Letitia Carson’s story is one of the most remarkable — and overlooked — chapters in American frontier history. Born into slavery, she became the only Black woman in Oregon to successfully secure a land claim under the Homestead Act. Against prejudice, hardship, and the unforgiving challenges of frontier life, Letitia carved out a lasting legacy of courage, determination, and resilience.In this Wild West Deep Dive, we explore:Letitia Carson’s journey from enslavement to Oregon pioneerHer groundbreaking land claim under the 1862 Homestead ActThe struggles and lawsuits she fought to protect her rightsHow her story reshapes our understanding of the American WestLetitia Carson’s life proves that the frontier was not only about cowboys, outlaws, and gold rushes — it was also about ordinary people who showed extraordinary strength.#LetitiaCarson #WildWestHistory #BlackPioneers #OregonTrail #HomesteadAct #WildWestDeepDives📚 Sources & Research:https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/exhibits/black-history/Pages/families/carson-letitia.aspx (1)https://letitiacarson.oregonstate.edu/letitiacarson/about-letitia-carson (2)Credit for Photos;Portrait of Greenbery Smitho Oregon State Bar™Hardy Eliffo https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27430905/hardy-crier-elliff#view-photo=196591930The Suit Claim and Homestead Act Claimso He put them in the Public Domain for everyone to use (which is awesome!) but I wanted to give him credit anywayso Dr. Robert Zybach, Ph.D.
In this episode, we follow Joe Meek through one of the most emotional chapters of his life. After the brutal aftermath of the Battle of Pierre’s Hole, Joe risks everything to rescue Mountain Lamb — the woman who changed his life and heart. As missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, along with Henry and Eliza Spalding, arrive in the wilds of the Rockies, a new era begins to take shape — one that brings both hope and heartbreak. We’ll explore the tragic death of Mountain Lamb, the profound impact it had on Meek, and how he found strength to start anew with his second marriage.
Join us as we continue the incredible true story of one of the West’s most legendary mountain men — Joe Meek’s resilience, love, and the turning tide of the fur trade.
If you enjoy Wild West Deep Dives, please leave a rating and review, it really does help me grow and reach new listeners! I appreciate y'alls support!
God Bless!
Sources;
Joe Meek, The Merry Mountain Man, A Biography, by Stanley Vestal
The River of the West, by Frances Fuller Victor
Joe Meek, Man of the West, by Shannon Garst
https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/meek_joseph_l_1810_1875_/
https://www.history.co.uk/article/remembering-joseph-meek-the-magnificent-mountain-man
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/joseph-lafayette-meek/
https://medium.com/@TomBremer/joe-meek-in-yellowstone-1829-7f5379293bfa
Article by Thomas S. Bremer
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-williamsublette/
Info on William Sublette
In 1913, the quiet mining towns of Utah were shaken by one of the most violent manhunts in American history. Rafael “Red” Lopez—an experienced miner turned outlaw—would unleash chaos after a deadly confrontation that left five lawmen and a civilian dead. Armed with his rifle and an unmatched knowledge of the wilderness, Lopez vanished into the canyons and deserts, evading posses, trackers, and the relentless law for years.This is The Greatest Manhunt in Utah History—a chilling story of bloodshed, betrayal, and survival on the western frontier. Nearly a century later, investigators finally pieced together the truth of Lopez’s disappearance, closing one of the Wild West’s last unresolved mysteries.🔔 Subscribe for more Wild West deep dives into forgotten outlaws, legendary lawmen, and untold frontier stories.#wildwestshootout #utahhistory #manhunt #lawmanvsoutlaw #oldwest #wildwesthistory Photo CreditDeputy George Witbeck, Nephi Jenseno Utah Law Enforcement Memorialo https://www.utahsfallen.org/fallen-officers/deputy-george-o-witbeckSources;o https://www.deseret.com/2012/1/5/20391755/deadliest-utah-law-enforcement-attack-was-in-1913/ o https://www.kennecott-groundbreakers.com/stories/rafael-lopez
Howdy and Welcome Back to Wild West Deep Dives, this week we will dive into Meek's life after the Battle of Pierre's Hole, him rescuing his close friend's (Milton Sublette) wife, a Ba’r fight, Indian fights, the changes that came to the fur trade in 1834 and Joe Meek.. getting womaned.
If you enjoy Wild West Deep Dives, please leave a rating and review, it really does help me grow and reach new listeners! I appreciate y'alls support!
Next week, we will talk about Joe's wife getting captured, Joe meeting Marcus Whitman & Samuel Parker and some more Indian troubles.
