11. Annie Oakley and Frank Butler
Much of the life of Annie Oakley is mythologized, with conflicting dates for events and stories of accomplishments attributed to others. Her marriage to Frank Butler is one such, with some sources claiming they were wed in Cincinnati in 1876, others in Greenville, Ohio in 1881. Her prowess with a rifle is unquestioned though, and through her tours with her husband’s shooting shows, followed by their joint appearances with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, she gained world fame. Throughout her life, she trained women to use firearms to defend themselves, with one source estimating over 15,000 learning to shoot through her personal instruction. She offered to form an all-women rifle company for service in the Spanish-American War, which President William McKinley declined.
Frank continued to work as Annie’s manager after his own shooting career ended, and the couple worked closely together for the rest of her life. In 1904 she was falsely reported as dependent on cocaine in several newspapers; she eventually prevailed in more than 50 lawsuits for libel. In 1924 her health declined and she died the following year in Greenville, Ohio at the age of 66. Frank was so despondent that he quit eating entirely. He traveled to Michigan, where he stayed at the home of Annie’s sister, Hulda Haines. He died 18 days after Annie, with some sources claiming the cause was suicide by starvation. Others attribute his death to senility. He was 79. Annie and Frank Butler were lifelong advocates of women being taught the means to defend themselves, in an age where many men considered such behavior unseemly.