Wild West Deep Dives

By Wild West Deep Dives

Wild West Deep Dives explores the captivating tales of sharpshooters, gunslingers, trailblazers, fur trappers and significant events from the western frontier. I aim to present the truth while cele

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How many episodes does Wild West Deep Dives have?

The podcast currently has 34 episodes available.

Wild West Deep Dives episodes:

May 20, 2025 Bass Reeves Part 4
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Howdy and Welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives.
Bass had already begun receiving notoriety and was in the papers constantly, some bad, but mostly good, him arresting criminals and bringing them in by the wagon loads but also some drama.
This week, we will look into the Tom Story Gang, him getting a new boss, start diving into the chaotic year of 1890 and finish with Bass Reeves, not being perfect.
Episode 5 is now available on Patreon, I appreciate y'all for your support! THANK YOU THANK YOU!
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.legendsofamerica.com/jacob-yoes/
o https://ramblingbob.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/ned-christie-cherokee-outlaw-cont/
o https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=CH061#:~:text=Ned%20Christie's%20resistance%20ended%20on,killed%20him%20on%20November%203.
o https://www.okhistory.org/images/research/IT.4.1889.pdf
§ 1889 Indian Territory
o https://www.vintagebentonville.com/slaying-of-deputy-marshall-dan-maples-in-1887-still-unsolved.html#gsc.tab=0
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40min
May 13, 2025 Bass Reeves Part 3
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Howdy and welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives.
This is our 3rd episode of our Deep Dive into Bass Reeves. Last week, we talked about some of the early years as a US Deputy Marshal, a horse race he was involved in, some work drama and his shootout with Jim Webb.
This week, we are going to talk about the history of the Fort Smith jail, his encounter with an Indian Medicine man, some more arrest, his friendship with Belle Starr and the murder of his cook.
Part 4 is now available on Patreon, as always, I greatly appreciate y'alls support!
Sources for 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.nps.gov/fosm/learn/historyculture/reforming-the-hell-on-the-border-jail.htm#:~:text=The%20Fort%20Smith%20jail%20completed,of%20the%20building%20became%20burdensome.
o https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/frontier-lawman-deputy-u-s-marshal-bass-reeves/
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40min
May 06, 2025 Bass Reeves Part 2
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Howdy and Welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives.
Last week, we discussed Bass’s childhood, his time as a slave, his escape to Indian Territory, becoming a Deputy United States Marshal and some his first years on the force, including his shootout and trick he pulled on Bob Dozier.
We just got our feet wet last week with the life of Bass Reeves. This episode we will discuss some more arrest, the Brunter brothers incident, some work drama and his legendary shootout with Jim Webb.
Episode 3 is now available on Patreon! Thank you for your support!
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 Everything up is for every episode
o https://www.wtamu.edu/~cbaird/sq/2015/08/19/why-have-humans-evolved-to-be-taller-over-the-last-three-hundred-years/#:~:text=From%20around%201710%20to%201830,cm%20down%20to%20169%20cm.
o https://www.okcemeteries.net/love/lovehist.htm
§ Billy Washington
o https://www.harriganland.com/historic-washington-cattle-ranch-for-sale-hunting-and-horse-property-mansion/
§ Billy Washington’s Ranch
o https://hi-luxoptics.com/blogs/history/the-gun-that-won-the-west#:~:text=Winchester%20'73%20or%20'76%20Mount&text=Iron%20(then%20steel)%20receiver.,also%20became%20popular%20in%20handguns.
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47min
April 29, 2025 Bass Reeves Part 1
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Our long awaited series on Bass Reeves is finally here!
Bass Reeves was born into slavery and became one of the first black United States Deputy Marshals. He would repeatedly travel into Indian Territory and return with a wagon load of prisoners, from murders to whiskey peddlers, he brought ‘em in. He arrested the infamous Belle Starr, chased Ned Christie and killed Bob Dozier. But who was he as a man? Was he really the real Lone Ranger? Is it true he arrest his own son? How accurate was the recent series, Lawmen Bass Reeves?
Episode 2 is available on Pateron, I appreciate all the support y'all have given me and it motivates me to keep working hard!
Sources for Episode 1;
o Black Gun, Silver Star by Art. T. Burton
o https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-bassreeves/
o https://usgenwebsites.org/TXGrayson/bio/reeves_ws/reeves_ws.html
§ William Reeves Background
o https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/james-fleming-fagan
§ James F. Fagan Background
o https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/james-fleming-fagan-3053/
§ James F. Fagan Background
o https://www.cowboysindians.com/2023/12/the-real-bass-reeves/
o https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=IN018
§ Indian Territory History
o https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bass-Reeves
o https://biographics.org/bass-reeves/
o https://www.legendsofamerica.com/jacob-yoes/
o https://www.vintagebentonville.com/slaying-of-deputy-marshall-dan-maples-in-1887-still-unsolved.html#gsc.tab=0
o https://www.legendsofamerica.com/bob-dozier-oklahoma-outlaw/
§ Bob Dozier Background
o https://ramblingbob.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/ned-christie-cherokee-outlaw-cont/
o https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/reeves-george-robertson
o https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/bass-reeves-site-bulletin.htm
o https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/black-confederates-truth-and-legend
o https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/battle-of-helena-1129/
Support the show
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44min
March 25, 2025 Indian Territory, Five Civilized Tribes Part 3
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Howdy and Welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives. This our is our 3rd and final episode of our deep dive into Indian Territory. I may sound a bit different in this episode, I am coming out of a cold, my apologize. But this week, we will discuss some of the battles and wars that took place in the territory, hearing from the Hanging Judge himself, and finish with some famous outlaws and lawmen.
