Is 1923 Episode 2's Female U.S. Marshal Historically Accurate?

This article contains spoilers for 1923 Season 2, Episode 2, "The Rapist Is Winter."

Taylor Sheridan's "Yellowstone" franchise — which currently includes the titular series, "1883," and "1923" — follows the Dutton family across the span of centuries. Each show boasts its own distinct flavor, but they all share similar themes and hallmarks, such as the displacement of Native Americans, capitalism endangering the natural purity of the American West, and the importance of family. "1923" also repurposes some controversial "Yellowstone" moments, although the prequel series is darker and takes place during unenlightened times, which becomes evident in Season 2, Episode 2.

"1923" Season 1 chronicles the abuse faced by Native Americans in ultra-religious boarding schools, resulting in Teonna Rainwater (Aminah Nieves) killing two sadistic nuns and going on the run. With Season 2 now underway, Teonna now finds herself being pursued by Father Renaud (Sebastian Roché) and the ruthless Marshal Kent (Jamie McShane), who've found themselves in Anadarko, Oklahoma. In Episode 2, the hunters' pursuit brings them into contact with Marshal Fossett (Jennifer Carpenter), leading to a tense conversation between her and Kent.

From the moment Kent enters Fossett's office, it's clear that he doesn't respect her. He asks the law woman if there's a marshal present and says he finds the idea of her making arrests hard to believe. Sure, Kent is rotten at the best of times, but he seems genuinely surprised to find a woman in a high-ranking law enforcement position. That said, it wasn't uncommon for women to fight crime in real life during the early 20th century.

Women have served as U.S. Marshals since the late 1800s, with Phoebe Couzins being the first one to hold the position. Couzins was originally appointed as a deputy by her father, but she replaced him as the interim head marshal after he passed away. Unfortunately, Couzins' tenure was short-lived, as she was replaced by a man called John W. Emerson after two months.

Similar to Marshal Fossett's position on "1923," Oklahoma also played home to one of the earliest female U.S. Marshals in history. Ada Curnutt worked as a deputy in the state during the 1890s, with reports at the time praising her for being even better at the job than some of her male colleagues. A 1984 article by The Indian State Sentinel even noted, "Her nerve appalls the toughest characters and she takes her prisoners without much trouble." What's more, Curnutt was known for catching criminals without using weapons, which is impressive considering that the outlaws she brought to justice were often heavily armed.

In short, Marshal Kent shouldn't have been shocked to find a woman U.S. Marshal in Oklahoma in the year 1923, as they'd been in place throughout America since the previous century. Hopefully, Marshal Fossett will make the obnoxious brute pay for disrespecting her down the line, as he clearly has some very backward views that have contributed toward his status as a truly despicable villain.

New episodes of "1923" drop Sundays on Paramount+.