Annie Oakley: Descendants set the record straight

Drizzt · May 13, 2002, 03:22 PM

Annie Oakley: Descendants set the record straight

Published May 13, 2002
A CELEBRATION

Annie Oakley Weekend will be celebrated Aug. 2-4 at the Darke County Fairgrounds in Greenville, Ohio.

MORE INFORMATION

Learn more about Annie Oakley at the foundation's Web site: http://www.ormiston.com/annieoakley/ .

By Michael Sangiacomo

Newhouse News Service

Bess Edwards met her great-aunt only once but remembers that the woman looked nothing like the famous female sharpshooter of legend.

"She was just Aunt Annie, a nice old relative," Edwards said.

"Aunt Annie" was Annie Oakley, who was born in 1860 and died 66 years later in the southwestern Ohio town of Greenville. Between those two milestones, she led a remarkable life as a sharpshooter, performer and humanitarian, forever challenging sexual stereotypes.

Edwards was so fascinated with her grandfather's famous sister that she moved back to Greenville in 1991 to research Oakley's life and set the story as straight as her shooting. Edwards, 80, is determined to see that the woman called "Little Sure Shot" gets the respect she deserves.

Edwards, who admits she can't hit "the broad side of a barn" with a rifle, already has been instrumental in getting part of Hwy. 127 renamed Annie Oakley Pike. She convinced the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp in Oakley's honor. Thanks to Edwards, there is a historical marker near the statue of Annie Oakley in downtown Greenville.

As president of the Annie Oakley Foundation, she hopes to open the Annie Oakley Center in Greenville, pop. 13,300.

"It will be more than a museum," she said. "It will be a place for kids to come and get excited about women's role in history. An actress would play Annie, and teach riding and safe shooting. It will be a retreat, a camp, for children to get out of the city and learn values."

She believes the center can be built for $5 million, and has applied for federal and state grants while soliciting private donations.

Edwards loves to talk about her great-aunt. She travels to schools in the region, telling tales of the feisty girl who proved more than a match for the best sharpshooters of the Victorian age.

She wants all to know the real story, starting with Oakley's real name: Phoebe Ann Mosey, not "Moses" as it is so often misspelled, or even "Mozee."

Edwards said the biggest offender to her great-aunt's memory is the long-lived musical "Annie Get Your Gun."

"Oh, I hate that show," she said. "My father went to Dayton to see it in 1949. He cried all the way home because it was so insulting to her."

It shows Oakley as a country bumpkin, ignorant and clownish.

"Every time I think of the actress dancing around like a fool singing 'Doing What Comes Naturally' I get sick," she said. She doesn't mind the 1950s "Annie Oakley Show" that introduced so many people to her great-aunt.

"It was charming, but totally false historically," Edwards said. "It showed Annie as a do-gooder who righted wrongs in the West with her sidekick sheriff. If was fun and did a lot to spread her name."

Annie Oakley's shooting skill first blossomed when she was 8 or 9. Her father had already died and the family needed food. She took his rifle down from above the fireplace, walked outside and shot a rabbit.

Times were still hard, so at the age of 9, Annie was sent to live at the Darke County Home with the orphans, poor and the elderly. Oakley, who never had children of her own, always had a special love for orphans.

A year later, Annie moved in with a family in neighboring Preble County to help care for their newborn child.

"It was a mistake," Edwards said. "The couple physically abused her and made her work so hard. Annie once wrote that when she finally returned home, she had her first 'unbothered' night's sleep in many months."

She ran away from the house when she was about 14 or 15, returned to the county home briefly and then moved back in with her family. On the train home, she was befriended by a kind man who paid her fare. She asked his name and he replied, "Oakley."

Later, to show her gratitude, she used his last name as her stage name, Edwards said.

Annie earned her keep by hunting rabbits, deer, turkey and other game. She gave leftover meat to neighbors and eventually began to sell it. Her kills were prized. Unlike shotguns, which left pellets in the meat, Annie's game was dropped with one rifle shot to the head.

She was so successful hunting that she was able to pay off the family's mortgage when she was 16.

Her best client was a fancy hotel and restaurant in Cincinnati. One day the owner wagered that his meat supplier, a 5-foot 21-year-old woman, could outshoot any man who carried a gun. The contest was held for a $100 prize. Oakley beat Frank Butler, one of the best shooters around. They would marry within a year.

After the contest, Butler persuaded her to form a partnership and tour the country doing shooting exhibitions. In 1882 they hooked up as man and wife in a ceremony in Windsor, Ontario. Three years later, the couple joined Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show. They stayed with the show for 17 years, touring the nation and the world.

"She was truly amazing, as accurate with a rifle as with a handgun," Edwards said. "She said she never really aimed, just looked down the barrel and fired. She was ambidextrous. She shot the rifle and shotgun with the right hand and the pistol with her left."

Edwards said the history books talk about Oakley's skill, but rarely about her kindness and love of children, perhaps remembering her own troubled childhood.

"Annie gave a lot of money to orphanages, not many people know that. She could not stand to see poor children. She would give them money and clothes wherever she went," Edwards said.

Edwards' face lights up when she talks about Oakley.

"Her life was so much more interesting than people know," she said. "I don't understand why people would rather believe the silly made-up stories about her when Annie's real life was so much more interesting. That's why I want everyone to hear her story."

http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/2827166.html

Calamity Jane · May 13, 2002, 04:50 PM

Extra-nifty site and article, Drizzt! Thanks for posting 'em!

