Olive Oatman: Survivor

 

I ran across a picture of Olive Oatman while researching something else. The tattoo on her chin caught my attention. This strong woman intrigued me, and what I learned about her was both heartbreaking and admirable.

Olive Oatman was born September 7, 1837 in La Harpa, Illinois to Royce and Mary Ann Oatman. Royce had converted to Mormonism from his Methodist background. After the Mormon founder Joseph Smith was killed in 1844, he joined a splinter group lead by Jame C. Brewster.

Forming a new colony

In the summer of 1850, the Brewsterites set out to form a new colony in the west. Their wagon train of 24 wagons gathered at Independence, Missouri, a common starting point for wagon trains, and headed toward what is modern day Yuma, Arizona near the Colorado and Gila Rivers.

Dissention plagued them, and the group split up near Santa Fe in New Mexico Territory. Brewster led half the group north, while Oatman lead a group south to their original destination. Oatman’s group further disintegrated when they found the land and climate not suitable.

Oatman encouraged his group to continue. When they reached Maricopa Wells (20 miles south of modern day Phoenix, Arizona), they were warned by residents against taking the Gila Trail. Not only because it was a barren wasteland, but also hostile tribes frequented that route. No one wished to continue.

 

Oatman massacre

Traveling alone

But Royce Oatman was a stubborn man. Even with his wife eight months pregnant with their eighth child and his oldest children mere teens, he continued on. It was never recommended that a wagon travel alone, They were an easy target for trouble.

And trouble they found. On their fourth day, they were approached by nineteen Indians who asked for tobacco and food. The Oatman’s had little food and Royce refused to share. Their stinginess offended their leader. They immediately clubbed Royce and his wife to death. Olive, age 14, watched in horror as her brother Lorenzo age 15, was left to die of his injuries. The moans of her other family members tore through her and any attempt to go near them was met with a threat of a club shook at her. And her arms were held tightly so she couldn’t go to them. Watching her family die and fearing she would be next terrified her.

Olive and Mary Ann spared

Instead of death, Olive and her 7-year-old sister Mary Ann were taken captive by the Yavapais tribe. They served as their slaves, gathering firewood, forging for food, and any other tasks given them while being treated very poorly and given limited food.

Lorenzo lived

Meanwhile, Lorenzo awoke to find his family dead and his sister missing. He managed to make it to a settlement some distance away, where they nursed him back to health. Once well, he joined another group heading toward the Gila River. He found his family again, and with the help of his wagon train companions, buried them. This is when Lorenzo made it his life’s mission to find his sisters.

Rescued from Slavery

The girls were discovered by the Mohave tribe who visited the Yavapais to trade. Topeka, the daughter of the Mohave chief Espanole, was upset over the treatment of the Oatman girls and tried to trade for them. The first attempt was refused, but Topeka was determined. She eventually traded, a horse, some blankets, beads and produce for them.

After being traded, they walked for days to their new village in what is present day Needle, California. Both Topeka and her mother Aespanoe took care of the girls. Aespaneo, the chief’s wife, arranged for the girls to have land to plant their own garden and be part of the community.   

They assimilated into the tribe

Eventually, the girls were tattooed as part of the tribe. It was a very important tradition that held spiritual significance. Slaves were never tattooed. The girls adopted the tribe as their new family. They had no idea their brother was alive, and they were treated lovingly by the community, especially by Topeka and Aesepano.

They were given tribal names and nicknames, something only given to tribal members. She had permission to leave at any time. Olive claimed she feared leaving because she had no sense of direction. And none of the tribe would take her to a white settlement, fearing what might happen to them if they were seen with a white woman.

More heartache came to Olive when a severe famine caused the already weak Mary Ann to die. Olive later mentioned how her sister talked about going to heaven to be with their parents. Olive too was weak, she’d nursed many in the tribe besides her sister. Her caring heart was reciprocated when Aespano nursed her back to health. A testimony to their love of the girls is allowing Olive to bury her sister. The Mohave always cremated their dead.

 Lorenzo hears a rumor

Lorenzo kept searching and when he heard of a white woman among the Mohave, he went to Fort Yuma for assistance. Francisco, a Yuma Indian messenger, went to the Mohave. At first they claimed she was not there. Even when they offered to trade for her, they resisted, claiming she wasn’t white. The whole tribe was very fond of her and knew she didn’t wish to leave them.

A threat sends her to back to the white man’s world

Then Francisco threatened them. He claimed the white men would destroy them if they did not release her. Then now, 19-year-old Olive was included in the discussion and they agreed to make the trade. The fear of annihilation weighed heavily in their decision. It appears to historians that she gave up her new family, to save her adopted people from death.

Topeka rode with her on the 20-day journey, probably wanting to spend as much time as she could with the friend she would never see again and also to ensure nothing untoward happened to her along the way.

Olive and Lozenzo's portraits.

 

A change of clothes starts her new life

Just outside the fort, Olive was given suitable clothes, as the Mohave dress was only a bark skirt, leaving them topless. She entered the fort and was overwhelmed by a cheering crowd. Then she was greeted by Lorenzo. What a shock that must have been to see him alive. Their reunion made headlines around the globe. Which set her on an emotional rollercoaster.

Her life in the white world will be shared in part two. Join me August 17^th to learn how she adjusted to this next chapter of her life.

Have you ever heard of Olive Oatman beyond the photo of her tattooed face?

 

Cindy Ervin Huff is an Award-winning author of Historical and Contemporary Romance. She loves infusing hope into her stories of broken people. She’s addicted to reading and chocolate. Her idea of a vacation is visiting historical sites and an ideal date with her hubby of fifty years would be live theater. Visit her website www.cindyervinhuff.com. Or on Social media:

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