God Bless!
Sources;
Joe Meek, The Merry Mountain Man, A Biography, by Stanley Vestal
The River of the West, by Frances Fuller Victor
Joe Meek, Man of the West, by Shannon Garst
https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/meek_joseph_l_1810_1875_/
https://www.history.co.uk/article/remembering-joseph-meek-the-magnificent-mountain-man
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/joseph-lafayette-meek/
https://medium.com/@TomBremer/joe-meek-in-yellowstone-1829-7f5379293bfa
Article by Thomas S. Bremer
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-williamsublette/
Info on William Sublette
In the summer of 1832, deep in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, a fragile peace was shattered in the valley known as Pierre’s Hole.
After the 1832 Mountain Man Rendezvous had ended, hundreds of mountain men—Jim Bridger, Alexander Sinclair, Nathaniel Wyeth, Joe Meek, William Sublette, and others—found themselves face-to-face with a massive band of Gros Ventre Astinas. What began as a tense standoff soon erupted into one of the most dramatic and blood-soaked clashes of the fur trade era.
This is the true story of the Battle of Pierre’s Hole — a battle that tested the courage, loyalty, and limits of the mountain men. Featuring figures like the half-breed trapper Antoine Godin and the Flathead allies who rode into the storm beside them, it marked the violent end of an era when the wilderness still ruled the frontier.
Join us as we unravel the myths, reveal the chaos of that fateful day, and tell the real story behind one of the most pivotal fights in the history of the American West.
#MountainMen #FurTrade #BattleOfPierresHole #WildWestDeepDives #JoeMeek #JimBridger #AmericanFrontier #HistoryDocumentary
Sources
Joe Meek, The Merry Mountain Man, A Biography, by Stanley Vestal
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/id-battlepierreshole/ by Hiram Chittenden 1902
https://www.historynet.com/battle-of-pierres-hole/
http://www.mman.us/PierresHoleBattle.htm
Multiple Accounts, Great Source
Joe Meek. Man of the West by Shannon Garst
Sources for Photos
Pierre’s Hole Historical Marker
Howdy and Welcome Back to Wild West Deep Dives, this is Part 4 of our Deep Dive into Joe Meek, this week, we will talk about Ogden and the HBC, some Injun fighting, Fitzpatrick’s fight for life, a quick look into the Battle of Pierre’s Hole and finish with another fight against the Blackfeet.
Next week will be a Special Episode on Pierre's Hole!
Sources;
Joe Meek, The Merry Mountain Man, A Biography, by Stanley Vestal
The River of the West, by Frances Fuller Victor
Joe Meek, Man of the West, by Shannon Garst
https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/meek_joseph_l_1810_1875_/
https://www.history.co.uk/article/remembering-joseph-meek-the-magnificent-mountain-man
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/joseph-lafayette-meek/
https://medium.com/@TomBremer/joe-meek-in-yellowstone-1829-7f5379293bfa
Article by Thomas S. Bremer
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-williamsublette/
Info on William Sublette
Howdy and Welcome Back to Wild West Deep Dives. This is Part 3 of our Deep Dive into the life of Joe Meek, this week, we get into the action, we will discuss the daily life of a trapper, some Indian encounters, and really what made Joe Meek the legendary figure that he is today!
Sources;
Joe Meek, The Merry Mountain Man, A Biography, by Stanley Vestal
The River of the West, by Frances Fuller Victor
Joe Meek, Man of the West, by Shannon Garst
https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/meek_joseph_l_1810_1875_/
https://www.history.co.uk/article/remembering-joseph-meek-the-magnificent-mountain-man
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/joseph-lafayette-meek/
https://medium.com/@TomBremer/joe-meek-in-yellowstone-1829-7f5379293bfa
Article by Thomas S. Bremer
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-williamsublette/
Info on William Sublette
Howdy and Welcome Back to Wild West Deep Dives, this is Part 2 of our Deep Dive into the Life and Legend of Joe Meek.
In this episode, we follow Joe Meek as he takes his first real steps into the wild frontier. The year was 1829, and the fur trade was booming. Meek joined a company of seasoned mountain men and adventurers, each hungry for profit and eager for glory. Together, they headed toward the famed 1829 Rendezvous—an annual gathering where trappers, traders, and Native nations came together in a spectacle of commerce, revelry, and survival. It was here that Joe Meek learned what it meant to be a trapper, tested his grit against the challenges of the wilderness, and began to build the reputation that would carry him into legend.