Prodigalshooter · May 13, 2002, 09:11 PM

May 13, 2002, 03:22 PM	#1
Drizzt Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2000 Location: Going Out of My Head at a Rapid Pace..... Posts: 2,511	Annie Oakley: Descendants set the record straight Annie Oakley: Descendants set the record straight Published May 13, 2002 A CELEBRATION Annie Oakley Weekend will be celebrated Aug. 2-4 at the Darke County Fairgrounds in Greenville, Ohio. MORE INFORMATION Learn more about Annie Oakley at the foundation's Web site: http://www.ormiston.com/annieoakley/ . By Michael Sangiacomo Newhouse News Service Bess Edwards met her great-aunt only once but remembers that the woman looked nothing like the famous female sharpshooter of legend. "She was just Aunt Annie, a nice old relative," Edwards said. "Aunt Annie" was Annie Oakley, who was born in 1860 and died 66 years later in the southwestern Ohio town of Greenville. Between those two milestones, she led a remarkable life as a sharpshooter, performer and humanitarian, forever challenging sexual stereotypes. Edwards was so fascinated with her grandfather's famous sister that she moved back to Greenville in 1991 to research Oakley's life and set the story as straight as her shooting. Edwards, 80, is determined to see that the woman called "Little Sure Shot" gets the respect she deserves. Edwards, who admits she can't hit "the broad side of a barn" with a rifle, already has been instrumental in getting part of Hwy. 127 renamed Annie Oakley Pike. She convinced the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp in Oakley's honor. Thanks to Edwards, there is a historical marker near the statue of Annie Oakley in downtown Greenville. As president of the Annie Oakley Foundation, she hopes to open the Annie Oakley Center in Greenville, pop. 13,300. "It will be more than a museum," she said. "It will be a place for kids to come and get excited about women's role in history. An actress would play Annie, and teach riding and safe shooting. It will be a retreat, a camp, for children to get out of the city and learn values." She believes the center can be built for $5 million, and has applied for federal and state grants while soliciting private donations. Edwards loves to talk about her great-aunt. She travels to schools in the region, telling tales of the feisty girl who proved more than a match for the best sharpshooters of the Victorian age. She wants all to know the real story, starting with Oakley's real name: Phoebe Ann Mosey, not "Moses" as it is so often misspelled, or even "Mozee." Edwards said the biggest offender to her great-aunt's memory is the long-lived musical "Annie Get Your Gun." "Oh, I hate that show," she said. "My father went to Dayton to see it in 1949. He cried all the way home because it was so insulting to her." It shows Oakley as a country bumpkin, ignorant and clownish. "Every time I think of the actress dancing around like a fool singing 'Doing What Comes Naturally' I get sick," she said. She doesn't mind the 1950s "Annie Oakley Show" that introduced so many people to her great-aunt. "It was charming, but totally false historically," Edwards said. "It showed Annie as a do-gooder who righted wrongs in the West with her sidekick sheriff. If was fun and did a lot to spread her name." Annie Oakley's shooting skill first blossomed when she was 8 or 9. Her father had already died and the family needed food. She took his rifle down from above the fireplace, walked outside and shot a rabbit. Times were still hard, so at the age of 9, Annie was sent to live at the Darke County Home with the orphans, poor and the elderly. Oakley, who never had children of her own, always had a special love for orphans. A year later, Annie moved in with a family in neighboring Preble County to help care for their newborn child. "It was a mistake," Edwards said. "The couple physically abused her and made her work so hard. Annie once wrote that when she finally returned home, she had her first 'unbothered' night's sleep in many months." She ran away from the house when she was about 14 or 15, returned to the county home briefly and then moved back in with her family. On the train home, she was befriended by a kind man who paid her fare. She asked his name and he replied, "Oakley." Later, to show her gratitude, she used his last name as her stage name, Edwards said. Annie earned her keep by hunting rabbits, deer, turkey and other game. She gave leftover meat to neighbors and eventually began to sell it. Her kills were prized. Unlike shotguns, which left pellets in the meat, Annie's game was dropped with one rifle shot to the head. She was so successful hunting that she was able to pay off the family's mortgage when she was 16. Her best client was a fancy hotel and restaurant in Cincinnati. One day the owner wagered that his meat supplier, a 5-foot 21-year-old woman, could outshoot any man who carried a gun. The contest was held for a $100 prize. Oakley beat Frank Butler, one of the best shooters around. They would marry within a year. After the contest, Butler persuaded her to form a partnership and tour the country doing shooting exhibitions. In 1882 they hooked up as man and wife in a ceremony in Windsor, Ontario. Three years later, the couple joined Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show. They stayed with the show for 17 years, touring the nation and the world. "She was truly amazing, as accurate with a rifle as with a handgun," Edwards said. "She said she never really aimed, just looked down the barrel and fired. She was ambidextrous. She shot the rifle and shotgun with the right hand and the pistol with her left." Edwards said the history books talk about Oakley's skill, but rarely about her kindness and love of children, perhaps remembering her own troubled childhood. "Annie gave a lot of money to orphanages, not many people know that. She could not stand to see poor children. She would give them money and clothes wherever she went," Edwards said. Edwards' face lights up when she talks about Oakley. "Her life was so much more interesting than people know," she said. "I don't understand why people would rather believe the silly made-up stories about her when Annie's real life was so much more interesting. That's why I want everyone to hear her story." http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/2827166.html __________________ "That a free citizen should have to go before a committee, hat in hand, and pray for permission to bear arms - fantastic! Arm your daughter, sir, and pay no attention to petty bureaucrats." Robert Heinlein - Red Planet

May 13, 2002, 04:50 PM	#2
Calamity Jane Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2001 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 902	Extra-nifty site and article, Drizzt! Thanks for posting 'em! __________________ CJ “The world is a fine place and worth fighting for.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

May 13, 2002, 09:11 PM	#3
Prodigalshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2001 Location: SoCal Posts: 426