Annie Oakley's Grave, Brock Cemetery, Darke County, Ohio
Donated by Tom Williams
Posted January 28, 2008

Born: August 13, 1860 - Died November 3, 1926

The entrance to the Brock Cemetery in Greenville, Ohio.

Tom says:
Annie's grave is in Brock Cemetery a cuple of miles north of Ohio SR 47 and just to the east of US 127 and is located
in farm country with wooded areas scattered here and there and the cemetery is rather isolated from the main stream of
things. No doubt that Annie hunted these wooded areas when she was a girl even the woods across the road from Brock
Cemetery.

She was born only a mile or so north of the cemetery. She is buried with her husband of fifty years, Frank Butler who
was a world champion shootist until he ran into Annie at a shooting match in Cincinnati, Ohio in the mid 1880's where
Annie beat the famous Frank Butler, hands down! Later they met and fell in love and married and joined the Buffalo
Bill's (Bill Cody) Wild West Show and travelled the world amazing people with their shooting skills even amazed kings
and the Queen of England.

When she was a girl she was given the job of putting food on the table. It was said that her father would not take it
kindly if she wasted a shot by missing a game animal and she honed her skills as an expert shot early in life to avoid
a slap across the face? She was sent to live with a woman by her family to make money for them (Annie's family was large
and the father died young of pneumonia) and this woman she worked for almost held her captive and treated her like a
slave and finally, Annie was able to break free and make it on her own. Her childhood was not pleasant and when she
became famous and had money, she devoted her time and money in helping children and gave a lot for charities that helped
children undoubtedly because of her childhood. She was a great lady, rose above her childhood, was gentle, generous,
humble, and kind and she had real "class"! When Annie died her husband, Frank Butler stopped eating and was dead within
three weeks of a broken heart! They were married over fifty years. They have a museum in Greenville, Garst Museum,
with a section devoted to Annie and the town square has a life size bronze statue of her and each July they have a
three day Annie Oakley Festival and the town honors their home town girl. It is similiar to the James Dean Festival
in Fairmount, Indiana where my daughter is buried. I have attended both quite often.

I have a book of Annie's life written by her great niece whom I met several years ago and she autographed the book for
me. She was a delightful woman in her late 70's or early 80's and she was so interesting. She is in front of the
parade in town being escorted in an open vehicle and hailed as one of Annie's blood relatives. No, Annie did none
of those things on the Annie Oakley TV series with Gail Davis but she was a true hero and a great lady and true
American.

For the record, Annie was cremated but I don't know about Frank Butler. Moses grave between Annie and Frank is Annie's
family members.

Tom!! These photos and biography are AWESOME!!!! Thank you SO much!!

For more photos and stories donated by Tom Williams, click on his name!

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