Annie Oakley - Little Miss Sure Shot

Not only was she a great shot, but a fine looking lady. More pics and info to come from touring the Garst Museum, Dark County Ohio.

 

Took all pics with cell phone, next time i'll have my Nikon. Note who's hand she shakes first. Way to go Girly.

 

I would have loved to own this Parker back when I belonged to the Parker gun collector association. But like they said "No one owns a Parker,your just a caretaker before it is passed along". My favorite that I took care of before it was passed on, was one of the first hammerless guns produced including the information on how it was to be made for the original buyer including how to be choked. Actually the Parker Brothers were in the business of manufacturing coffee grinders before building one of the most sought after guns around.

 

This is the Parker.

 

Thank you for posting these pictures for the rest of us to enjoy. Could you please tell me where the Garst Museum is located in Dark County?

 

205 N. Broadway
Greenville, Ohio 45331
937 548 5250
Closed Monday
Tuesday-Saturday 10:am-4:00 pm
Sunday 1:00-4:00
Closed all of January
Adults $8.00
Seniors (60+) $7.00
www.garstmuseum.org

 

Some of her rifles were smooth bores shooting bird shot if there were dangers of hitting people when shooting objects in the air. Then there were time she used a bullet to hit tossed objects.

 

I doubt I'll ever make it to Ohio. Much thanks for the pictures.

 

Your welcome. This nickel plated Winchester rifle model 1906 was engraved " Presented to AOB at the Pinehurst gun club1917".

 

Thank you from a long-time fan of Annie Oakley.

Many years ago I started writing a book on Annie during the time she and Frank made Nutley, New Jersey their home. I never did complete it and I really should. I'll add a few pictures to the wonderful ones shared by rookieshooter.

Most people know she was an exhibition shooter and loved to hunt snipe and quail. Few knew that she also shot live pigeons and that she actually entered the live-bird Grand American Handicap tournaments in 1896, 1897, 1900 and the last GAH at Live-Birds at Kansas City in 1902. She was on tour with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show during the 1901 Grand American.

The ladies taking part were Mrs. Frank E. Butler (Annie Oakley), Mrs. S. S. Johnston and “Wenonah.” Their shooting was watched with great interest, and a crowd followed them from trap to trap whenever their turn came to go around the circuit of the four sets of traps. On Monday there was considerable wind and the birds were fresh. Annie Oakley missed her second and eighth, both good birds, in the Kansas City sweepstake, and withdrew. Mrs. Johnston lost her first one dead outside; missed the fifth and eigfhth, and withdrew. “Wenonay” did not shoot, except in the big event. On the second day, Mrs. Johnston lost the fifth dead outside and withdrew on the eighth round with seven dead. Annie Oakley killed six straight and missed the seventh and eighth, the last being dead outside. In the Grand American Handicap, Annie Oakley killed 22 out of 25, from 27 yeards. She lost the third and fifth, and killed fourteen straight, losing the twentieth, a fast right quarter, out of bounds. Considering the quality of the birds and five days’ shooting, her performance was very meritorious. She used a Parker gun, 7 2-16 lbs., 3 drams Schultze, 1 1/8 No. 7 ½ and 7 Tatham chilled shot, in U. M. C. Trap shells. Mrs. Johnston stood at 25 yards. She killed eight straight on Wednesday, missed the tenth and twelfth on Thursday, and on Friday lost the seventeenth, twentieth, twenty-second and twenty-fourth, and withdrew. Tow of her kills were exceptionally good, both birds being fast outgtoers, brought down with a long secnd shot. She used a Parker 7 2-16 lbs., 3 ½ drams Hazard, 1 ¼ No. 7 chilled shot, in Winchester Leader shells. “Wenonah” lost six out of sixteen birds and withdrew. She used a Parker, 7 ½ lbs., 3 ½ drams Hazard, 1 ¼ No. 7 Tatham’s chilled shot from the 26-yard mark.
[ SPORTING LIFE, April 19, 1902, page 19 ]

One of my favorite pictures of Annie.

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Annie and her dog Dave going for a spin. She wrote a book "The Life of Dave" (As Told by Himself)

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Sadly, Dave, their faithful loving Setter companion of nearly 10 years, was killed by an automobile on February 25, 1923, in Leesburg, Florida.

