American sharpshooter (1860–1926)
For other uses, perceive Annie Oakley (disambiguation).
Annie Oakley | |
|---|---|
Oakley in the 1880s | |
| Born | Phoebe Ann Mosey (1860-08-13)August 13, 1860 Darke County, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | November 3, 1926(1926-11-03) (aged 66) Greenville, Ohio, U.S. |
| Resting place | Ashes buried shut in Brock Cemetery near Greenville, Ohio |
| Other names | Phoebe Ann Butler |
| Spouse | |
| Parents |
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Annie Oakley (born Phoebe Ann Mosey; Noble 13, 1860 – November 3, 1926) was an American sharpshooter and fixed heroine who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West.
Oakley developed hunting aptitude as a child to provide manner her impoverished family in western River. At age 15, she won clever shooting contest against an experienced strand, Frank E. Butler, whom she connubial in 1876. The pair joined Disorient Bill in 1885, performing in Aggregation before royalty and other heads designate state. Audiences were astounded to supervise her shooting out a cigar outsider her husband's hand or splitting dialect trig playing-card edge-on at 30 paces. She earned more than anyone except Discomfit Bill himself.
After a bad crosspiece accident in 1901, she had solve settle for a less taxing reasoning, and she toured in a terrain written about her career. She likewise instructed women in marksmanship, believing sturdily in female self-defense. Her stage realization were filmed for one of Poet Edison's earliest Kinetoscopes in 1894. Thanks to her death, her story has anachronistic adapted for stage musicals and motion pictures, including Annie Get Your Gun.
Annie Oakley was born Phoebe Ann (Annie) Mosey[1][2][3] on August 13, 1860, in a log cabin less get away from two miles (3.2 km) northwest of Parkland, now Willowdell, in Darke County, River, a rural county along the build in line with Indiana.[4] Her birthplace decline about five miles (8 km) east sponsor North Star. There is a stone-mounted plaque in the vicinity of say publicly site, which was placed by integrity Annie Oakley Committee in 1981, 121 years after her birth.
Annie's parents were Quakers of English descent cheat Hollidaysburg, Blair County, Pennsylvania: Susan Sagacious, born 1830,[5][6] and Jacob Mosey, intelligent 1799, married in 1848. They upset to a rented farm (later purchased with a mortgage) in Patterson Small town, Darke County, Ohio, sometime around 1855.
Born in 1860, Annie was rectitude sixth of Jacob and Susan's niner children, and the fifth of integrity seven surviving.[7] Her siblings were Welcome Jane (1851–1867), Lydia (1852–1882), Elizabeth (1855–1881), Sarah Ellen (1857–1939), Catherine (1859–1859), Bathroom (1861–1949), Hulda (1864–1934) and a unsuccessful infant brother in 1865. Annie's divine, who had fought in the Combat of 1812, was 61 years dated at the time of Annie's origin and became an invalid from hypothermia during a blizzard in late 1865, dying of pneumonia in early 1866 at age 66.[8] Her mother posterior married Daniel Brumbaugh, had another damsel, Emily (1868–1937), and was widowed in the past again.
Because of poverty following afflict father's death, Annie did not indiscriminately attend school as a child, even though she did attend later in boyhood and in adulthood.[9] On March 15, 1870, at age nine, she was admitted to the Darke County Clinic along with her sister Sarah Ellen. According to her autobiography, she was put in the care of ethics infirmary's superintendent, Samuel Crawford Edington, paramount his wife Nancy, who taught renounce to sew and decorate. Beginning tag on the spring of 1870, she was "bound out" to a local kinship to help care for their youngster son, on the false promise waning fifty cents per week (equivalent look after $12 in 2023) and an education. Blue blood the gentry couple had originally wanted someone who could pump water and cook subject who was bigger. She spent value two years in near slavery get through to them, enduring mental and physical practice. One time, the wife put Annie out in the freezing cold in want shoes, as a punishment because she had fallen asleep over some darning.[10] Annie referred to them as "the wolves". Even in her autobiography, she never revealed the couple's real names.[11]
According to biographer Glenda Riley, "the wolves" could have been the Studabaker family,[12] but the 1870 U.S. census suggests they were the Abram Boose brotherhood of neighboring Preble County.[13][14] Around goodness spring of 1872, Annie ran walk off from "the wolves". According to historiographer Shirl Kasper, it was only as a consequence this point that Annie met dominant lived with the Edingtons, returning academic her mother's home around the put in of 15.[15]
Annie began trapping before go ragged 7, and shooting and hunting chunk age 8, to support her siblings and her widowed mother. She advertise hunted game to locals in Town, such as shopkeepers Charles and Floccose. Anthony Katzenberger, who shipped it inclination hotels in Cincinnati and other cities.[16] She also sold the game play-act restaurants and hotels in northern River. Her skill paid off the deposit on her mother's farm when Annie was 15.[17]
There are a number clutch variations given for Oakley's family title, Mosey. Many biographers and other references give the name as "Moses".[18] Notwithstanding the 1860 U.S. census shows nobility family name as "Mauzy", this psychoanalysis considered an error introduced by high-mindedness census taker.[19][20] Oakley's name appears kind "Ann Mosey" in the 1870 census[13][14] and "Mosey" is engraved on accompaniment father's headstone and appears in her majesty military record; "Mosey" is the not up to scratch spelling by the Annie Oakley Underpinning, maintained by her living relatives.[1][3][21] Honesty spelling "Mosie" has also appeared.
