You
cannot have a discussion, Seminole County vintage, without discussing what was
the most famous and first of the Law and the Lawless, the indigenous
ones--Seminole I.T. Lighthorse aka Lighthorsemen. It is a fascinating history.
I will post herewith a few excerpts.
Bass
Reeves—I have written much about him in my Seminole IT Memorabilia Posts
Born to slave parents in 1838 in Crawford County Arkansas, Bass Reeves would become the first black U.S. Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi River and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our nation’s history.
Owned by a man named William Reeves, a farmer and politician, Bass took the surname of his owner, like other slaves of the time. Working alongside his parents, Reeves started out as a water boy until he was old enough to become a field hand.
Bass Reeves, asthe first black Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River, arrested over 3,000 felons and shot and killed fourteen outlaws in self-defense.
Born: July 1838, Crawford County, Arkansas, AR
Died: January 12, 1910, Muskogee, OK
Height: 6′ 2″
Parents: Parilee Washington Stewart
Children: Homer Reeves, Lula Reeves, George Reeves, More
Spouse: Winnie Sumter, (m. 1900), Nellie Jennie, (m. 1864)
Born to slave parents in 1838 in Crawford County Arkansas, Bass Reeves would become the first black U.S. Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi River and one of the greatest frontier heroes in our nation’s history.
Owned by a man named William Reeves, a farmer and politician, Bass took the surname of his owner, like other slaves of the time. Working alongside his parents, Reeves started out as a water boy until he was old enough to become a field hand.
Bass Reeves, asthe first black Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River, arrested over 3,000 felons and shot and killed fourteen outlaws in self-defense.
Born: July 1838, Crawford County, Arkansas, AR
Died: January 12, 1910, Muskogee, OK
Height: 6′ 2″
Parents: Parilee Washington Stewart
Children: Homer Reeves, Lula Reeves, George Reeves, More
Spouse: Winnie Sumter, (m. 1900), Nellie Jennie, (m. 1864)
More
on Bass Reeves:
More
on Black/ Freedmen Cowboys:
Although
he arrested more than 3,000 felons, he was never harmed by gunfire (although
his hat and gun belt were shot off). He did claim, however, to having to
shoot to death 14 criminals in self-defense. On one occasion he claimed to have
brought in nineteen horse thieves he captured near Fort Sill, Oklahoma. One
famous outlaw, the notorious Belle Starr allegedly turned herself in at Fort
Smith, Arkansas when she heard that Reeves had the warrant for her arrest. He
also captured Seminole outlaw Greenleaf, wanted for the murder of seven people
and alluding capture for more than eighteen years.
p.s. It is asserted that the persona/ story of Bass Reeves became the character of The Lone Ranger, albeit that Bass was a black lawman.
p.s. It is asserted that the persona/ story of Bass Reeves became the character of The Lone Ranger, albeit that Bass was a black lawman.
The
Legendary Seminole Lighthorse aka Lighthorsemen
As early as 1808, the Cherokee Nation passed an act appointing "regulators" to suppress horse stealing and robbery, to protect widows and orphans, and to kill any accused person resisting their authority. This action was taken when the Cherokees were located in the Southern U.S., before the "Trail of Tears." Indian Territory, later Oklahoma, initially was made up of the Five Civilized Tribes: the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole. After the move to the west, during the 1830's and 1840's, the Indian nations set up their law enforcement system and judicial courts like what they had in the East. The Indians were called the Five Civilized Tribes because they had adopted many of the customs and traditions of the Europeans, including African chattel slavery for agricultural development, developed an alphabet, etc. The only nation that had a different scenario initially was the Seminole Nation which had embraced African fugitive slaves as their allies against the U.S. government.
As early as 1808, the Cherokee Nation passed an act appointing "regulators" to suppress horse stealing and robbery, to protect widows and orphans, and to kill any accused person resisting their authority. This action was taken when the Cherokees were located in the Southern U.S., before the "Trail of Tears." Indian Territory, later Oklahoma, initially was made up of the Five Civilized Tribes: the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole. After the move to the west, during the 1830's and 1840's, the Indian nations set up their law enforcement system and judicial courts like what they had in the East. The Indians were called the Five Civilized Tribes because they had adopted many of the customs and traditions of the Europeans, including African chattel slavery for agricultural development, developed an alphabet, etc. The only nation that had a different scenario initially was the Seminole Nation which had embraced African fugitive slaves as their allies against the U.S. government.
