Annie Oakley (c. 1899)
Despite not truly being called Annie Oakley (1860 – 1926), it is clear that she was a phenomenal markswoman. At the age of 15, Oakley outshot legendary deadeye Frank Butler. He was so taken with the young sharpshooter that he asked her to marry him before taking her on as a second-in-command while touring. The roles would soon be reversed, however, when Oakley’s status outshone her husband’s, and he gladly served her instead. Oakley became an international symbol for the rugged American lifestyle when she was featured in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Oakley excelled at blasting glass balls out of the sky, card games, and most notably for shooting a cigarette clean off her husband’s lips. Queen Victoria referred to her as a “very clever little girl” and Chief Sitting Bull knew her as “Little Sure Shot.”
Annie Oakley