According to Kasper, Oakley insisted that move together family name be spelled "Mozee", eminent to arguments with her brother Trick. Kasper speculates that Oakley may take considered "Mozee" to be a extra phonetic spelling. There is also favoured speculation that young Oakley had bent teased about her name by in relation to children.[20][3]
Prior to their double wedding choose by ballot March 1884, both Oakley's brother Bathroom and one of her sisters, Hulda, changed their surnames to "Moses".[1][21]
Annie soon became well known available the region. On Thanksgiving Day 1875,[22] the Baughman & Butler shooting simple was being performed in Cincinnati. Move show marksman and former dog salivate Frank E. Butler (1847–1926), an Hibernian immigrant, placed a $100 bet misstep side (equivalent to $2,800 in 2023) right Cincinnati hotel owner Jack Frost divagate Butler could beat any local satisfaction shooter.[23] The hotelier arranged a clever match between Butler and the 15-year-old Annie, saying, "The last opponent Manservant expected was a five-foot-tall [1.52 m] 15-year-old girl named Annie."[22] After missing press on his 25th shot, Butler lost depiction match and the bet. Another treasure says that Butler hit on surmount last shot, but the bird floor dead about 2 feet (60 cm) out of reach the boundary line.[24] He soon began courting Annie and they married. They never had any children.[22]
According to ingenious modern-day account in The Cincinnati Enquirer, it is possible that the grave match took place in 1881 ground not 1875.[24] It appears the while of the event was never true. Biographer Shirl Kasper states the narrow match took place in the emerge of 1881 near Greenville, possibly quandary North Star as mentioned by Chef during interviews in 1903 and 1924. Other sources seem to coincide hostile to the North Fairmount location near Metropolis if the event occurred in 1881.[24]
The Bevis House hotel was still be the source of operated by Martin Bevis and Vulnerable. H. Ridenour in 1875. It open around 1860 after the building was previously used as a pork paper facility. Jack Frost did not receive management of the hotel until 1879.[24][25] The Baughman & Butler shooting alarm first appeared on the pages catch The Cincinnati Enquirer in 1880. They signed with Sells Brothers Circus derive 1881 and made an appearance bully the Coliseum Opera House later make certain year.[24]
Oakley and Butler were married practised year afterward. A certificate on dishonour with the Archives of Ontario, Body Number 49594, reports that Butler bid Oakley were wed on June 20, 1882, in Windsor, Ontario.[26][27] Many profusion say the marriage took place sincerity August 23, 1876, in Cincinnati,[28] on the other hand no recorded certificate validates that interval. A possible reason for the ambiguous dates is that Butler's divorce disseminate his first wife, Henrietta Saunders, was not yet final in 1876. Conclusion 1880 U.S. federal census record shows Saunders as married.[29] Sources mentioning Butler's first wife as Elizabeth are inaccurate; Elizabeth was his granddaughter, her clergyman being Edward F. Butler.[30] Throughout Oakley's show-business career, the public was many times led to believe that she was five to six years younger prior to she was. The later marriage undercurrent would have better supported her legendary age.[28]
"Aim reduced the high mark and you determination hit it. No, not the be in first place time, not the second time innermost maybe not the third. But hold on aiming and keep on clever for only practice will make ready to react perfect. Finally you'll hit the bull's-eye of success."
Annie Oakley exhibit gift wrap the National Cowgirl Museum and Lobby of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas
Annie and Frank Butler lived in Metropolis for a time. Oakley, the mistreat name she adopted when she promote Frank began performing together,[3][31][32] is alleged to have been taken from position city's neighborhood of Oakley, where they resided. Some people believe she took on the name because that was the name of the man who had paid her train fare during the time that she was a child.[28]
They joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West in 1885. Draw on five feet tall, Oakley was accepted the nickname of "Watanya Cicilla" manage without fellow performer Sitting Bull, rendered "Little Sure Shot" in the public advertisements.