Sources;
Joe Meek, The Merry Mountain Man, A Biography, by Stanley Vestal
The River of the West, by Frances Fuller Victor
Joe Meek, Man of the West, by Shannon Garst
https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/meek_joseph_l_1810_1875_/
https://www.history.co.uk/article/remembering-joseph-meek-the-magnificent-mountain-man
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/joseph-lafayette-meek/
https://medium.com/@TomBremer/joe-meek-in-yellowstone-1829-7f5379293bfa
Article by Thomas S. Bremer
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-williamsublette/
Info on William Sublette
Howdy and Welcome to Part 1 of our Deep Dive into the Life and Legend of Joesph Lafayette Meek.
He was more than just a mountain man—he was a legend of the American frontier. A fearless fur trapper, bold explorer, captivating storyteller, and later a politician, Meek carved out a life that embodied the rugged spirit of the West.
He roamed the Rocky Mountains during the golden age of the fur trade, fought and feasted alongside fellow trappers, and left behind tales so wild they blurred the line between fact and fable. From his friendships with icons like Jim Bridger, the Sublette Brothers, and Thomas Fitzpatrick, to his transformation into a pioneer leader in Oregon, Meek’s life is the story of the West itself: dangerous, thrilling, and unforgettable.
Sources;
Joe Meek, The Merry Mountain Man, A Biography, by Stanley Vestal
The River of the West, by Frances Fuller Victor
Joe Meek, Man of the West, by Shannon Garst
https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/meek_joseph_l_1810_1875_/
https://www.history.co.uk/article/remembering-joseph-meek-the-magnificent-mountain-man
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/joseph-lafayette-meek/
https://medium.com/@TomBremer/joe-meek-in-yellowstone-1829-7f5379293bfa
Article by Thomas S. Bremer
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-williamsublette/
Info on William Sublette
Bill Downing wasn’t just another outlaw in the Arizona Territory—he was the most hated man in the state. From his violent temper and lawless saloon to his connections with the outlaw/lawmen Burt Alvord, Downing carved out a reputation for brutality that left scars on every town he touched. He ran crooked games, taught his women the art of pickpocketing, and wasn’t afraid to beat anyone—friend or foe—who crossed him. Even the law despised him. By the time his story ended, Arizona was united in celebration at his downfall.
In this episode of Wild West Deep Dives, we explore the rise and bloody fall of Bill Downing, why he became a symbol of everything rotten in frontier Arizona, and how his own reckless choices made him an outlaw remembered only for his cruelty.
Check out the Youtube Channel! This episode's video goes live Wednesday, the 10th of September at 6pm ET!
Thank you all for the support recently, I know I say it a lot but y'all are absolutely amazing! I couldn't do it without y'all!
Sources;
o https://truewestmagazine.com/bill-downing-six-shooter/ (1)
o https://truewestmagazine.com/article/jeff-milton-burt-alvord-gang/ (2)
o https://www.historynet.com/the-lowdown-on-quarrelsome-bill-downing/ (3)
§ Article by Phyllis De La Garza
o https://www.legendsofamerica.com/az-cochiserobbery/ (5)
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives
Frank Butler wrote a book titled, The Life of Dave, As Told by Himself.
It’s a short story of his life from his perspective and I thought it would be a fun little episode.
But I will warn you, it is his full life, from when Frank picked him up, to his death. I talk about people dying in shootouts, from accidents, but man, I struggle when talking about dogs, so just wanted to give everyone a heads up but it’s still a fun book.
Dave lived one heck of a life, hunting, admiring Annie and Frank, doing tricks and getting into some trouble, as ever good boy does!
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives
Howdy and Welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives.
This is our final part of our Revised Deep Dive into the life of Annie Oakley.
Last week, we discussed the Buffalo Bills Wild West Show going to England, Annie’s rivalry with another woman sharp shooter, which resulted in her leaving the show temporarily… Her return, how she saved the shows hide and their return trip to East.
This week, we will discuss the end of the Wild West Show, some accidents she was involved in, her later years and the impact she had on the world.
This has been an unbelievable series, a ton of work went into it and it took a long time to produce but I wanted to make sure I did a good job with it.
I think things like this is what makes history so interesting, for a hundred years, we all believed that the story of Annie Oakley was the truth, all the things we talked about, her childhood, how she met Frank and had the long told shooting match, how she started as a shooter, all of it, then through diligent research, we find new information that completely changes the story.
