Bass Reeves

One of the first African American Deputy U. S. Marshals west of the Mississippi, Reeves served in Indian Territory for 32 years. During this time he killed 14 outlaws and served warrants on over 3000, including his own son who was wanted for murder. After Oklahoma statehood in 1907, Reeves worked as a patrolman for the police department in Muskogee, where "reportedly no crimes were committed on his beat."

Reeves lived in Grayson County as a boy before escaping to Indian Territory in 1864. He was assigned to the East Texas Federal Court in Paris in 1893. There is a statue honoring him in the Lamar County Courthouse in Paris.

To learn more, visit Encyclopedia of Arkansas,  Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Texas State Historical Association, and 10 Facts About Bass Reeves