Deputy Wiley Cox served in Fort Smith in the time of Mattie Ross. An exemplary deputy he had sustained injuries in many encounters. This is a fascinating story of life in the 1880's. Mattie Ross was played by Maggie Jones; Wiley Cox played by Bill Hollenbeck, former sheriff of Sebastian County, Arkansas, host is retired Sebastian County judge, Jim Spears.

The Feud at Three Corners, also known as the Daniel Potter Feud, in an area of southern Yell county, Montgomery, and Garland counties, consisted of a problem between William Potter, Jack and John Daniel, and Rial Blocker in the 1880s. The feud exploded into mob violence, vigilante justice, manhunts, suicide, and much more. Gary Witcher, a member of the Fort Smith Historical Society and South Sebastian County Historical Society, is an avid historian, volunteer, collector, and storyteller who portrays Jack Daniel.

When you read the book, "True Grit" by Charles Portis you will find that Rooster Cogburn did not wear an eye patch. However, both John Wayne and Jeff Bridges did. (And did you notice they did not wear the patch on the same eye?)

This episode of Tales of the True Grit Trail tells the story of Cal Whitson, a real deputy marshal in Fort Smith who wore his hat in a way that it hid an injured eye.

In this episode, Cal Whitson is portrayed by his great-grandson, Calvin Evans, who you can meet when you visit the Fort Smith Museum of History.