I hope y’all enjoyed this special series on Annie Oakley. If you did, please leaving a rating and review, it is an amazing way for this podcast to grow! Thank you for all the support!
Check out the video we made on this series on Youtube! It is absolutely amazing, filled with pictures of Annie, the Wild West Show and some never before seen pictures!
As always, please join me on Pateron, for the recent future, you will get access to episodes one week early, so the final part is already available and as always access to some bonus episodes that are only available on Pateron!
If you enjoy Wild West Deep Dives, please leave a rating, it is an amazing way for this podcast to grow and don’t be afraid to share us with someone you love, I appreciate y’all.
Please email me with any comments, corrections, concerns that you may have, and I’ll get back to you quickly, you can email me at wildwestdeepdives@gmail.com
Lastly, another huge thanks to the Annie Oakley Center for all their help, they are an amazing group and I feel very thankful that they brought me into the museum and Ellien made me feel welcome and thank you Ellien, Karen, Brenda and Don who helped me tremendously in putting this together with the correct information.
Go check out the Garst Museum in Greenville! You won’t regret it!
Sources;
Annie Oakley by Shirl Kasper
Annie Oakley Center, Eileen Litchfield, Chairman, Cathy & Don Wagner, Historians, Brenda Arnett, Historian, Karen Besecker, Historian
Annie Oakley by Courtney Riley Cooper
Annie Oakley by Captivating History
Autobiography by Annie Oakley
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives
Howdy and Welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives.
This is our 3rd Episode of our Revised Deep Dive into the life of Annie Oakley, there will be one more episode next week and that’ll be the final part!
Last week, we discussed Annie and Frank falling in love, her encounter with one of the most famous Native Americans in history, them joining Buffalo Bills Wild West Show, what her act looked like and a near death experience that Annie faced.
This week, we will discuss the Buffalo Bills Wild West Show going to England, Annie’s rivalry with another woman sharp shooter, which resulted in her leaving the show temporarily… Her return, how she saved the shows hide and their return trip to East.
Thank you again to Ellien, Karen, Brenda, Cathy and Don from the Annie Oakley Center for their amazing help with this series.
Next week, we will discuss the end of the Wild West Show, some accidents she was involved in, her later years and the impact she had on the world.
As always, please join me on Pateron, for the recent future, you will get access to episodes one week early, therefore, episode 2 is already available and as always access to some bonus episodes that are only available on Pateron! Thank you thank you!
If you enjoy Wild West Deep Dives, please leave a rating, it is an amazing way for this podcast to grow and don’t be afraid to share us with a family member. I appreciate y’alls endless support.
Please, please email me with any questions, corrections, concerns that you may have, you can email me at wildwestdeepdives@gmail.com
Sources;
Annie Oakley by Shirl Kasper
Annie Oakley Center, Eileen Litchfield, Chairman, Cathy & Don Wagner, Historians, Brenda Arnett, Historian, Karen Besecker, Historian
Annie Oakley by Courtney Riley Cooper
Annie Oakley by Captivating History
Autobiography by Annie Oakley
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives
Howdy and welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives.
This is our 2nd episode of our Revised Deep Dive into the Life of Annie Oakley.
Last week, we discussed the new information that was found that completely changes what we thought we knew about the early life of Annie Oakley.
This week, we will discuss Annie and Frank falling in love, her encounter with one of the most famous Native Americans in history, them joining Buffalo Bills Wild West Show, what her act looked like and a near death experience Annie faced.
And again, thank you to Ellien, Karen, Brenda, Cathy and Don from the Annie Oakley Center for their amazing help with this series.
Next week, we will discuss the Buffalo Bills Wild West Show goes to England, Annie’s rivalry with another woman sharp shooter, which resulted in her leaving the show temporarily, her return, how she saved the shows hide and their return trip to East.
As always, please join me on Pateron, for the recent future, you will get access to episodes one week early, therefore, episode 2 is already available and as always access to some bonus episodes that are only available on Pateron! Thank you thank you!
If you enjoy Wild West Deep Dives, please leave a rating, it is an amazing way for this podcast to grow and don’t be afraid to share us with someone you know, I appreciate y’all more than I could ever describe.