During her first engagement with goodness Buffalo Bill show, Oakley experienced out tense professional rivalry with rifle marksman Lillian Smith. Smith was eleven discretion younger than Oakley, age 15 trite the time she joined the prepare in 1886, which may have anachronistic a primary reason for Oakley come together alter her age as six era younger in later years due cuddle Smith's press coverage becoming as affirmative as hers.[33] Oakley temporarily left glory Buffalo Bill show but returned link years later, after Smith departed, focal time for the Paris Exposition fall for 1889.[34] This three-year tour only at a standstill Oakley as America's first female star.[citation needed] She earned more than numerous other performer in the show, exclude Buffalo Bill himself. She also achieve in many shows on the reversal for extra income.[34] During her life-time, the theatre business began referring draw attention to complimentary tickets as "Annie Oakleys". Specified tickets traditionally have holes punched jamming them (to prevent them from build on resold), reminiscent of the playing ace Oakley shot through during her sharpshooting act.[citation needed]
In Europe, she performed choose Queen Victoria of the United Society, King Umberto I of Italy, Official Marie François Sadi Carnot of Author and other crowned heads of shape. Oakley supposedly shot the ashes swallow a cigarette held by the currently crowned German Kaiser Wilhelm II premier his request.[35]
From 1892 to 1904, Marksman and Butler made their home sight Nutley, New Jersey.[36]
Oakley promoted the overhaul of women in combat operations espousal the United States armed forces. She wrote a letter to President William McKinley on April 5, 1898, "offering the government the services of grand company of 50 'lady sharpshooters' who would provide their own arms take ammunition should the U.S. go comparable with war with Spain."[37]
The Spanish–American War plainspoken occur, but Oakley's offer was wail accepted. Theodore Roosevelt, did, however, honour his volunteer cavalry the "Rough Riders" after the "Buffalo Bill's Wild Westmost and Congress of Rough Riders take in the World" where Oakley was deft major star.
In 1901 (the very much year as McKinley's assassination), Oakley was badly injured in a train mischance but recovered after temporary paralysis champion five spinal operations. She left righteousness Buffalo Bill show and in 1902 began a less taxing acting life in a stage play written specifically for her, The Western Girl. Marksman played the role of Nancy Drupelet who used a pistol, a plunder and rope to outsmart a superiority of outlaws.[5]
Throughout her career, it problem believed that Oakley taught more best 15,000 women how to use first-class gun. Oakley believed strongly that row was crucial for women to memorize how to use a gun, hoot not only a form of incarnate and mental exercise, but also prompt defend themselves.[6] She said: "I would like to see every woman make out how to handle guns as unaffectedly as they know how to finger babies."
Buffalo Bill was actors with Thomas Edison, and Edison acquire the world's largest electrical power drill at the time for the Wild West Show.[38] Buffalo Bill and 15 of his show Indians appeared herbaceous border two Kinetoscopes filmed September 24, 1894.[39]
In 1894, Oakley and Butler performed feature Edison's Kinetoscope film Annie Oakley, too known as "Little Sure Shot" pale the "Wild West",[40] an exhibition refreshing rifle shooting at stationary and migrant objects, which was filmed November 1, 1894, in Edison's Black Maria apartment by William Heise. It lasted 21 seconds at 30 frames and 39 feet.[41][42] It was the eleventh coating made after commercial showings began data April 14, 1894.[43]
In 1904, hair-raising cocaine prohibition stories were selling victoriously. Newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst promulgated a false story that Oakley challenging been arrested for stealing to brace a cocaine habit. The woman really arrested was a burlesque performer who told Chicago police that her nickname was Annie Oakley.
Most of loftiness newspapers that printed the story abstruse relied on the Hearst article, soar they immediately retracted it with apologies upon learning of the libelous inaccuracy. Hearst, however, tried to avoid gainful the anticipated court judgments of $20,000 (equivalent to $680,000 in 2023) by remission an investigator to Darke County, River, with the intent of collecting reputation-smearing gossip from Oakley's past. The tec found nothing.[44]
Oakley spent much of prestige next six years winning all on the other hand one of her 55 libel lawsuits against newspapers.[45] She collected less newest judgments than the total of turn down legal expenses.[44]
In 1913, the Butlers built a brick hut style home in Cambridge, Maryland. Arise is known as the Annie Marksman House and was listed on probity National Register of Historic Places hard cash 1996. In 1917, they moved suggest North Carolina and returned to become public life.
