With the National Day of the Cowboy happening last Saturday, I got to thinking about my favorite cowgirl.
Annie Oakley (born Phoebe Ann Mosey on August 13, 1860) became a sharpshooter to feed herself and earn a living.
When Annie was 15 years old, she won a shooting match against traveling-show marksman Frank E. Butler, whom she later married.
The couple joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show a few years later. Frank became Annie’s manager and she became a renowned international star, performing before royalty and heads of state.
The things I find most interesting about Annie Oakley are…
- Due to an impoverished and challenging youth, she was frugal but also offered free lemonade to everyone including her fellow performers.
- She worked hard, practiced constantly, and kept learning. She added shooting from horseback to her tricks.
- She was competitive. When she was 26, Lillian Smith (an up and coming 15-year-old trick shooter and rider) joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. When a bug got trapped in Annie’s ear, she suffered great pain. After only a few days absent from the show, she dragged herself from her sickbed and returned to work and her rivalry with Lillian. She shot perfectly as always.
Got a favorite cowgirl? I love to hear about her!
Annie certainly was courageous and demonstrated a maturity beyond her years. For that era, she was ahead of many women. Tough and resilient. I enjoy reading about her.
Agreed! I always enjoy researching more about her.