Please, please email me with any questions, corrections, concerns that you may have, you can email me at wildwestdeepdives@gmail.com
Sources;
Annie Oakley by Shirl Kasper
Annie Oakley Center, Eileen Litchfield, Chairman, Cathy & Don Wagner, Historians, Brenda Arnett, Historian, Karen Besecker, Historian
Annie Oakley by Courtney Riley Cooper
Annie Oakley by Captivating History
Autobiography by Annie Oakley
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives
***NEW INFORMATION***
New information has emerged that radically alter our understanding of Annie Oakley's early life; the 1875 Shooting Match never took place... The notion that Annie Oakley began her career as a fancy shooter is also false, along with many other beliefs that have persisted for over a century!!
In 2023, Shirl Kasper, the author of the remarkable biography, Annie Oakley, uncovered new information through her thorough research. Although she couldn't modify her biography, she was able to include an afterword that rectified the misconceptions held by historians, writers, society, and even amateur podcasters like myself.
This series was created with incredible support from everyone at the Annie Oakley Center, and together we have collaborated to present the first TRUE life story of the Woman Buffalo Bill Cody referred to as 'Little Missy.'
Next week, we will discuss Annie and Frank falling in love, her encounter with one of the most famous Native Americans in history, them joining Buffalo Bills Wild West Show, what her act looked like and a near death experience that Annie faced.
As always, please join me on Pateron, for the recent future, you will get access to episodes one week early, therefore, episode 2 is already available and as always access to some bonus episodes that are only available on Pateron! Thank you thank you!
If you enjoy Wild West Deep Dives, please leave a rating, it is an amazing way for this podcast to grow and don’t be afraid to share us with a friend, or enemy, whichever you prefer, either way, I appreciate it greatly.
Please, please email me with any questions, corrections, concerns that you may have, you can email me at wildwestdeepdives@gmail.com
Sources;
Annie Oakley by Shirl Kasper
Annie Oakley Center, Eileen Litchfield, Chairman, Cathy & Don Wagner, Historians, Brenda Arnett, Historian, Karen Besecker, Historian
Annie Oakley by Courtney Riley Cooper
Annie Oakley by Captivating History
Autobiography by Annie Oakley
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives
Little update for y'all on the Upcoming Series and my first Patron Episode on Caleb Greenwood.
I appreciate all the support y'all have given me on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, all the other platforms and Youtube!
My last video on Youtube, which was on the Bill Wilson Episode has over 6,000 views, over 100 likes and a bunch of comments!! Y'all are amazing!
Caleb Greenwood was my first ever Patron Episode that has only been available on Patron, I didn't want to leave y'all with nothing until the next series is available, hope y'all enjoy!
Caleb Greenwood
A tall, muscular, illiterate ‘lesser mountain man,’ says one report. A California Trail guide and part-time warrior, who scurried in and out of the pages of Western American history for eighty-seven years.
Today we will be talking about a little known character of the West.
A man who ran from trouble back East and made a name for himself as a pioneer, a fur trapper, guide, and even helped in the rescue of the Donner Party at age 84.
Patron Link; https://patreon.com/WildWestDeepDives?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
Youtube link; https://youtube.com/@wildwestdeepdives-z6y?si=Gkgjy1jzTRrWYFQV
Sources;
o http://www.bigskywords.com/montana-blog/lesser-known-fur-trappers-and-mountain-men (1)
o Mark McLaughlin article in yourtahoeguide.com, Part 1 & 2, https://yourtahoeguide.com/2024/05/old-greenwood-tahoe-sierra-trailblazer-part-i/, https://yourtahoeguide.com/2024/06/old-greenwood-tahoe-sierra-trailblazer-part-ii/ (3)
o https://oregon.com/attractions/oregon-trail-timeline-1816-1830 (4)
o https://oregon.com/attractions/oregon-trail-timeline-1816-1830 (6)
o http://www.oregonpioneers.com/1844.htm (7)
o https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/hatcher-john-l (8)
o http://oregonoverland.com/3-new.pdf (9)
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives
Howdy and welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives. This week, we are going to be talking about the Battle of Cieneguilla.
Along the trail between Santa Fe and Taos in the New Mexico Territory in 1854, Chief Chacon’s large contingent of Jicarilla (Hic-a-ria) Apaches engaged in a fierce battle against United States Dragoons under the command of Lieutenant John W. Davidson.