Next Deep Dive series will be on the legend himself, Bass Reeves. He was born into slavery and became one of the first black United States Deputy Marshals. He would repeatedly travel into Indian Territory and return with a wagon load of prisoners, from murders to whiskey peddlers, he brought ‘em in. He arrested the infamous Belle Starr, chased Ned Christie, killed Bob Dozier and even arrested his own son.
Please join me on Patreon, you'll get full access to series right away and access to bonus episodes as well, https://www.patreon.com/c/WildWestDeepDives
Thank you all for the love and support. Don't be afraid to email me at; [email protected]
When in doubt, shoot straight, shoot fast, God Bless.
Sources;
o https://www.nps.gov/articles/pifront.htm
o https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=CU012
o https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=AN008
o http://www.historic-fort-supply.org/battle-of-wolf-creek
o https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=TO005
o https://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/redriver/#:~:text=During%20the%20Red%20River%20War%20of%201874%2C%20as%20many%20as,run%20or%20fight%20any%20longer.
o https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-words-of-judge-parker.htm
o https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/james-arcene-5093/
o https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-cookgang/
o https://aaregistry.org/story/rufus-buck-outlaw-born/
o https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/rufus-buck-gang-4895/
o https://www.usmarshals.gov/who-we-are/history/roll-call-of-honor/roll-call#:~:text=On%20January%2011%2C%201794%2C%20Robert,their%20memory%20and%20their%20sacrifice.
§ Roll Call US Marshal Service
o https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-heckthomas/
o https://www.legendsofamerica.com/sam-sixkiller/
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41min
March 18, 2025 Indian Territory, Five Civilized Tribes Part 2
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Howdy and welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives, this week, we are going to dive into the Choctaw and Seminole Tribes, their history, culture, removals and life after the fact, then go into a bit of history of Indian Territory!
Next week, we will discuss why Indian Territory was so lawless and some famous Outlaws and Lawmen
Sources for Part 2;
https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=CH033
https://www.choctawnation.com/biskinik/iti-fabvssa/fort-tombecbe-and-early-choctaw-treaties/#:~:text=Treaty%20of%20Mobile%2C%201784%20(Spain,the%20Choctaw%2C%20the%20United%20States.
https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/choctaws-in-alabama/
https://wakelet.com/wake/68FCeeAPIZ9Jsnjxi1fje
Map of the movement of the tribes to Indian Territory
https://www.ou.edu/gaylord/exiled-to-indian-country/content/choctaw
https://dos.fl.gov/florida-facts/florida-history/seminole-history/
https://www.fsu.edu/seminole-tribe/history.html
https://dos.fl.gov/florida-facts/florida-history/seminole-history/
https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/removal-six-nations/seminole/map#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20forcibly%20removed,the%20Miccosukee%20Nation%20of%20Florida.
https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=SE011
https://guides.lib.fsu.edu/fsuandseminoles/briefhistory#:~:text=Forced%20Removal%20and%20War&text=Most%20Seminoles%20refused%20to%20leave,the%20larger%20Trail%20of%20Tears.
https://www.okhistory.org/research/removal
Timeline of Indian Removal and Territory https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=LA014
https://boardingschoolhealing.org/education/us-indian-boarding-school-history/
https://www.doi.gov/priorities/strengthening-indian-country/federal-indian-boarding-school-initiative
https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2023-10/timeline.pdf
https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/native-american-timeline
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41min
March 11, 2025 Indian Territory, Five Civilized Tribes Part 1
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Howdy and Welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives, this series, we are going to dive into the Five Civilized Tribes, the Cherokee, Muskogee/Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole, their history, customs, culture and traditions. Then look at their removal to Indian Territory, it's history and why Indian Territory became so lawless.
Sources for Part 1;
https://www.nps.gov/ocmu/learn/historyculture/upload/Accessible-Five-Civilized-Tribes.pdf
https://www.fivecivilizedtribes.org/Muscogee-History.html#:~:text=The%20Muscogee%20people%20are%20descendents,of%20their%20elaborate%20ceremonial%20complexes
https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=HA020
https://www.nps.gov/ocmu/learn/historyculture/the-muscogee-nation.htm
https://www.nps.gov/ocmu/learn/historyculture/upload/Accessible-Five-Civilized-Tribes.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcbC7V5KC9o
Earth mounds of Native Americans Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_2mCMxhJWY
Hungry for History?; Turner Hunt Video
https://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/entries/yamassee-war/
https://www.britannica.com/event/Yamasee-War
https://www.nps.gov/liri/learn/historyculture/cherokee-people.htm
https://www.nps.gov/ocmu/learn/historyculture/upload/Accessible-Five-Civilized-Tribes.pdf
https://youtu.be/ujDZO3BTlWw?si=aVKUJJHcYQdaDIpk
https://www.fivecivilizedtribes.org/Chickasaw.html
https://www.nps.gov/natr/learn/historyculture/chickasaw-history-a-summary.htm
https://www.nps.gov/ocmu/learn/historyculture/upload/Accessible-Five-Civilized-Tribes.pdf
https://www.okhistory.org/images/research/IT.2.removal.pdf
1830 Map of Indian Territory
https://www.okhistory.org/images/research/IT.3.1855.pdf
1855 Map of Indian Territory
https://www.okhistory.org/images/research/IT.4.1889.pdf
1889 Map of Indian Territory
https://visitcherokeenation.com/culture/origins/
https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/G_O'Brien_Chickasaws_2003.pdf
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52min
February 18, 2025 "Cock-eyed" Frank Loving
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Frank Loving was a professional gambler that was involved in two famous Wild West Shootouts, the Long Branch Saloon Shootout and the Trinidad, Colorado Shootout. He walked away from the first one.. the second, he would not. Described as a cool and desperate character, he rubbed shoulders with famous western characters such as Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp.