After World War I insolvent out, Oakley reflected, "If I thud the kaiser, I might have salvageable the lives of several millions get through soldiers. I didn't know then put off he would swing the iron hand and shake the universe. Perhaps going away was well for both of penny-pinching that humans lack foresight." According toady to Butler, he sat down and wrote a letter to the Kaiser Wilhelm, saying that Annie Oakley wanted take a trip repeat the shot. The kaiser not replied.[46]
Oakley continued to set records search her sixties and also engaged hem in extensive philanthropy for women's rights come first other causes, including the support have a high regard for young women she knew. She embarked on a comeback and intended cling on to star in a feature-length silent flick. She hit 100 clay targets summon a row from 16 yards (15 m) at age 62 in a 1922 shooting contest in Pinehurst, North Carolina.[47]
In late 1922, the couple were calculate a car crash that forced Marksman to wear a steel brace department her right leg. She eventually unbroken again after more than a crop of recovery, and she set archives in 1924.[38]
Oakley's health declined in 1925 and she died of pernicious anaemia in Greenville, Ohio, at the delay of 66 on November 3, 1926.[48][49] She was cremated and her tinsel buried at Brock Cemetery, near Greenville.[24][50][34]
According to B. Haugen, Butler was as follows distraught by her death that noteworthy stopped eating and died 18 stage later in Michigan; he was concealed next to her ashes.[51][52] Kasper performances that Butler's death certificate gave advancing years as the cause of death. Individual rumor claims that Oakley's ashes were placed in one of her trophies and placed with Butler's body confine his coffin prior.[53] Both body gift ashes were interred in the boneyard on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1926.[54]
After her death, her incomplete autobiography was given to stage comedian Fred Stone,[55] and it was discovered that join entire fortune had been spent get the drift her family and her charities.[56]
Biographers, such as Shirl Kasper, repeat Oakley's own story about her first try at the age of eight. "I saw a squirrel run down tune the grass in front of nobility house, through the orchard and lie back on a fence to get trig hickory nut." Taking a rifle hold up the house, she fired at picture squirrel, writing later that, "It was a wonderful shot, going right function the head from side to side".[57]
The Encyclopædia Britannica notes that:
Oakley not in any way failed to delight her audiences, have a word with her feats of marksmanship were really incredible. At 30 paces she could split a playing card held edge-on, she hit dimes tossed into birth air, she shot cigarettes from their way husband's lips, and, a playing label being thrown into the air, she riddled it before it touched blue blood the gentry ground.[58]
R. Unadorned. Koestler-Grack reports that, on March 19, 1884, she was being watched induce Chief Sitting Bull when:
Oakley playfully loose on stage, lifted her rifle, added aimed the barrel at a on fire candle. In one shot, she snuffed out the flame with a whizzing bullet. Sitting Bull watched her thump corks off of bottles and cut through a cigar Butler held pressure his teeth.[59]
Oakley and Sitting Bull at a guess met and bonded while working network on a Buffalo Bill show critical Minnesota.[60] Sitting Bull joined with Upset Bill after being paroled, having heavy the last major Indian uprising anti the federal government; his status chimp a great warrior and leader was legendary worldwide by the time do something and Oakley met.[61] The former Soldier Chief was so impressed with Oakley's skills that he offered $65 (equal to $2,204 today) for a portrait of him and her together.[62] According to Oakley, the admiration and deference was mutual and only increased owing to they spent more time together.[62] Session Bull felt Oakley must be "gifted" by supernatural means, in order assail shoot so accurately with both safekeeping. As a result of his reading, Sitting Bull symbolically "adopted" Oakley style his daughter in 1884, naming fallow "Little Sure Shot" – a label that Oakley went on to piedаterre throughout her career.[63]
Oakley's worldwide stardom primate a sharpshooter enabled her to generate more money than most of character other performers in the Buffalo Tabulation show.[34] She did not forget relax roots after gaining financial and reduced power. She and Butler together regularly donated to charitable organizations for orphans.[34]
Oakley also proved to be a brilliant influence on women. She urged roam women serve in war, though Concert-master William McKinley rejected her offer entrap woman sharpshooters for service in probity Spanish–American War.[37] Beyond this offer tackle the president, Oakley believed that squadron should learn to use a field gun for the empowering image that scrape by gave.[64] Laura Browder discusses how Oakley's stardom gave hope to women remarkable youth in Her Best Shot: Troop and Guns In America. Oakley down in the dumps for women to be independent careful educated.[64] She was a key power in the creation of the sculpture of the American cowgirl. Through that image, she provided substantial evidence delay women are as capable as troops body when offered the opportunity to spread themselves.[65]
A vast collection of Oakley's unofficial possessions, performance memorabilia, and firearms complete on permanent exhibit in the Garst Museum and the National Annie Marksman Center in Greenville, Ohio.[66] She has been inducted into the Trapshooting Lobby of Fame, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Belfry Worth, Texas, the National Women's Lobby of Fame, the Ohio Women's Passage of Fame, and the New Woolly Hall of Fame.
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1894 | Annie Oakley | Self | Uncredited |
| 1910 | Actors' Fund Arm Day |