Epilogue

Annie Oakley died on November 3, 1926. Before that, on 1922, she was in a car accident that resulted in her hip and ankle being fractured. She had to wear a brace, but that did not stop her from shooting and hunting. But she still never fully recovered. when she dies, the doctor said she dies of "pernicious anemia". Frank was upset and stopped eating and caring. Then he joined his wife less than three weeks later on November 21. 


Annie Oakley basically showed that gender does not matter in activities, and that even though a sport can be male dominant, women can be good at it as well, if not better. She was the first women to be apart of the Wild West show. Many people agreed that she was the best sharpshooter out there hands down. She "broke barriers" for women and opened up new jobs as soldiers in World War I for women. Her many accomplishments are still remembered today. She gave women a voice.\

Train Wreck

December 1, 1901

On August 20, 1901, I was in a train wreck. I had to have five surgeries done on my body according to Frank and then I was paralyzed for a short while. The train had crashed right onto another train. I was stuck for a long time under all the rubble and mess. They carried me away on some stretcher where we passed some horses who were injured. I overheard them saying that they had to be shot. They said that I  "felt sorry for them", which I really did. And also, my hair turned completely white really fast, even though I'm only 41. But white hair didn't do good for me, so I quit the Wild West show. I'm into acting, again, and i am the lead in a play of
The Western Girl. I'm also teaching at clubs how to shoot, and I'm setting records again. But in a few months, we may go back to Greenville and I will live the rest of my life there. 

Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show

August 14, 1885

Buffalo Bill Cody saw me at one of my acts in 1884. He was the leader of his "Wild West". He was impressed with me and told me to come for a three-day tryout. I came with frank and I made it in, and he introduced me to his members. I was the only white woman there, and i felt a little out of place, but other than that, I felt fine. He kept calling me "Lil' Missy", so I started calling him the "Colonel". Now, I've done many shows with him and frank, who has helped out a little bit, There has been times where I miss. But I'll just fire again and that will be that. But the Colonel has told me that the crowd is getting restless of me shooting and not missing. Shot after shot, with the smallest chance that I will miss. So occasionally, I'll miss on purpose. It's funny, too. I'll act all frustrated and throw my hat on the ground and walk around it for good luck. Then I'll shoot again and not miss, and the crowd literally murders my eardrums.

"Little Sure Shot"

June 18, 1884

Frank decided that he should become my "manager" in the business and that was the "star". It all started when his partner in his act became sick, and I took his position. I impressed everyone: the audience, Frank, and the famous "Sitting Bull". He came to one of the shows in 1875 and liked my act. I wanted to see me afterwards and asked for me to give him a picture of me for $65. He gave me some moccasins from the Battle of the Little Bighorn. And he started calling me "Watanya Cicilla", which meant something like "Little Sure Shot" in his language. Later on, I became a good friend of his, and when he became ill, I would be sent for, and i would do an act from him. It wasn't good enough for him to go on, though...

Marriage

June 8, 1876

Frank Butler asked me to marry him, and I, of course, said yes. We're to be married in August, but for now, we are married secretly. i do not wish to have a big wedding immediately, and my mother would go crazy if she found out. Nevertheless, I told her he had asked for my hand in marriage, but not that we were already married. She is going all over the place trying to create the "perfect wedding', but that is months away. I know that the public will know of this as a "wedding in August", and nothing else. Of course, there will be suspicions around, but none of them can be too strong a suspicion, can it? No. We will just announce the marriage in August, and that will be that. No one can tell about this, no one knows, and no one will find anything out.

People have suspected that this couple married before the said time, and that is what i have put, but no one knows for sure, and we do not have enough information to back it up. 

Frank "Jimmie" Butler

November 24, 1875

Today, some man came to Greenville for a shooting match to challenge whoever thought they could beat him. I did not want to "flaunt' around my love for shooting and how accomplished that I had become since day one, but I went anyways, pushed by mother, and went up to the mysterious stranger. Frank "Jimmie" Butler was his name. He was a part of some group that he and his partner act.... "Butler and Baughmen". Nonetheless, I stepped up, and I could hear every single gasp of surprise, and even Mr. Butler's mouth was wide open in shock. I shrugged it off and after a while, the match began. He lost, I won, 23-21. He said that he had "thrown the match", but I knew what he meant. But later on, he invited me to see one of his acts in Cincinnati, and I accepted. I've never been out of Greenville, so this should turn out to be a bit of a difference. 

Starting to Shoot

December 29, 1875

Mother has been suffering. Her shoulders are always tensed up and she even more stressed than ever. We've been low on money and food, and we have no man to support us. So the only thing for me to do, other than to help mother with all the housework, is to shoot game. The little woods by our home is full of critters and such, so I just shoot those, bring them home, and mother does who-knows-what to them. I've gotten pretty good at this shooting thing. I try to be modest, but I can't help it; my aim is always right. I wonder if its just the Kentucky rifle that I use, or if the prey is just too lazy to do anything about it. No matter what, its helped us plenty, and I must say that I am proud. I've gotten many weird looks from when I sell out game to the Katzenberger brother's store and tell them that I am the one who shoots and catches these critters, yet surprisingly, I don't care. Mother's doesn't either, I think. She's probably just happy that we actually eat ever night these days.       

Annie Oakley

Introduction

Phoebe Anne Oakley Moses, or "Annie" by her sisters,  was born on  August  13, 1860 to  Jacob and Susan Moses and the fifth of seven children. She was born in Darke County, Ohio and never had any education in schools. On August 13, 1866, Annie's father passed away to pneumonia, when she was aged six. Afterwards, her mother sent her away in 1870, and she learned from a superintendent of a poor farm how to embroider and sew. She reunited with her mother later on, who had married a third time as far as Annie knew.