James Franklin "Bud" Ledbetter was a Deputy U.S. Marshall in the Indian Territory. He was born Dec 15, 1852 on his Grandfather, George Washington Ledbetter's farm at Aurora, Arkansas, seven miles south of Huntsville. Aurora was on the banks of the War Eagle River. When Bud was seven years old, his family established their family farm on Ledbetter Mountain near Drakes Creek, Madison Co, Arkansas. Bud was the son of James Franklin and Sabrina Tennessee Reeves Ledbetter. His father died in 1862 and after his mother died in 1870, eighteen year old Bud went to Indian Territory and worked as a railway guard for Wells Fargo for two years. In 1872, he went back to Madison Co, Arkansas to resume farming. Bud married Mary Josephine Terry June 28, 1874. In about 1876, Bud and his family moved to Coal Hill, Johnson Co, Ark. He was employed first as Town Marshal, but soon became a Deputy Sheriff. In 1894, Bud again moved his family to the Indian Territory and took a job with American Railway Express on the MKT train between Kansas and Checotah,IT. In Nov 1894, the infamous Cook Gang tried to rob the MKT "Katy Flyer" just north of Muskogee. Bud Ledbetter was the only guard on the train but he shot it out with the Cook Gang and forced them to retreat. His bravery and marksmanship caused him to become a local hero. The next year he became a Deputy U.S. Marshal in the Indian Territory working out of Judge Parker's Court in Ft. Smith. In 1897 Bud was in charge of a posse that was in a gun battle with the Al Jennings Gang and killed or captured them all. In 1906, Deputy Marshal Bud Ledbetter arrested Mack Alfred for the murder of Cicero Davis. This was a part of the Porum Range War that had been raging in Muskogee County from 1906 to 1912. After many years as a Deputy Marshall, Bud Ledbetter became the Sheriff of Muskogee County. He was an honest man and was respected by the citizens of Muskogee County. In 1928, he retired from law enforcement and lived on his farm in Muskogee County.
From the Muskogee Times Democrat
RETIRED OKLAHOMA PEACE OFFICER DIES
“Uncle Bud” Ledbetter, 84, Had Battling Record
July 10, 1937—Muskogee, OK—Funeral services will be held here Saturday afternoon for J. F. “Uncle Bud” Ledbetter, 84 years old, for a half century a battling Oklahoma and Arkansas peace officer, who died Thursday night.
He was born in Madison County, Arkansas December 15, 1852 and died July 9, 1937 in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
The services will be held in the Muskogee Civic Auditorium. Members of the United States Marshal’s office and city and county officers will attend in a body.
“Uncle Bud,” as thousands knew him, retired to a farm near here in 1928 after service since the 1890s as special officer, United States marshal, policeman and police chief in eastern Oklahoma. He began service as a peace office in the 1880s as an Arkansas deputy sheriff.
Contributor:
Donnie Daniel
From the Muskogee Times Democrat
RETIRED OKLAHOMA PEACE OFFICER DIES
“Uncle Bud” Ledbetter, 84, Had Battling Record
July 10, 1937—Muskogee, OK—Funeral services will be held here Saturday afternoon for J. F. “Uncle Bud” Ledbetter, 84 years old, for a half century a battling Oklahoma and Arkansas peace officer, who died Thursday night.
He was born in Madison County, Arkansas December 15, 1852 and died July 9, 1937 in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
The services will be held in the Muskogee Civic Auditorium. Members of the United States Marshal’s office and city and county officers will attend in a body.
“Uncle Bud,” as thousands knew him, retired to a farm near here in 1928 after service since the 1890s as special officer, United States marshal, policeman and police chief in eastern Oklahoma. He began service as a peace office in the 1880s as an Arkansas deputy sheriff.
Contributor:
Donnie Daniel
James Franklin "Bud" Ledbetter was a Deputy U.S. Marshall in the Indian Territory. He was born Dec 15, 1852 on his Grandfather, George Washington Ledbetter's farm at Aurora, Arkansas, seven miles south of Huntsville. Aurora was on the banks of the War Eagle River. When Bud was seven years old, his family established their family farm on Ledbetter Mountain near Drakes Creek, Madison Co, Arkansas. Bud was the son of James Franklin and Sabrina Tennessee Reeves Ledbetter. His father died in 1862 and after his mother died in 1870, eighteen year old Bud went to Indian Territory and worked as a railway guard for Wells Fargo for two years. In 1872, he went back to Madison Co, Arkansas to resume farming. Bud married Mary Josephine Terry June 28, 1874. In about 1876, Bud and his family moved to Coal Hill, Johnson Co, Ark. He was employed first as Town Marshal, but soon became a Deputy Sheriff. In 1894, Bud again moved his family to the Indian Territory and took a job with American Railway Express on the MKT train between Kansas and Checotah,IT. In Nov 1894, the infamous Cook Gang tried to rob the MKT "Katy Flyer" just north of Muskogee. Bud Ledbetter was the only guard on the train but he shot it out with the Cook Gang and forced them to retreat. His bravery and marksmanship caused him to become a local hero. The next year he became a Deputy U.S. Marshal in the Indian Territory working out of Judge Parker's Court in Ft. Smith. In 1897 Bud was in charge of a posse that was in a gun battle with the Al Jennings Gang and killed or captured them all. In 1906, Deputy Marshal Bud Ledbetter arrested Mack Alfred for the murder of Cicero Davis. This was a part of the Porum Range War that had been raging in Muskogee County from 1906 to 1912. After many years as a Deputy Marshall, Bud Ledbetter became the Sheriff of Muskogee County. He was an honest man and was respected by the citizens of Muskogee County. In 1928, he retired from law enforcement and lived on his farm in Muskogee County.
From the Muskogee Times Democrat
RETIRED OKLAHOMA PEACE OFFICER DIES
“Uncle Bud” Ledbetter, 84, Had Battling Record
July 10, 1937—Muskogee, OK—Funeral services will be held here Saturday afternoon for J. F. “Uncle Bud” Ledbetter, 84 years old, for a half century a battling Oklahoma and Arkansas peace officer, who died Thursday night.
He was born in Madison County, Arkansas December 15, 1852 and died July 9, 1937 in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
The services will be held in the Muskogee Civic Auditorium. Members of the United States Marshal’s office and city and county officers will attend in a body.
“Uncle Bud,” as thousands knew him, retired to a farm near here in 1928 after service since the 1890s as special officer, United States marshal, policeman and police chief in eastern Oklahoma. He began service as a peace office in the 1880s as an Arkansas deputy sheriff.
Contributor:
Donnie Daniel
From the Muskogee Times Democrat
RETIRED OKLAHOMA PEACE OFFICER DIES
“Uncle Bud” Ledbetter, 84, Had Battling Record
July 10, 1937—Muskogee, OK—Funeral services will be held here Saturday afternoon for J. F. “Uncle Bud” Ledbetter, 84 years old, for a half century a battling Oklahoma and Arkansas peace officer, who died Thursday night.
He was born in Madison County, Arkansas December 15, 1852 and died July 9, 1937 in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
The services will be held in the Muskogee Civic Auditorium. Members of the United States Marshal’s office and city and county officers will attend in a body.
“Uncle Bud,” as thousands knew him, retired to a farm near here in 1928 after service since the 1890s as special officer, United States marshal, policeman and police chief in eastern Oklahoma. He began service as a peace office in the 1880s as an Arkansas deputy sheriff.
Contributor:
Donnie Daniel
