BF or Benjamin Franklin Jones was Sheriff of Tobucksy County I. T. I would like to post a few facts surrounding the shooting and killing of Sheriff Jones to see if there is anyone who might have any additional information they could supply

A local newspaper article, "The Indian Journal" 21 Sept 1876, regarding the shooting describes Jones as becoming changed from a respectable person to a violent and dangerous person because of the use of illegal liquor.The families of Sheriff Jones have always disputed his involvement in liquor, but little is known of the true circumstances. The year was 1876 and Coleman Cole was the Chief of the Choctaw Nation. There was trouble brewing between Chief Cole and a group of intermarried men or adopted citizens. This grew out of situation regarding the coal mine operations near McAlester Station. According to an article in the "Chronicles of Oklahoma, Vol. 14 No. 1, March 1934, the white men involved were J. J. McAlester, Dr D. M. Hailey and Robert Reams, (the man who shot Sheriff Jones). Early in 1877, Chief Cole issued a death warrant for the these three men and two Indians, Tandy Walker and Bill Pusley. Cole sent The Captain of the Light Horsemen, Olasechubbee, to apprehend the men and hold them for judgment, but before Cole could arrive the men made their escape via a hand railcar to the Creek Nation. According to a interview of JJ McAlester, "Chronicles of Oklahoma, Vol. 11 No. 2 June 1933" McAlester sent some friends of his, Quantrill men, to threaten Chief Cole with bodily harm if a hair on McAlester's head was harmed.

Undoubtedly some of these men were present when Robert Reams shot Sheriff Jones with a shotgun from a distance of fifty feet, in the side through a window in the McAlester Store. Reams claims self defense because he had heard Jones was out to kill him on sight. The news article states that as Jones fell to the floor " other shots were fired into his body and head from revolvers in the hands of other." The article also states that there had been a difficulty between these men for some time and "a fatal termination was not unexpected to one or more of them." These were very powerful and influential men in Indian Territory. I am not trying to accuse anyone, I am just searching for the truth, if it is out there. It might also be interesting to note that a Robert Reams had a record involving liquor in the "Fort Smith Criminal Records". dated 1872. Thank you for your help.

Jerry

Below is what I have on B.F. Jones:

Benjamin F. Jones was the Sheriff of Toboxy County, Choctaw Nation in Indian Territory in 1876. He was killed while serving in this capacity on September 20, 1876 at J.J. McAlester’s store in the Choctaw Nation. He was shot and killed by Robert Ream who shot him with a shotgun and continued firing rounds into Jones while Jones was on the ground. Ream claimed self-defense.
**REFERENCES**
-Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian Country Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial, Indian Police
File, Diron Ahlquist Collection
-“Indian Journal”, August 10, 1876, pg. 1
-“Indian Journal”, September 21, 1876, pg. 3
-Fort Smith National Historic Site Federal Employee Database, 1872-1896

OKLawDog

Thanks for your reply. The main purpose of the post was to call attention to the family disputing the belief that Sheriff Jones had become a changed person. Also who were the others who fired shots into the Sheriff's body as he fell to the floor? In the "Indian Journal", dated 21 Sept 1876, the third paragraph states "As he fell other shots were fired into his body and head from revolvers in the hands of other person."

I know that the BIA Indian Police Memorial in Artisa, NM has his death date as 20 Sept 1876 as does the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial. However, I think this may have been a misinterpretation of the information. The news artilcle dated 21 Sept. 1876 states " Wednesday morning last," That could refer to the week before, not the day before 21 Sept, which was a Thursday. Also Sheriff B. F. Jones's tomestone shows the date of 13 Sept 1876. I have noticed in my research that dates sometimes are confusing. Thank you again.

Jerry

I have interviewed a few family members who remember being told B.F. Jones was shot because of political dispute and the family was told not to talk about it. I was wondering if anyone has come accross any new information since my original post. I am also interested in copies of any newspaper stories of Sheriff Jones. Thank you for any updates

Jerry