Annie Oakley (born Phoebe Ann Moses; August 13, 1860 – November 3, 1926)
Annie Oakley was born 163 years ago today near Willowdell, Ohio and passed at 66 years old. Frank Beachams Journal Was an American sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. Oakley developed hunting skills as a child to provide for her impoverished family in western Ohio.
Annie Oakley was a skilled trick shooter with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show.
At age 15, she won a shooting contest against an experienced marksman, Frank E. Butler, whom she married in 1876. The pair joined Buffalo Bill in 1885, performing in Europe before royalty and other heads of state. Audiences were astounded to see her shooting out a cigar from her husband’s hand or splitting a playing-card edge-on at 30 paces.
She earned more than anyone except Buffalo Bill himself.
After a bad rail accident in 1901, she had to settle for a less taxing routine, and she toured in a play written about her career. She also instructed women in marksmanship, believing strongly in female self-defense. Her stage acts were filmed for one of Thomas Edison’s earliest Kinetoscopes in 1894. Since her death, her story has been adapted for stage musicals and films, including Annie Get Your Gun.
27 Annie Oakley Facts About The Wild West’s Biggest Badass (allthatsinteresting.com)
In the American Old West, owning a gun was essential for survival.
Things were quite haphazard back then, so security wasn’t as tight as today. Some people stood out when it came to handling a gun, and they’re referred to as sharpshooters. One of these people happens to be the remarkable Annie Oakley, whose story makes anyone want to know more about her. Saying that Annie was a cut above the rest is an understatement.
This lady was in a league of her own. From shooting smokes out of people’s mouths to splitting cards, Annie did nothing wrong. So here are some interesting facts about our pioneer sharpshooting lady.
Oakley Is Not Her Real Name
Ms. Oakley was the fifth born in a family of seven in rural Darke County, Ohio.
For your information, Annie Oakley’s name is not her birth name; she was born
Phoebe Ann Moses.
The name Oakley was derived from an Ohio town near her hometown near Cincinnati.
As for Annie, it came about after her sisters decided to call her Annie instead of Ann or Phoebe. Surprisingly, despite being an iconic figure of the American frontier, she spent most of her formative years in Ohio.
T’was a Family of Trappers
Annie’s family was big on hunting and trapping. Her father was her primary role model, and the young girl would always accompany him to his hunting exercises. This early exposure played a big part in making Annie comfortable around guns and hunting expeditions.
At the tender age of eight,
Annie got her first prey. The little one balanced her father’s rifle on their porch rail and shot a squirrel across the yard. It was a clean headshot, and Annie said it was her best shot ever. Her love for guns went beyond just passion, she believed all women should know how to shoot a gun and taught around 15,000 women in her lifetime. She said: “I would like to see every woman know how to handle guns, as naturally as they know how to handle babies.”
That’s Not What Women Does
Annie’s mother was mortified when she learned of her daughter’s actions. This was an eight-year-old handling a gun, so there are many ways the scenario would have ended tragically. With her daughter’s best interests at heart, Annie’s mother barred her from touching the rifle for eight months.
A publicity still of Annie Oakley loading a shotgun.
Additionally, this was uncharacteristic for girls at the time. Shooting and hunting were predominantly male-dominated endeavors, so it was odd for the family to have one of their daughters engage in the activity. This setback didn’t dampen Annie’s spirit; in fact, things went up a notch.
After the Big Ban
After Annie’s rifle ban, she went back to shooting like never before. The young one had an affinity for marksmanship, so there was no way she could be swayed against it. Moreover, Annie was so good at hunting and shooting that she could use her skills to put food on the table.
Sadly, Annie’s father passed away, leaving her mother in dire straits. This forced the woman to send Annie to work or for someone else in exchange for education. This arrangement was short-lived as Annie decided to return home after dealing with an abusive household.
Taking Matters Into Her Own Hands
Once Annie returned home, she decided to focus solely on shooting. It was a gamble,
but it paid off. She continued hunting animals and sold the meat at a local grocery store.
The business deal was so good the young lady could pay off her mother’s $200 mortgage.
This moment was a big deal for the young girl as she couldn’t hide her joy when she handed her mother the money. Finally, she had saved enough to free them from the debt hanging over their heads. Unsurprisingly, this was just the beginning of Annie’s fantastic life events.
Annie the Shooting Prodigy
At only 15 years old, Annie participated in a Thanksgiving shooting match.
After years hunting wild game, Annie was a force to reckon with, so a shooting competition was not an uphill task for her. The lady showed up in Cincinnati, and Frank Butler was her competitor.
Frank looked down on the young girl, even placing a $100 bet against her. This led to a painful experience as Annie cleared the whole course with zero misses and clinched the title. Frank was no match for Annie despite being an expert marksman, as he missed one clay pigeon.
Cohabiting With the Competition
Frank was impressed by Annie’s skills despite losing $100 and the grand prize.
So much so he was taken with the young lady. A year after the competition, Frank and Annie got married. By all means, this is an impressive feat as Annie beat her husband in
a shooting match, and we can’t help but wonder how healthy trash talk was in the family.
