A former slave became one of the most famous lawmen in U.S. history. Bass Reeves was born in July 1838 and during the civil war escaped his enslavers. It is believed he fought for the Union. He settled in Van Buren after the war and served as a guide for U.S. Marshals going into the Indian Territory.
He was hired as a commissioned deputy U.S. Marshal in 1875, becoming one of the first Black federal lawmen west of the Mississippi River. Standing 6’2” and weighing 180 lbs., Reeves reportedly could beat any two men and could shoot both pistols and rifles accurately from either hand.
He was feared by criminals, many of whom gave themselves up upon learning he was on their trail, and once captured 19 horse thieves and brought them to Fort Smith. He later served federal courts in Texas and Indian Territory. When Oklahoma gained statehood, he became a policeman in Muskogee. Though he died in 1910, he’s recently been remembered in movies, TV shows, novels and comic books.
To learn more, visit encyclopediaofarkansas.net.
