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Fun Trivia: F : Famous U.S. Women

Special Sub-Topic: Annie Oakley, Sharpshooter


In what state was Annie Oakley born?

    Ohio. Annie Oakley was born in Darke County, Ohio on August 13, 1860. Her parents were Susan Wise and Jacob Mosey. Annie was the sixth of nine children.

What was Annie's first name?
    Phoebe. Annie Oakley's real name was Phoebe Ann Mosey. Her siblings liked to call her Annie, and later she became professionally known as Annie.

To which U.S. president did Annie write a letter offering the services of 50 female sharpshooters during war?
    William McKinley. Annie wrote the letter to William McKinley but he refused her offer. Annie's offer even included the sharpshooters providing their own guns and ammunition. McKinley's successor as president, Theodore Roosevelt, did recognize her when he named his cavalry "Rough Riders" which was named after Buffalo Bill's show, which Annie was a part of.

How did Annie become a sharpshooter?
    shooting the heads off squirrels. Annie taught herself to shoot. She became such a good shot she would shoot small animals and then sell them. At the age of 15, when she had accumulated enough money, she gave it to her mother, so that the farm's mortgage could be paid.

How many half-siblings did Annie have?
    1. When Annie was six, her father died. Later, her mother Susan remarried and gave birth to Annie's youngest sibling, Emily. Susan would once again become a widow.

In 1875, Annie won a shooting match in Cincinnati, Ohio. Whom did she beat?
    Frank Butler. Annie won the match by one point; she shot all 25 targets but Frank missed one. Shortly after this, they began their relationship and also started working together. Annie married Frank in 1882 and would continue to be married until Annie's death in 1926.

In her autobiography, what year did Annie Oakley say she was born in, even though it was incorrect?
    1866. Annie looked young, and that was an important part of her professional image. She lied and said she was born in 1866, so it would appear that she really was as young as she looked. Near the end of her life, when she wrote her autobiography, she gave her birth year as 1866. In truth, she was born in 1860, on the date August 13.

Who gave Annie the nickname 'Watanya Cicilla'?
    Sitting Bull. Sitting Bull's name for Annie, Watanya Cicilla, means Little Sure Shot, which is how it was presented in advertisements. Annie received this nickname in 1885. Sitting Bull had adopted Annie in 1884, the previous year.

The time Annie spent as part of the cast of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show was consecutive.
    f. In 1885, Annie, along with her husband Frank, joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. During her time as part of the cast, she had a rivalry with another sharpshooter, Lillian Smith. It was this rivalry that caused Annie to lie about her age. Annie Oakley left the show but rejoined once Lillian Smith departed the show.

What happened to Annie in 1901?
    She was in a train accident.. As a result of the train accident, Annie had a spinal injury leaving her partially paralyzed. Fortunately, she made a quick recovery. Her shooting wasn't affected by this and her legend continued to increase.


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