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Henry Andrew "Heck" Thomas (January 3, 1850 – August 14, 1912) was a lawman on the American frontier, most notably in Indian Territory. He was known for helping bring law and order to the region. In 1889 as a deputy in Fort Smith, Arkansas, he tried to capture Ned Christie ( Cherokee ), wanted as a suspect in the killing of a US marshal.
By 1891, Thomas, along with two other Deputy U.S. Marshals — Chris Madsen and Bill Tilghman, began to work together to bring in some of the most notorious outlaws of the time. Soon, the trio took on the nickname of the “Three Guardsmen” and would become known as being largely responsible for bringing law and order to Indian Territory.
Dec 22, 2021 · Serving as an express messenger, Deputy U.S. Marshal, and chief of police, Heck Thomas had a storied career dealing with outlaws in the Old West. About 20 years ago, Jim Wilson wrote about Deputy U.S. Marshal Henry Andrew “Heck” Thomas, calling him “the real Rooster Cogburn.”. Since then, I’ve done my own research on Thomas, and ...
- Joel J. Hutchcroft
Deputy US Marshals Bill Tilghman, Heck Thomas, and Chris Madsen (pictured left to right) began "cleaning up" part of what became the state of Oklahoma in 1889. Widely considered honest, dutiful, and capable, they were responsible for suppressing much of the outlaw element in the Indian Territory, reporting arresting in excess of some 300 ...
Jun 1, 2021 · Shortly bringing down the Lee brothers, in 1886, Heck was appointed a Deputy U.S. Marshal. Moving his family to Fort Smith, Arkansas, Heck worked under the “Hanging Judge,” Isaac Parker. Over the next seven years, Thomas would earn a reputation for being one of the most efficient deputies working the lawless land of Indian Territory.
Aug 18, 2017 · Cogburn’s reckless but fearless nature calls to mind real-life lawman Deputy U.S. Marshal Henry “Heck” Thomas. Serving from 1893 to 1902 in Indian and Oklahoma territories (they were separate jurisdictions for a time), Thomas tracked down outlaws Bill Doolin and Al Jennings and became one of the famed “Three Guardsmen” of Oklahoma ...
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Nov 1, 2013 · The “Three Guardsman” In 1886, Heck Thomas was hired by Judge Isaac Parker as a U.S. Deputy Marshall and he moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas. On his first foray into Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), Heck Thomas proved his worth, returning to Fort Smith with eight murderers, several hardened criminals, a horse thief, and a bootlegger.
