Commemorating 100 Years Since Annie Oakley’s Death

November 3 marks 100 years since Annie Oakley's passing. Named in speeches by Presidents Obama and Trump, she continues to cross the political spectrum with her fame and good name. The first female superstar athlete started life with love of her family, yet poverty, and two years of abuse at the hands of a family whose child she cared for. Through hard work, determination, and her “natural talents,” she succeeded in a man’s world.

Phoebe Ann Mosey (also noted as Mozee or Moses) was born in a very remote part of Darke County in what is now known as Willowdell. She is the American rags-to-riches story. She made a worldwide impact performing in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show for 17 years alongside Frank Butler, her husband of almost 50 years and also a sharpshooter, where she met kings and queens of Europe.

Unsurpassed by competitors for her extraordinary marksmanship, Annie Oakley offered to train 50 women sharpshooters for the Spanish American War effort but was turned down by President McKinley. Chief Sitting Bull adopted her as a daughter and gave her the nickname “Little Sure Shot,” quite appropriate for a lady barely five feet tall.

Guarding her reputation as a Victorian-era lady, she designed clothes for bicycle riding and athletic shooting exhibitions while never showing skin. Her reputation was of utmost importance to her. Her efforts to protect her reputation influenced journalism by emphasizing the need to verify sources and check mistaken identities. She was wrongfully accused as a thief and user of cocaine in Hearst newspaper articles when a burlesque dancer Maude Fontanella, who went by the stage name Any O’Klay, used her false stage name. Annie Oakley won 54 of 55 libel cases over seven years in the early 1900s against these newspapers. She took on an empire and won!

With a generous heart, Annie paid for orphans to attend the show, sponsored the education of almost 19 students, and, later, melted down her many gold medals and donated the money to a tuberculosis sanitarium in North Carolina. She also taught over 15,000 women how to shoot!

Fiercely independent and knowing that she was dying while back in her home county seat of Greenville, Annie planned for her funeral. She arranged for a female undertaker and paid all bills, including those to the minister, the crematorium in Cincinnati, and the cemetery marker company; she even served as the informant on the county death certificate. While this probably could not be done today, she was a woman in charge. Annie Oakley Butler died in 1926 at the age of 66, still holding shooting records set a few years before. Her husband Frank died 18 days later; both were buried together on November 25. Among the many publications covering her obituary was Time Magazine.

The Annie Oakley Center Foundation, Garst Museum, and The National Annie Oakley Center in Greenville continue to honor and share the legacy of this famous Ohioan. Her quote inspires all: “Aim at a high mark and you will hit it, no not the first time and maybe not the second time, but keep on aiming and keep on shooting for only practice will make you perfect. Finally you’ll hit the bulls-eye of success.” The legend continues!