In
1874, the federal government ordered the consolidation of Indian Agents for the
Five Civilized Tribes. Prior to that, the Cherokee Agent was at Tahlequah, the
Choctaw and Chickasaw at Boggy Depot, the Creek agent at Okmulgee, and the
Seminole at Wewoka. The agent for the Five Civilized Tribes moved into a new
building at Muskogee on January 1, 1876. The new office was called the Union
Agency. In February of 1880, Col. John Q. Tufts, United States agent for the
Union Agency of Muskogee, Indian Territory, organized a unit of Indian police
to operate throughout the Five Civilized Nations. The policemen were recruited
from the Lighthorsemen from the various nations. The official title for this
group was United States Indian Police or U.S.I.P. It is interesting to note
that also in the Cherokee, Choctaw, and Chickasaw nations they had county or
district sheriffs who were appointed by the Indian political leadership. Many
of the larger Indian towns also had constables.
Crawford
Goldsby aka Cherokee Bill
“Terror of Indian Territory”
Cherokee Bill is another I have written about in my Seminole IT Memorabilia on Facebook; he was one bad dude.
Born in Fort Concho, Texas on February 8, 1876, the boy that would one day become known as "Cherokee Bill” was first blessed with the name of Crawford Goldsby. Born to St. George and Ellen (Beck) Goldsby, Bill’s father was a mulatto from Alabama, a sergeant of the Tenth United States Cavalry, and a Buffalo Soldier. His mother was a Cherokee Freedman, mixed with African, Indian and white ancestry. More on Cherokee Bill:
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-cherokeebill.html
http://www.badassoftheweek.com/bassreeves.html
“Terror of Indian Territory”
Cherokee Bill is another I have written about in my Seminole IT Memorabilia on Facebook; he was one bad dude.
Born in Fort Concho, Texas on February 8, 1876, the boy that would one day become known as "Cherokee Bill” was first blessed with the name of Crawford Goldsby. Born to St. George and Ellen (Beck) Goldsby, Bill’s father was a mulatto from Alabama, a sergeant of the Tenth United States Cavalry, and a Buffalo Soldier. His mother was a Cherokee Freedman, mixed with African, Indian and white ancestry. More on Cherokee Bill:
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-cherokeebill.html
http://www.badassoftheweek.com/bassreeves.html
Famous
Black Cowboys and Cowgirls
Some Black and Some Freedmen
Some Black and Some Freedmen
Although
the most famous cowboys of the old west were white men like Roy Rogers and
Billy the Kid, one in four of America’s cowboys were African-American. Why
don't we know more about this? Does one really have to ask that
question? Many of the slaves in the 17th and 18th centuries were familiar
with cattle herding from their homelands of West Africa. This brings historians
the question of the name “Cowboy” and whether or not it was made from slave cow
herders.
Little to no attention was given to the black cowboys who made their mark in western history by Hollywood. Riders like William “Bill” Pickett, Stagecoach Mary, Nat Love and Bass Reeves were among the most famous.
Documentary filmmakers John Ferguson and Gregg MacDonald have created “The Forgotten Cowboys,” in which they follow the contemporary black cowboys of today, like Jason Griffin, who is a four-time world champion bareback bucking horse rider, while also reflecting on the black riders in the past.
Two of the above, I have written about in my Seminole IT Memorabilia series that some of you have been following. Bill Pickett is one I have known about for some time now. Bass Reeves had tentacles right here at one time. This is fascinating stuff to me. I will say more about each of them later.
Little to no attention was given to the black cowboys who made their mark in western history by Hollywood. Riders like William “Bill” Pickett, Stagecoach Mary, Nat Love and Bass Reeves were among the most famous.
Documentary filmmakers John Ferguson and Gregg MacDonald have created “The Forgotten Cowboys,” in which they follow the contemporary black cowboys of today, like Jason Griffin, who is a four-time world champion bareback bucking horse rider, while also reflecting on the black riders in the past.
Two of the above, I have written about in my Seminole IT Memorabilia series that some of you have been following. Bill Pickett is one I have known about for some time now. Bass Reeves had tentacles right here at one time. This is fascinating stuff to me. I will say more about each of them later.
Nat
Love aka Deadwood Dick
Born: June 1854, Davidson County, Tennessee, TN
Died: 1921, Los Angeles, CA
Books: The Life and Adventures of Nat Love, Better Known in the Cattle Country As Deadwood Dick, by himself
Nat Love (pronounced "Nate" Love) (June 1854 – 1921, was an African-American cowboy and former slave in the period following the American Civil War. His self-reported exploits and claims (as found in his published autobiography) have made him the most famous black folk hero of the Old West.
More on Nate Love:
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-natlove.html
Born: June 1854, Davidson County, Tennessee, TN
Died: 1921, Los Angeles, CA
Books: The Life and Adventures of Nat Love, Better Known in the Cattle Country As Deadwood Dick, by himself
Nat Love (pronounced "Nate" Love) (June 1854 – 1921, was an African-American cowboy and former slave in the period following the American Civil War. His self-reported exploits and claims (as found in his published autobiography) have made him the most famous black folk hero of the Old West.