Annie Oakley | MY HERO – Bing video
A Lady Through and Through
The couple was an item throughout their lives totaling at least five decades. Surprisingly, Annie passed away in November 1926, and her husband followed her to the afterlife 18 days later,
Interestingly, Annie’s career path didn’t affect her nature.
The lady was feminine through and through. Even when she attended various competitions, she dressed in cute dresses and skirts. Most of her attire was handmade,
she maintained her feminine modesty. Additionally, her downtime hobbies included embroidery and other feminine activities.
The amazing Annie Oakley: Meet the legendary American sharpshooter from the old West.
This is probably one of the reasons the lass enamored frank. After all, who can fight the charms of a beauty who can handle her guns? It was the Wild West, so simple things went a long way.
She Nearly Died
In 1901, Annie was almost crushed to death in a violent train accident.
After suffering from paralysis and also five grueling spinal operations,
she was on the road to recovery.
(Photo by Apic/Getty Images)
United States sharpshooter who took part in a lot of shows.
Although Annie’s life was short, this accident nearly killed her at the young age of 41.
She was back on tour by 1902 and didn’t let the accident slow her down.
Big Things Come In Small Packages
Annie’s reputation might have you thinking she was an Amazon of a woman, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The talent was only five feet tall, but boy did she make up for it with her shooting skills. This paradox made her stand out from other performers.
After his marriage to Frank, Annie toured with the man pulling in large crowds. They mainly focused on circuses, and the couple was aptly referred to as the sharpshooting double act. Eventually, Frank retired and dedicated his time to managing his wife as
a solo act.
Some Nifty Tricks Under Her Sleeve
Annie’s shooting skills were ahead of her time. The level of proficiency and accuracy was so astounding it was hard to imagine you were looking at a live show. There must have been some trickery afoot, right?
For context, Annie could shoot coins out of the air at pinpoint accuracy. If that weren’t enough, she’d shoot lit cigars from Frank’s mouth. To turn things up a notch, Annie would take 30 paces before shooting a playing card, casually splitting it in two. At some point, Annie was so good that she could hit targets behind her by using a mirror as her guide.
A Luck Would Have It
Anyone familiar with Annie’s story knows she mostly performed at a Wild West show organized by the legendary William Cody, aka Buffalo Bill. This working relationship did not start immediately as Bill was hesitant to hire the talent. It wasn’t personal, as the man thought it didn’t make sense for his show to have two sharpshooters lined up.
Annie Oakley Biography – Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements Wikimedia.
Captain Adam Bogardus was the star attraction at the time, and he was good at his job
as a marksman. Unfortunately, adding Annie to the troupe would bring about a conflict
of interest, thus hampering the business.
Clouds and Their Silver Linings
Annie continued freelancing until 1884 when tragedy struck at the Mississippi River.
A steamboat carrying Bill’s performers sank to the bottom, and that was the beginning
of the end for Captain Adam Bogardus. Despite everyone making it safely to shore,
the marksman’s guns didn’t, which was a problem.
Sex, vintage & Royals | Annie Oakley, Women in history, Oakley.
Adam had a tough time adapting to a new set of guns while his equilibrium was off.
This situation lasted for several months, and Adam had to also count all his losses.
This departure created a vacancy in the troupe, and Annie was the obvious choice.
That’s How She Met Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull is revered as one of the most iconic Native American leaders of his time.
He is most revered for his victory over General Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
With such an impressive battle resume, we’d be surprised if anything gun-related
would surprise him.
The Birth of Annie Oakley | History Today
Anyway, we are talking about Annie Oakley here, so we can’t expect anything less than
a twist in the tale. As soon as Bull witnessed the lady’s shooting, he was sold. He was so impressed, as a matter of fact, that he offered the legendary woman $65 just for the chance to sit for a photo with her. Who can blame him, though? Annie’s feats have us in awe, yet we haven’t seen them in person. Imagine Bull’s experience.
A New Father Figure
After witnessing Annie’s work, Bull sent the lady $65 to her hotel, hoping to get an autograph. Annie was flattered by the gesture, but she returned Bull’s money with an autographed picture. This level of modesty and kindness touched Bull; he insisted he should adopt her.
Why Annie Oakley Was America’s Sharpshooting Sweetheart | HowStuffWorks
Bull gave Annie his prized moccasins and christened her Watanya Cicilla, which roughly translates to Little Sure Shot. The following year, Bull joined Bill’s troupe for four months, allowing him to get closer to Annie. Annie wrote fondly of Bull, calling him a faithful old friend whom she respects and adores.
She Was an International Sensation
Oakley’s time at Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show brought about some high moments.
At one point, the troupe toured Europe, which was one of their most successful ventures.
The show drew in large crowds, and at one point, Kaiser Wilhelm II was in the audience.
Annie Oakley in Europe | American Experience | Official Site | PBS
Annie incorporated him into her act by shooting ash from a cigarette he was smoking. Wilhelm wasn’t the only royalty to attend. Queen Victoria also became one of Annie’s
fans after attending a show at the American Exposition in London.
