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