More on Nate Love:
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-natlove.html
The
Civil War
After a string of defeats in the Indian Territory, White-officered Choctaws and Chickasaws finally beat Federal-led renegade Cherokees in November at Newtonia in southwest Missouri. Then, in December 1861, Confederate Regulars and Militiamen, led by General McIntyre of Texas and a force of Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Chicksaw and Choctaw annihilated seven hundred pro-Union Seminoles, Osages, Creek, and Cherokees in northeast Oklahoma. The illustrious "Kansas 1st Cavalry" of Freed Negroes fled back to safety in Kansas.
After a string of defeats in the Indian Territory, White-officered Choctaws and Chickasaws finally beat Federal-led renegade Cherokees in November at Newtonia in southwest Missouri. Then, in December 1861, Confederate Regulars and Militiamen, led by General McIntyre of Texas and a force of Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Chicksaw and Choctaw annihilated seven hundred pro-Union Seminoles, Osages, Creek, and Cherokees in northeast Oklahoma. The illustrious "Kansas 1st Cavalry" of Freed Negroes fled back to safety in Kansas.
Seminoles
in the Civil War
Battle of Round Mountain, November 19, 1861 unknown / location disputed
Source: American Civil War, Trail of Blood on Ice
Creek & Seminole vs Confederate States of America
Battle of Chusto-Talasah, December 9, 1861, near modern Tulsa
Source: American Civil War Trail of Blood on Ice
Creek & Seminole vs Confederate States of America
Battle of Chustenahlah, December 26, 1861, near modern Skiatook
Source: American Civil War, Trail of Blood on Ice
Creek & Seminole vs Confederate States of America
Battle of Round Mountain, November 19, 1861 unknown / location disputed
Source: American Civil War, Trail of Blood on Ice
Creek & Seminole vs Confederate States of America
Battle of Chusto-Talasah, December 9, 1861, near modern Tulsa
Source: American Civil War Trail of Blood on Ice
Creek & Seminole vs Confederate States of America
Battle of Chustenahlah, December 26, 1861, near modern Skiatook
Source: American Civil War, Trail of Blood on Ice
Creek & Seminole vs Confederate States of America
The
Battle of Middle Boggy--Civil War Raids in Creek and Seminole I.T.
Another
great Seminole IT resource with links to other sources:
Battle
of Peay Ridge
Between March 6-8, 1862, Union forces twelve thousand strong defeated the sixteen thousand Confederates and Indians at the Battle of Peay Ridge in northwest Arkansas. The Rebels failed in a tricky "double-envelopment" maneuver and became separated from their supply wagons. The wild, scattered forays of the Pinheads further disorganized the field. Sigel and his Germans finally shattered the Confederates in a mass charge. In the ensuing rout, the Rebels fell to 3,000 effectives. The victorious Unionists suffered 1,380 killed, wounded and missing.
It was in this battle that James Franklin Matthews, born Oct. 22, 1844, my second great uncle, son of Captain Robert Calvin Matthews, CSA, was either captured or killed. Family anecdotes stipulate that he was involved with Quantrill’s Raiders [William Clarke Quantrill] but not substantiated. Another son of Captain RCM, Stephen Eldridge Matthews, was sent to the Confederate prison in Chicago to see if James Franklin Matthews disposition could be determined. His whereabouts were never learned following the above-named battle. One of his descendants was later found in Seminole IT later and played a role in our local history. More later.
Between March 6-8, 1862, Union forces twelve thousand strong defeated the sixteen thousand Confederates and Indians at the Battle of Peay Ridge in northwest Arkansas. The Rebels failed in a tricky "double-envelopment" maneuver and became separated from their supply wagons. The wild, scattered forays of the Pinheads further disorganized the field. Sigel and his Germans finally shattered the Confederates in a mass charge. In the ensuing rout, the Rebels fell to 3,000 effectives. The victorious Unionists suffered 1,380 killed, wounded and missing.
It was in this battle that James Franklin Matthews, born Oct. 22, 1844, my second great uncle, son of Captain Robert Calvin Matthews, CSA, was either captured or killed. Family anecdotes stipulate that he was involved with Quantrill’s Raiders [William Clarke Quantrill] but not substantiated. Another son of Captain RCM, Stephen Eldridge Matthews, was sent to the Confederate prison in Chicago to see if James Franklin Matthews disposition could be determined. His whereabouts were never learned following the above-named battle. One of his descendants was later found in Seminole IT later and played a role in our local history. More later.
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