Enjoy Our History

 

WOW is all I can say...Sorry that Leesburg was where old Dave passed away..I live nearby there.

By the way folks....HB doesn't only write the history...he has made some himself in years past...He can shoot pretty darned good too !

 

That is a solid load for a light gun and a little lady.

 

Yes it is but most of her shooting was done with lighter loads, even when shooting pigeons. I was surprised also that she was using loads like the men did. Good observation.

The champion lady all round shot, Miss Annie Oakley, March 20 gave an exhibition shoot at Gun Club, Cincinnati. She used a six-pound 16-gauge Parker gun, loaded with three drachms of powder and one ounce of No. 8 shot. Shooting was at sixteen yards rise, trap set at last notch and birds thrown at every angle. The lady’s score was 43 out of 50.
[ SPORTING LIFE, April 1, 1885, page 11 ]

Miss Annie Oakley, standing at 21 yards and using a 12-bore gun, with 1oz. of shot, defeated John F. Magee, 31 yards, 8-bore gun and 1 ¼ oz. Shot, in a match at twenty-five pigeons each, for $50, at Rossville (Ohio), Dec. 4. Miss Oakley killed twenty-two birds to her opponent’s eighteen.
[ SPORTING LIFE, December 16, 1885, page 6 ]

The U. M. C. Co. had a cozy tent where Captain Dressel, Frank Butler, A. C. Barrell and W. L. Thorne entertained their visitors. The U. M. C. daily bulletins of the straight men were in great demand by the spectators, who were interested in the shoot-off.
The ladies taking part were Mrs. Frank E. Butler (Annie Oakley), Mrs. S. S. Johnson and “Wenonah.” Their shooting was watched with great interest, and a crowd followed them from trap to trap whenever their turn came to go around the circuit of the four traps. On Monday there was considerable wind, and the birds were fresh. Annie Oakley missed her second and eighth, both good birds in the Kansas City sweepstake, and withdrew. Mrs. Johnson lost her first one dead outside; missed the fifth and eighth, and withdrew. “Wenonah” did not shoot, except in the big event. On the second day, Mrs. Johnston lost the fifth dead outside and withdrew on the eighth round with seven dead. Annie Oakley killed six straight and missed the seventh and eighth, the last being dead outside. In the Grand American Handicap, Annie Oakley killed 22 out of 25, from 27 yards. She lost the third and fifth, and killed fourteen straight, losing the twentieth, a fast right quarterer, out of bounds. Considering the quality of the birds and five days’ shooting, her performance was very meritorious. She used a Parker gun, 7 2-16 lbs., 3 drams Schultze, 1 1/8 No. 7 ½ and 7 Tatham chilled shot, in U. M. C. Trap shells.
[ Sporting Life, April 19, 1902, page 19 ]

 

Wonderful info on Annie, could one expect less from
History Buff. Garst museum was closed the whole month of Feb to clean. Going back to obtain more information on this unique Lady.
BTW, great pic of her with her faithful friend. Hope everyone is starting to know the real Annie.
This whole thread kinda makes me wish i still had my hammerless 12 ga parker, but I thought it was time to pass it on.

 

Good Stuff All

 

According to Parker Bros. order books, Frank and Annie owned at one time or another 27 Parker shotguns. The order books always have Frank as the one who ordered the gun. Since Frank was also a professional shooter it’s hard to determine which guns were for Frank or Annie. Sometimes the order would specify “for Miss Annie” or stock dimensions would tell us because Annie’s stocks were shorter and Franks were longer. Other times we have the serial number of guns that Annie actually shot documented. There is the picture of Annie shooting a Parker single barrel trap gun at the Grand American in 1925 breaking 97x100. There is no record of the Butlers ordering a SBT.

I’m including a copy of a DH ordered by Frank Butler. It may or may not be the gun shown in this post because it looks like a DH and Frank ordered a few DH’s in 1900 and 1901. To decipher the order, the order was placed by S.A. Tucker on Feb 9, 1900 for Frank Butler. S.A. Tucker was a salesman for Parker and also a well known shooter. It was a 12ga. DH with 28” Titanic steel barrels, ½ pistol grip, hammerless, 7 ¼ pounds, 2 ¼ DAH, 1 ½” DAC, 13 11/16” LOP, small grip 4 1/16”, distance from front trigger to comb 5”, full choke, donation kindness of Parker Bros. The gun was free but would sell for $100.00. Shipped to a NYC address on April 3, 1900. 101401 is the serial number.

