Bass Reeves was one of the first black Deputy U.S. Marshals, and is regarded by some as the closest historical figure to the Lone Ranger. He was born into slavery in Arkansas in 1838. During the U.S. Civil War he escaped to Indian Territory (now the state of Oklahoma) where he lived with Native Americans of the Cherokee, Seminole, and Creek tribes,...
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Bass Reeves was one of the first black Deputy U.S. Marshals, and is regarded by some as the closest historical figure to the Lone Ranger. He was born into slavery in Arkansas in 1838. During the U.S. Civil War he escaped to Indian Territory (now the state of Oklahoma) where he lived with Native Americans of the Cherokee, Seminole, and Creek tribes, until slavery was abolished in 1865.When Judge Parker became the Federal Judge for Indian Territory in 1875, he directed his newly appointed Marshal, James Fagan, to hire 200 deputies. Fagan, hearing that Reeves knew the Territory and spoke several of the Native American languages hired him as the first black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. He served in Arkansas, Texas and Indian Territory until 1907, when Indian Territory became the State of Oklahoma and he joined the Muskogee police department. He served 2 years with the police, and died a year after leaving the force.He is said to have arrested 3,000 felons during his career and to have shot and killed 14 in self defense.
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