many to her throne. Even, Queen
Victoria, an avid supporter, marveled at
Annie’s accomplishments. Annie beat
many a man in what was traditionally a
man’s world. Her charismatic personality,
coupled by a humbling presence, captured the eye of Irving Berlin, who made
her the subject of the Broadway musical,
“Annie Get Your Gun.”
A fundamentalist in religion, she kept
her life straightforward. Her passion and
willingness to serve motivated her efforts
to educate 18 orphan girls. Her life was
an example that inspired many women
who faced challenge in their daily lives.
In 1901, Annie suffered a spinal injury
from a train wreck. Five surgeries and
temporary paralysis did not keep Annie
from sharing what she loved and knew
best…shooting!
Annie Oakley
In 1922, prior to her death in 1926,
Annie competed in a shooting contest in
Pinehurst, North Carolina. Oakley hit 100
clay targets straight from 16 yards. She
hoebe Ann Mozee was born in
was 62 years old!
Patterson Township, Ohio, on
August 13, 1860. She was raised on
a rented farm, and was the fifth of seven
children. Her siblings called her Annie.
Her father died in 1866 from pneumonia.
Annie’s mother has to put Annie in the
care of the superintendent of the county
poor farm where she learned to sew.
P
Annie began to shoot game at age nine to
support her mother and siblings. By the
time she was twelve, she could shoot the
head off of a running quail. By the time
she was sixteen, she had gained a reputation and was off to Cincinnati to enter a
shooting contest with Frank E. Butler, an
accomplished marksman.
She won the contest as well as winning
the heart of Mr. Butler. Married in 1876,
Annie traveled with her husband and
performed in their shooting act. Mr. Butler
realized her talent and gave her the spotlight. In 1885, she joined the legendary
Buffalo Bill Cody Wild West Show. Annie
took the stage name Oakley, believed to
be after the city Oakley, Ohio!
For seventeen, years, she continued to
light up the eyes of her beholders. On
day she shot 4,472 of 5,000 glass balls
tossed in midair. Unknowingly, Annie
introduced the shooting field sport of
“moving targets”, known today as sporting clays, skeet and trap. Other amazing
shots included shooting the end of a cigarette held in her husband’s lips and hitting
the edge of a playing card from 30 paces!
Annie’s charm and modesty gathered
10 | BLAZE | WINTER 2013
Molly Brown
M
argaret “Maggie” Tobin Brown was born
July 18, 1867 in Hannibal, Missouri. As
a teenager she worked in a mercantile
store and her brother in the mines.
In 1886, she married James Joseph Brown and
moved to Stumpftown, Colorado where they
opened a soup kitchen for the mining families.
Maggie, a philanthropist, became involved with
t H