I am still working on our deep dive on Bass Reeves, it’s going to be an amazing series, but I want to do it correctly so it’ll take some time. I’m also going to run a little mini series on Indian Territory before the Reeves series. Indian Territory is a huge part of Bass Reeves life and I think it’s important that people understand Indian Territory, the history of the tribes and the history of the Territory.
Music by;
Epidemic Sound & Sound Stripe
Sources;
- https://www.legendsofamerica.com/trinidad-saloon-gunfight/ (1)
- https://www.legendsofamerica.com/frank-loving/ (2)
- http://www.kansashistory.us/fordco/myers2.html (3)
- https://www.legendsofamerica.com/levi-richason/ (4)
- https://westernlivingjournal.com/dodge-citys-long-branch-saloon-a-place-of-myth-and-legend/ (5)
o Picture of the Long Branch Saloon
- https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ks-longbranchsaloon/ (6)
- https://westernlivingjournal.com/dodge-citys-long-branch-saloon-a-place-of-myth-and-legend/ (7)
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18min
January 21, 2025 Short Dive; Edward Rose, "Five Scalps"
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Howdy and Welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives.
This week, we are going to be talking about the legend of Ed Rose.
He was a true pioneer of the American West. He was a part of the first American expeditions in the fur trade and he was a man that did not know the meaning of fear.
No, Five Scalps starred death in the eyes and gave a sharp smirk at it through his scarred face, earning the respect from the Crow Nation and becoming a chief.
But who was he? Where’d he come from? How’d he earn the nickname Five Scalps? And was he really the man that warned the fur trappers about the Arikara sneak attack?