The Santa Fe Weekly Gazette would report… one of the severest battles that ever took place between American troops and Red Indians
Sources for this episode;
o https://www.historynet.com/battle-cieneguilla-dragoons-vs-jicarilla-apaches/ (1)
o The Battle of Cieneguilla, March 30, 1854 by John Pezzola, American Military University
o https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/this-old-gun-u-s-model-1847-cavalry-musketoon/ (3)
o https://www.nps.gov/fosc/learn/education/dragoon5.htm (4)
o https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2612/jicarilla-apache-creation-story--origin-of-the-ani/ (5)
o Campaigns Against the Jicarilla Apache, 1854, by Morris F. Taylor (6)
o https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jicarilla-Apache (7)
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGbCkoXdn-4 (8)
§ Jicarilla Apache Creation Story
o https://californiapioneer.com/mormon-battalion/u-s-army-dragoons/ (9)
o https://tentribespartnership.org/tribes/jicarilla-apache-nation/ (10)
o https://nfsl.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17053coll2/id/337811 (11)
o Final Report on the Battle of Cieneguilla by authors David M. Johnson, Chris Adams, Charles Hawk & Skip Keith Miller (12)
o Myths and Tales of the Jicarilla Apache Indians by Morris E. Opler (13)
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives
Howdy and Welcome back to our final episode of our Deep Dive into the life of Bass Reeves.
This has been an amazing series and thank you for all the support through emails, on social media, I can’t even explain how cool it is having a community to share my love of western history with! Y’all are awesome!
This week, we will talk about Bass’s retirement and his later years, talk about some common questions on Bass Reeves and finish with our discussion on the recent series Lawmen; Bass Reeves.
Going forward, I am going to release a few one off episodes while I work on the next Deep Dive, I’m thinking about going back to the time of the trappers, what do y’all think? If you have any suggestions, please email me!
I don’t know if I’ll have episodes available next week as I am also working on starting a Youtube, just add that to the to-do-list shall we.. but I will try my best!
But seriously, thank you everyone for the support and kind words, it means the world to me and makes me work that much harder to release the best content I can.
Follow me on Instagram and Tiktok at Wild West Deep Dives and as always, join me on Patreon! You’ll get access to episodes one week early and also access to some bonus episodes!
Sources for this episode;
o Black Gun, Silver Star by Art. T. Burton
o https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-bassreeves/
o https://www.cowboysindians.com/2023/12/the-real-bass-reeves/
o https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bass-Reeves
o https://biographics.org/bass-reeves/
o https://www.healthline.com/health/glomerulonephritis
o https://truewestmagazine.com/article/was-bass-reeves-the-real-lone-ranger/
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives
Howdy and Welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives.
This is our 7th episode of our deep dive into Bass Reeves, there will be one more episode next week and that’ll be the final one! These next two will be shorter episodes, sort of like the Seth Bullock series, I don’t want to rush the conclusion and I’d rather do 2 shorter ones then a long one and rush to the end.
This week, we will be talking about Bass’s reappointment, more racial tensions, talk about some other Black Deputy US Marshals, an attempt on Bass’s life and finish with the largest shootout in Muskogee History.
As always, join me on Patreon, the FINAL episode is now available!
Sources for this episode;
o Black Gun, Silver Star by Art. T. Burton
o https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-bassreeves/
o https://www.cowboysindians.com/2023/12/the-real-bass-reeves/
o https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bass-Reeves
o https://biographics.org/bass-reeves/
o https://allpoetry.com/T_Stich
o https://www.dimelibrary.com/post/bass-reeves
§ Photo from 1907 in Muskogee, Bass Reeves far left
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives
Howdy and Welcome back to Episode 6 of our Deep Dive into the life of Bass Reeves.
Last week, we discussed Bass’s encounter with Ben Billy, take a quick glance at him arresting a future Deputy Marshal, some tragedies in his personal life, the Bandit Queen’s son and the last major change of Bass’s career.
This week, we will talk about the background of Muskogee, Bass’s arrest of James McKellop, the Wybark Tragedy, some of his work in Muskogee, some personal events of Bass’s life and the arrest of his own son.
Join me on Patreon, you will get access to Episodes one week earlier, so Part 7 is already available and access to some bonus content as well!
Sources for this episode;
o Black Gun, Silver Star by Art. T. Burton
o https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-bassreeves/
o https://www.cowboysindians.com/2023/12/the-real-bass-reeves/
o https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bass-Reeves
o https://biographics.org/bass-reeves/
o https://www.newspapers.com/article/muskogee-phoenix-bass-reeves-arrests-5-w/2394621/
§ Wybark Tragedy article from Muskogee Phoenix
§ Ben Reeves Article
o https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Shaver-3537
§ WR Dick Shaver children
o https://theemancipator.org/author/justin-a-davis/
o https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/buffalo-soldiers
Social Media Links;
Instagram @wildwestdeepdives
Tik Tok @wildwestdeepdives