Annie Oakley
by Amy W.

Annie Oakley was a young markswoman during the 1800s. She lived with her mother and five siblings. Her siblings were Hulda, Johnny, Elizabeth, Sarah Ellen, and
Lyda. Annie was the child between Johnny and Elizabeth. Unfortunately, her father died when she was very young. She was seven at this time. She lived in a log cabin with a few animals. One day, Annie and Johnny went out in the woods and saw a shooting match. Mr. Shaw was the winner. Later that day, which was a few days before their mother's birthday, they went to the cornfield to build a quail trap. Their mother was a part·time nurse, so they had very little money and had to grow their own crops. Annie and Johnny wanted to catch a quail for their mother's surprise birthday
a dinner. It took two or three days before a quail was trapped. And to their surprise, there were two quails in the trap! Annie and Johnny held on to them upside-down
for a while so they would die.

When they had to sell their cow, Old Pink, Mr. Shaw came over to their house to take a look at her. Before he looked at Old Pink, he taught Annie how to shoot.

When Annie was nine, a wolf was attacking their new cow, Old Black, and their rooster, Trumpet. Annie quickly took her father's rifle, and loaded it just as Mr. Shaw had taught her. With a crack of the rifle, the wolf was dead. Annie's mother was so proud that she let Annie shoot from that day on.

Annie's mother got a job as a full·time nurse and she wouldn't be able to come home at night sometimes. Because of that, she sent her three youngest children Hulda, Johnny, and Annie, to live with her friends. Annie stayed wIth the Eddingtons at first, but then a farmer came and said he would take Annie in.

The first couple of days he was nice to her, but then he treated her with cruelty. He said he would send her mother money, but he didn't. He said he would read and
write Annie's letters for her because she did not know how to, but he didn't. He lied to her mother by saying she loved it there and she likes her letters, but she didn't
even see the letters and she hated it there. She couldn't take it anymore. So she made her decision, she would run away.

Months had gone by but she still never left. One day the farmer and his wife went out for the whole day. Now was her chance! She quickly packed up her few belongings and left.

When she got home, her three elder sisters were already married and living with their husbands, and she was fifteen! Weeks later a letter came from Lyda. She asked Annie to come and live with her for a while for her sixteenth birthday present.

When she got there, she went to a shooting match. She wasn't watching, though, she was competing. She competed against Frank Butler, one of the best shooters in the country. Amazingly, she won!

Later, she received a letter from Frank asking her to marry him. Immediately she said yes. They did shooting acts together and performed them in front of huge crowds. They once performed in front of the Queen and other royalty! Annie and her husband travled around the world.

Annie was a remarkable girl.

Return to "Women in History" Home Page