Post by BoW GaCAman on Jan 5, 2015 7:41:27 GMT -5
ANNIE OAKLEY/Phoebe Ann Mosey
Undoubtedly the best-known and best shot of any woman in history, up 'til modern times. Born near Greenville, Ohio on August 13, 1860, she lost her father at a young age, and her mother was unable to care properly for her and her six siblings after his death. Unfortunately, she was dumped in a children's poorhouse (very common in the 19th century) and was taken in by a couple a short time later. They lured her in with promises of a fairly 'easy' life, but evidently saw her more as a slave than a child. After suffering a long train of abuses (including being left outside in sub-freezing temperatures) she finally ran away, and for the rest of her life would only refer to the couple as 'he-wolf and she-wolf'.
Chief Sitting Bull of the Sioux gave her the nickname of 'Little Sure Shot' (translated from Sioux) when he met her after she joined the Wild West Show of Buffalo Bill Cody. Only 5 feet tall at maturity, Queen Victoria referred to as 'a very clever little girl' upon being introduced to her during a tour of England and other European countries. She also met the future Kaiser of Germany, Wilhelm, on the same trip and shot a cigarette out of his hand. She said later (after WW1 started) that she wished she'd have shot it out of his mouth and 'missed'.
She was a very early proponent of women going armed and taught many, many of them to shoot, possibly thousands. She had been injured in a train accident and serious car crash earlier in life, and this lead to her becoming increasingly frail as time went by. Will Rogers knew her and was at her bedside for a farewell a few months before her death on November 3, 1926, calling her the 'greatest cowgirl of all time'.