 

Here is a memorial to Annie close to the home where she grew up.

 

Parkerguy,

Annie owned and shot many different guns throughout her career. Many were gifted to her by the firearms manufacturers. My guess is that the Parker tag for 1900, due to the length of pull, was for Frank. I've always felt that she was partial to her Parkers. I have her shooting one, a 6-pound, 16ga. back in her early days (1885). Here's a few reports from my files on Annie's guns.

The champion lady all round shot, Miss Annie Oakley, March 20 gave an exhibition shoot at Gun Club, Cincinnati. She used a six-pound 16-gauge Parker gun, loaded with three drachms of powder and one ounce of No. 8 shot. Shooting was at sixteen yards rise, trap set at last notch and birds thrown at every angle. The lady’s score was 43 out of 50.
[ SPORTING LIFE, April 1, 1885, page 11 ]

Annie Oakley, the famous lady shot, is now using a 12 gauge L. C. Smith gun, made for her by the Hunter Arms Co. This gun was put up specially to her order. It has a very fine pair of chain Damascus barrels, on the right hand lock is engraved a portrait of Annie Oakley in stage costume and on the left hand lock, the regular portrait that is so familiar to all shooters. In the guard, inlaid in gold, is Miss Oakley’s entire name. The gun is pronounced by everyone who has seen it a magnificent piece of work and the way Miss Oakley handles it is wonderful
[ SPORTING LIFE, April 1, 1899, page 14 ]

Miss Annie Oakley, the world famous expert, says of her favorite load in trap shooting: “I use 39 grains of Shultze smokeless powder and one ounce of shot, loaded in U. M .C. smokeless shells. I don’t say this is the only load but – it is good enough for me.”
[ SPORTSMEN’S REVIEW, June 15, 1899, page 337 ]

Frank E. Butler, husband and manager of Annie Oakley, writes us that the Buffalo Bill Wild West is now working through Texas, finishing a very successful eight months season. Although for over two weeks Miss Oakley has been suffering from a sprained hand, yet so far she has not missed shooting twice a day. He also says that since she has been using Parker guns there has been no repair bills to pay – not one of the several Parkers which she uses having caused any trouble. He ends by stating that Sporting Life is always found on the news stands where ever they stop. After the show season closes, Mr. and Mrs. Butler will enjoy a few weeks quail shooting in the southwest.
[SPORTING LIFE, October 6, 1900, page 14]

Annie Oakley took part in the two events at the Keystone Shooting League on Saturday of last week. In the first match she missed three out of the first four birds shot at and finished the next six straight. In the second match, which was the regular club shoot, she was the only one to kill ten straight in a field of twenty entries. She was using a Parker gun, 3 drams Schultze powder in U. M. C. shells.
[Sporting Life, February 22, 1902, page 14]

Thanks for the information and the order tag.

rookieshooter, thanks for the great pictures.

One last statement regarding the picture of Annie Oakley attending the 1925 Grand American : I have researched this several times and did so again recently. I have never found any reports that she attended or shot in that tournament. Her name is not listed among the many competitors. None of the newspaper reports mention Annie presenting a trophy to the Women's Champions and I would think that if this happened, the newspapers would jump at the chance of reporting anything about the famous Annie Oakley.

Until someone comes forward with information to verify Annie's attendance at the 1925 GAH, I'm leaning toward the opinion that it may only be a yarn.

Enjoy Our History !

HB

 

These pics I took at the grave site of Annie and Frank. There were flowers at Annie's grave stone along with a bracelet, coins and some sea shells (Annie loved the sea shore) placed on top of the tombstone. Now don't ask me who placed an empty shotgun shell on each of Annie's and Frank's tombstone.

 

HistoryBuff, I'm the research chairman for the Parker Gun Collectors Association. If I can help you, contact me at pgcaresearch@verizon.net

Rookieshooter, why did you drop your membership? We would welcome you back.

 

HB... can`t remember if I shared this photo of Annie. From 1896 GAH

Trap3

 

History Buff, you need to finish the book on Annie Oakley. That would be a great book. Annie did a lot of bird hunting, and I am trying to find the pictures in one of my books, where she is hunting upland birds with one of her dogs, possibly her setter "Dave".