The Queen Is a Fan
Queen Victoria had such a fun time telling Annie she was a very clever little girl.
So the party continued touring Europe, from England to the Paris Exposition.
They eventually made their way to Italy and then Spain.
A picture of Annie Oakley as she looked while touring with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.
Annie Oakley was a hit with the population, and the press couldn’t have enough of her. She was welcomed by a massive crowd of fans and journalists wherever she landed. Even the king of Senegal took notice of her talent and asked the sharpshooter to help his country control the tiger population.
For the Love of Flag and Country
Sadly, the Spanish-American War began in 1898, leading to a sad state of affairs all
over the nation. Annie was pretty patriotic, and she felt her skills could come in handy.
The talent requested President William McKinley to let her chip in the war.
Centennial History Contest Grand Prize Winner:
Emily Hollingshead with “Annie Oakley” Essay (centerofthewest.org)
In her petition, Annie proposed she could set up a female regiment of 50 lady sharpshooters. The ladies would have their ammo and guns and would fight for America. Unfortunately, as good a deal as this was, she never got a reply. This wasn’t the last time she’d push to fight for her nation.
Annie Oakley | Wild West Show, Sharpshooter, Buffalo Bill | Britannica
Another War to Try Out
When World War One broke out, Annie was ready to dive into the frontlines for the
flag and country. The deal was similar to the previous one, but she reached out to the U.S. Secretary of War this time. She got no feedback like the last time, but Annie didn’t give up.
Annie Oakley shot a cigarette out of the Kaiser’s mouth, had she hit him, she could have prevented WWI (thevintagenews.com)
The lady visited army camps to help out however she could while simultaneously raising money for the Red Cross. Additionally, Annie volunteered in various military charities to aid in the war effort. Where there is a will, there is a way.
Some Funky Business Is Afoot
These days, false information is so rife that it’s hard to know what’s real and what is not. Luckily, this also means most information making its way to the press can be treated with some element of doubt. Sadly, in Annie’s days, the press was treated as gospel, so any information coming out could have some untold repercussions.
A 1922 photo of Annie Oakley holding a gun given to her by Buffalo Bill.
In 1903, a couple of newspapers owned by William Randolph Hearst dropped some bombshells regarding Annie’s private life. The allegations were so preposterous the lady couldn’t take the information lying down.
Tough Times Ahead for Annie
According to the newspapers, Annie had a substance abuse problem, and she was arrested for stealing a man’s pants. This hit piece had devastating effects on Annie’s health and mindset, and she knew she had to make sure she set the record straight.
Annie Oakley shoots her way into history – Buffalo Bill Center of the West
Annie once said that the piece almost drove her over the cliff. Her drive to clear her name was what kept her going. It would be a challenging and expensive battle, but she was ready to fight tooth and nail to save her reputation.
The Truth of the Matter
After some digging, it was revealed that the lady who had been arrested was a burlesque performer whose name was Any Oakley. The lady was based in Chicago, and Annie hadn’t been there since the previous winter. Nevertheless, various newspapers printed the information leading to more damage.
The amazing Annie Oakley:
Usually, most publications released retractions, but Hearst was difficult, and he didn’t want to lose face. So instead of finding an amicable solution, the man hired a private investigator to find some damning information about our iconic/ modest legend.
The Biggest Case of All Time
Meanwhile, Annie had vowed to get retribution for her situation, so she spent the next
six years pursuing 55 libel cases. She settled 54 of them, and Hearst was forced to pay her $27K. Despite the big win, the cases had taken too long, causing her to spend more money than she had won.
Annie Oakley Once Took Hearst Newspapers to Court for Reporting a False Cocaine Addiction | At least her name was cleared, and she got the justice she deserved.
Enough of the dark times, let’s get back to the good vibes now, shall we?
She’s a Wimbledon Legend
Before Wimbledon became the tennis haven it is today; the area was reserved for the biggest shooting summer event. Annie performed in a rifle competition on Wimbledon Common. The show was set up as part of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee celebration.
The press loved Annie, and everyone considered Annie the best shot in the competition.
Annie Oakley Was Here | The Pilot Open Daily | thepilot.com
Thomas Edison also met Annie Oakley, and this meeting made the talent a film actress. Annie showcased her skills for Edison’s Kinetoscope, resulting in a film called The Little Sure Shot of the Wild West. Annie didn’t pursue a career in acting, but she featured in
The Western Girl, portraying a sharpshooter two years in a row.
Her Biggest Triumph Ever
Annie’s shooting skills became so synonymous it was hard to think of the sport without her. So in most shows, they started punching holes in free tickets to separate them from the paying customers. If you recall, Annie would shoot holes in playing cards, so these tickets resembled Annie’s cards.
Annie Oakley – Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia
After a while, the resemblance caused people to refer to the free tickets as Annie Oakleys. This idiom has evolved so much it even made its way to baseball. In this sport, Annie Oakleys refer to a walk because it refers to a free pass when heading to first base.
So there you have it, that’s Annie Oakley, the legend.