Annie Oakley, who was born Phoebe Anne Moses, lost her father when she was not yet six. After her father’s death, her family was left destitute. Her mother then sent her to the county poor farm, where she was hired to a work as a live-in helper. Here, with a family she referred to only as the “wolves” for the rest of her life, she was nearly worked to death, and she was physically abused. When she was 12, she ran away and found her way back to her mother’s house, where her mother was still unable to support her. She was then sent back to the poor farm. This time, she remained at the poor farm and worked as a seamstress until she was 15. She once again returned to her mother, who had remarried but was still poor.
Vintage American history photo of American sharpshooter, Annie Oakley. - stock photo. Source: (Getty/colorized).
Oakley did not have a formal education, but she did teach herself a valuable skill: shooting. She took her father’s cap-and-ball rifle and learned to hunt. She became so skilled that she was able to sell enough of the quail she killed to pay off her family’s mortgage. She started to get a reputation for her ability. During the time period, sharpshooting contests were popular, and one of the best shots was Frank Butler. When he encountered farmers in Cincinnati, they told him someone from their county could out-shoot him, but did not tell him she was a 15-year-old female. When they competed, she won. They married, and she started to accompany him on his tours, although she didn’t perform for six years. When Butler’s partner was sick, she had her chance; she was a hit and soon replaced Butler’s partner, performing under the stage name of Oakley, her paternal grandmother’s name.
Vintage American history photo of American sharpshooter, Annie Oakley. - stock photo. Source: (Getty).
Her Husband Became Her Assistant
Because the variety shows they toured with were often bawdy, and Oakley did not want to be considered a “loose” woman, she dressed conservatively. She made her outfits herself, and her long sleeves, leggings, and long skirts covered her completely and helped to develop her presence. As the star of the show, Butler became her assistant, but Butler did not seem to mind.
Source: (Library of Congress/colorized).
She And Butler Joined Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West
She and Butler started traveling with Sells Brothers Circus, and when the circus came to an end, they joined Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West after Captain Bogardus left the show. She was placed low on the bill at first, but the audiences loved her. When she appeared on stage, she seemed like a sweet girl, but she had a big gun. She shot at glass balls that Butler threw in the air, and when they were hit, feathers would burst out. She also amazed the crowd with her trick shots. Because of her rave reviews, Cody moved her up on the bill, so her act immediately followed the opening procession.
Source: (Library of Congress).
Chief Sitting Bull Called Her "Little Sure Shot"
Butler became her press agent, and told stories about her, drawing on Easterners’ fascination with the Wild West. One of his favorite tales was of Chief Sitting Bull’s admiration of her. He saw her shoot the ace of hearts out of a card, and was so impressed that he asked if he could adopt her. He named her “Watanya Cecilia” or “Little Sure Shot,” and he toured with the show for a while until he became tired of the crowds.
Source: (Shooting UK/colorized).
Rivalries, Tensions, And A Train Accident
When Bill Cody took his show to England, they were joined by Lillian Smith, a 15-year-old who was bragging that “Annie Oakley is done for.” The two ended up with equal billing in London on May 9. 1887. This was followed by a rifle competition at Wimbledon. Despite Smith’s poor performance, and Oakley’s popularity, a friend of Smith’s published a letter stating the opposite. As the rivalry between the two grew, so, too, did tensions between Oakley and Cody. Oakley and Butler severed ties with the show in October 1887. In the spring, she was on the Vaudeville circuit, but it was a tough year. By February, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West asked her to come back, and she did, traveling with them to Paris. Around this time, the legends began. A dime novel told farfetched stories of her supposed childhood in Kansas; some claimed she had saved the prince of Bavaria who was about to be trampled by a bronco. Butler and Oakley themselves added to the tall tales as well. Throughout the 1890s, the act remained popular, until, in 1901, her spine was injured in a train accident.
Life After Buffalo Bill Cody
She decided to leave the show, but then started a career as an actress. Unfortunately, a false story was published about her, and, upset about the damage to her reputation, she spent six years suing newspapers. She returned to shows, but the crowds dwindled, and she shifted her focus to fighting for women’s rights, although not for universal suffrage. Annie Oakley had her last shooting exhibition in a Long Island arena in 1922. After this, she had her shooting medals melted down and donated the money to charity. She died at home in her sleep on November 23, 1926. Frank would die 18 days later. They are buried in Greenville, Ohio, near Annie’s childhood home.
