that was interviewed. In December 1959, University of Oklahoma student RICHARD D.
FRONTERHOUSE drove to Muskogee, Oklahoma to talk to her about her famous father for a report he was writing for his history class. This long, detailed, but unpublished article is the first known biographical treatment of Bass Reeves' life since his death. Beyond the interesting and well-written narrative, the piece has equally helpful source notes and a bibliography. Fronterhouse' landmark piece is sometimes referenced by current authors of Bass Reeves life, but not enough. Any Bass Reeves biography that omits it is a bit deficient as a book on the U.S. deputy marshal.
One of the key points that Fronterhouse makes in his article after interviewing Alice M.
Spahn is that Bass Reeves was born in LAMAR CO. TEXAS. This Texas birthplace for Mrs.
Spahn's father is corroborated by her 1930 U. S. Census entry (and siblings Sarah, Edgar and Ben here) and other records, plus nephew Paul Brady's biography The Black Badge.
Three other censuses (1900, 1910 and 1920) state that Alice's father was born in Arkansas and Louisianna, but these could be attributed to her first and second husbands and especially the Louisianna entry to her 23-year-old son or a neighbor. The 1940 and 1950 Census do not have a box for parents of the heads of household.
Alice's son Newell was the product of her first husband James Green.
that was interviewed. In December 1959, University of Oklahoma student RICHARD D.
FRONTERHOUSE drove to Muskogee, Oklahoma to talk to her about her famous father for a report he was writing for his history class. This long, detailed, but unpublished article is the first known biographical treatment of Bass Reeves' life since his death. Beyond the interesting and well-written narrative, the piece has equally helpful source notes and a bibliography. Fronterhouse' landmark piece is sometimes referenced by current authors of Bass Reeves life, but not enough. Any Bass Reeves biography that omits it is a bit deficient as a book on the U.S. deputy marshal.
One of the key points that Fronterhouse makes in his article after interviewing Alice M.
Spahn is that Bass Reeves was born in LAMAR CO. TEXAS. This Texas birthplace for Mrs.
Spahn's father is corroborated by her 1930 U. S. Census entry (and siblings Sarah, Edgar and Ben here) and other records, plus nephew Paul Brady's biography The Black Badge.
Three other censuses (1900, 1910 and 1920) state that Alice's father was born in Arkansas and Louisianna, but these could be attributed to her first and second husbands and especially the Louisianna entry to her 23-year-old son or a neighbor. The 1940 and 1950 Census do not have a box for parents of the heads of household.
Alice's son Newell was the product of her first husband James Green.
Family Members
-
Sarah "Sally" Reeves Sanders
1861–1933
-
Robert Reeves
1866–1893
-
Harriet Reeves
1868 – unknown
-
![]()
Georgie A. Reeves Johnson
1870–1909
-
Newland Reeves
1873 – unknown
-
Edgar Reeves
1876 – unknown
-
![]()
William Reeves
1877–1942
-
![]()
Benjamin Reeves
1879 – unknown
-
![]()
Lula Reeves
1881–1899
-
![]()
Homer Reeves
1882–1903
-
![]()
Bass Reeves Jr
1887–1901
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
