OklahomaHorses Magazine November 2023

26 OklahomaHorses • November / December 2023 A Legacy in Law Enforcement U.S. Marshals Posse Keeps History Alive by Lindsay Humphrey | Photos courtesy of U. S. Marshsals Posse W hen the Articles of Confed- eration failed and the United States Constitution took their place in the 13 original states, law and or- der were a top priority for President George Washington. He appointed 13 U.S. mar- shals as the first means of law enforcement in the young nation. Those chosen for the job in the early days were mostly members of the community who had served their country and understood what it meant to sacrifice for the greater good of their fellow citizens. Today, being a member of the United States Marshals Posse is a choice open to every U.S. citizen. “Today, the U.S. Marshals Posse is a great group of people who are American patriots who embrace and understand our American history,” said Catherine Carter, who has been a member of the Western District of Oklahoma U.S. Marshals Posse since 2010. Long before Oklahoma was a state, it was a vast, open territory where lawlessness ran rampant. The U.S. marshal became instru- mental in bringing peace so more people could settle in the area. Back then, that territory was attached to Arkansas. Lawmen “traveled exclusively on horse- back and had to cover a lot of miles,” said Tom Peterson, president of the U.S. Mar- shals Posse in the Western District of Okla- homa. “If they caught people anywhere in Oklahoma, they had to bring them back to Fort Smith, Arkansas, for court.” Important Work Just three months after the first 13 U. S. marshals were appointed, three more joined the ranks. “They made basically no money doing this, they had to send receipts back to the government to be reimbursed,” Car- ter explained. “They lived a lonely life, but they were doing important work, and it’s a part of history that shouldn’t be forgotten.” Riding in community parades helps to generate public awareness of the U.S. Marshals Posse. That opens the door for teaching more people about the posse’s history, specifically in Oklahoma.