Annie Oakley, born Phoebe Ann Mosey in 1860, was an American sharpshooter and
folk heroine. Raised in poverty in Ohio, she honed her shooting skills
hunting game to support her family. At 15, she won a shooting match
against marksman Frank Butler, whom she later married. Oakley joined
Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show in 1885, captivating audiences with her
precision, shooting a cigarette from her husband’s lips or a dime from
his hand. Billed as “Little Sure Shot,” she became a global sensation,
performing for royalty and inspiring women. A train accident in 1901
slowed her career, but she continued performing and teaching
marksmanship until her death in 1926.
