The Story of Bass Reeves of Van Buren and Fort Smith, Arkansas - the ex slave who became Judge Parker's legendary U.S. Deputy Marshall

Bass Reeves early in his career (no date)

Bass Reeves, no date, towards the end of his career as a Deputy U.S. Marshal

Bass Reeves stature at Pendergraft Park off Garrison Ave. near the Fort Smith National Historical Site.

One of the great injustices in the telling of the stories of the old west was the forgotten, or ignored, story of Fort Smith's greatest lawman, Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a man born in slavery in Crawford County, Arkansas.  I came to Arkansas in the summer of 1959 and graduated Van Buren high school the following year. I lived in Fort Smith and Van Buren for several years, spent much time in the Fort Smith library and museum, and yet I did not know of Bass Reeves. One of the books I read about Fort Smith lawmen was, "Hell On The Border, He Hanged Eighty-Eight Men" by S.W. Harman, published in 1898, that covered the career of Judge Isaac Parker of the U.S. District Court in Fort Smith. The book mentioned some of the more well known marshals and outlaws, but nary a word about Judge Parker's most successful deputy marshal. That oversight (and racism) has been largely rectified in recent years. Many years after first coming to Arkansas I happened on the book, "Black Gun, Silver Star" by author Art T. Burton published in 2006, while doing research for my website. Burton claimed that Bass Reeves was the inspiration for the Lone Ranger, but that claim has been disputed by some, included those involved in the original TV show. Bass Reeves did ride a white (actually, grey) horse, apparently occassionally handed out silver dollars (not bullets), and used disguises in his efforts to apprehend outlaws. He was occassionally accompanied by Native American posse men, by no sidekick named Tonto. For a while his sidekick was his dog of an uncertain breed.

Today, there is a statue representing him, his horse and dog located just off the west end of Garrison Avenue near to the Fort Smith National Historic Site. The 2023 TV series by Taylor Sheridan (the creator of the Dutton family "Yellowstone" TV series) "Lawman: Bass Reeves" celebrates his story (with some artistic liberties taken). There are books, movies, and Internet articles available today about this great American. I encourage you to read this, written by authors much more gifted than me. However, here is my brief summary of his story.

Bass Reeves was born in slavery in Crawford County, Arkansas, in July 1838. His family were the slaves William Steele Reeves, an Arkansas state legislator. The names of Bass' parents is now unknown, but according to Bass he was named after his grandfather, Bass Washington. The William S. Reeves family removed from Arkansas in 1846 and settled in Grayson County, near Sherman, Texas, taking Bass and his family with them. As an adult, Bass was the servant of George R. Reeves, son of William. One of Bass' responsibilities was tending to the Reeves family horses, including shoeing and training them, and he became an excellent horseman, a talent unusual for slaves. Also exceeding unusual for the time, Bass became an expert with a revolver. Bass' master George Reeves joined the Confederate States Army at the outbreak of the Civil War and took twenty-three year old Bass with him. The TV series portrays Bass Reeves participating in the fighting on the side of his master, but this seems very unlikely. His roll as servant to Colonel George Reeves was probably less belligerent. Early in the War, sometime between 1861 and 1862, at home in Texas, the white Reeves family claimed that Bass and George Reeves got into an argument over cheating in a card game; Bass supposedly attacked and beat George with the butt of a revolver. How much of that claim is true is unknown. Whatever the truth, Bass was forced to flee or face certain death at the hands of the Reeves family or Texas law. Bass fled across the Red River into Indian Territory (Oklahoma). There he became associated and lived with members of the Creek, Cherokee, and Seminole tribes, learning their laguages and customs. This knowledge would serve him well in his career as a deputy U.S. marshal.

After Bass gained his freedom with the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation he purchased a farm near Van Buren, Arkansas. In 1864 he married his first wife Jennie Haynes. She was born in Texas and said to be of a gentile upbringing and an accomplished pianist. Little else seems to be known about her, whether she was a free woman or a former slave. What is known, is that she was a dedicated wife and fierce defender of her husband and children. Jennie died in 1896 while Bass was working as a deputy marshal in the Eastern District of Texas.

Ronald N. Wall

Modified: 04 March 2025