Well, lets get into shall we, my names Stephen and this is Wild West Deep Dives.

Sources
o Negro Trail Blazer, Felton H.W.
o https://www.metismuseum.ca/media/document.php/14248.Edward%20Rose.pdf
o https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/rose-edward-c-1780-c-1833/
o http://www.bigskywords.com/montana-blog/montanas-mountain-man-edward-rose
o https://museumsfordigitallearning.org/resourcekit/71/narrative/330
o Furs To Furrows, Sydney Greenbie
o The Saga of Hugh Glass, John Myers Myers
o The Five Scalps, Reuben Holmes
o Narrative of the Adventures of Zenas Leonard, Zenas Leonard
o https://franceshunter.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/the-fate-of-york/
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1h 1min
January 14, 2025 Hugh Glass Part 5
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Howdy and welcome back to Wild West Deep Dives, this is Part 5 and our Final Part of our Deep Dive into the life of Hugh Glass.

This has been an amazing series and I hope y'all have enjoyed it!

This week, we are going to talk about his later years, answer some common questions about his life, then take a deep dive in the movie, The Revenant!

Thank you for all the love and support y'all have given me, I greatly appreciate it! Please email me with any comments, questions and concerns; [email protected].

Our Patreon is live! I just released an Episode on Caleb Greenwood and going forward, there will be some short dive episodes and you will get full access to any future series going forward!

Well, let's get into it shall we!

Sources;
The Saga of Hugh Glass By John Myers Myers
https://hughglass.org
http://hughglass.org/sources/ https://www.nps.gov/jela/learn/historyculture/jean-lafitte-history-mystery.htm https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hugh-Glasshttps://www.battlefields.org/learn/war-1812/battles/new-orleanshttps://www.smu.edu/news/latest/smu-historian-sets-record-straight-on-karankawa#:~:text=The%20Karankawas%20practiced%20a%20ceremonial,nothing%20to%20support%20that%20myth. https://archive.org/details/jamesclymanameri01cali
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=83752https://archive.org/details/adventuresinmexi00ruxtrich/page/8/mode/2uphttps://archive.org/details/splendidwayfarin00neihrich/page/188/mode/2uphttps://history.state.gov/milestones/1801-1829/napoleonic-warshttps://www.mpm.edu/content/wirp/ICW-146#:~:text=The%20first%20Europeans%20to%20purchase,occasionally%20traded%20with%20the%20Indians
https://www.hbcheritage.ca/history/company-stories/a-brief-history-of-hbchttps://www.nps.gov/places/hudson-s-bay-company.htmhttps://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-johnjacobastor/
https://primarilywashington.org/exhibits/show/exploration-of-the-pacific-nor/pacific-fur-company--1810-1813
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/missouri-fur-company/https://www.fortatkinsononline.org/history/militaryhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9HcB-8qyak
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35min

FAQs about Wild West Deep Dives:

How many episodes does Wild West Deep Dives have?

The podcast currently has 34 episodes available.