Taken Captive: The Olive Oatman Story

Nancy J. Farrier here. This is a story I happened across during some of my research.

In August, 1850, the Oatman family joined a group traveling from Independence, Missouri to the juncture of the Colorado and Gila Rivers near Fort Yuma, where they wanted to start a new town. (At this time, Fort Yuma was called Camp Yuma, located in what would be Arizona today.)Following months of difficulties and disagreements, in 1851 the nine members of the Oatman family found themselves on their own in Southern Arizona Territory, which at that time still belonged to Mexico. After much debate, on the advice of a solitary traveler, they set out for Fort Yuma, almost 200 miles west across an unforgiving desert.

Over the next ninety miles, they struggled with exhausted animals, roads washed out making it necessary to carry goods by hand when the oxen and mules were exhausted, and discouragement. The Oatman parents were at a low point, their only choice to carry on. At the half way point, they spent the night on a sand island in the middle of the Gila River where the wagons mired.

The next morning, they hitched the oxen to the wagon again to finish crossing the river. The road led up a steep hill with the team so weakened they had difficulty pulling the empty wagon up the grade.

The family members had to carry their goods up by hand. At this point, Mr. Oatman, who had always been very hopeful and positive became downcast and feared something bad would happen.

Once they all made the crest of the hill, they discovered more hills to come and stopped to rest. They were approached by nineteen Indians, who expressed friendship. Mr. Oatman shared a pipe with the men, who then asked for food. Although their stores were dangerously depleted, Mr. Oatman gave them some bread. The Indians wanted more, but were turned down. After consulting among themselves, the Indians, with fierce cries, attacked the family.

Olive Oatman, a young teen at the time of the attack, watched with horror and confusion as her family member were beaten with clubs and struck down. Olive fainted and when she came to only her seven-year-old sister, Mary Ann, was alive and unharmed. Their captors ransacked the wagon, left the dead and dying family members and rode away with Olive and Mary Ann.

Unknown to Olive, Lorenzo, her fifteen-year-old brother, survived the attack, but didn’t regain consciousness until the next day. After a harrowing trek, which included an attack by wolves, he
made it to safety. Lorenzo vowed to never give up searching for his sisters.

One year later, Olive and Mary Ann were sold to the Mojave Indians as slaves. During their first year of captivity with the Mojaves, Mary Ann contracted an illness and died. Olive spent four years with the Mojaves. During that time, she received a tattoo on her chin, one that all captives were required to have, but some reports say the Mojave women all received a similar tattoo.She made friends and adapted well to their lifestyle.

Five years after the deaths of her family, Olive’s release was negotiated. The Chieftan’s daughter, Olive’s good friend, accompanied her to Fort Yuma. Olive’s brother, Lorenzo, heard of her release, but said he wouldn’t believe it to be true until he saw her for himself. Imagine the excitement of both Lorenzo and Olive, since Olive thought her brother died in the attack.

Olive Oatman after captivity

Olive proved to be an incredible person. After watching her family die, she adapted to life with the Yavapai Indians and then to the Mojave Indians. After her rescue, she once again had to adapt to life with a brother she thought dead and a culture far removed from Indian life. Many times Olive would weep as she longed for her friends in the Mojave camp. Olive later married a cattleman. They adopted a young girl and lived on their ranch in Texas. Olive died in 1903.

There are many interesting books and accounts of Olive’s capture. The first written account is the Captivity of the Oatman Girls by R.B. Stratton. Another book that might be of interest is The Blue Tattoo by Margot Mifflin.



This month, one of my books, Sonoran Sunrise, is on sale as an ebook. This book takes place in the 1870's Arizona Territory. Check it out:Amazon; Barnes & Noble; or CBD.

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest and interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.

 

Gadsden Makes a Purchase

By Nancy J. Farrier

In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase made history. The United States bought 828,000 square miles of land from France for a price of 15 million dollars, approximately three cents per acre. This purchase included land from Louisiana up to the border of Canada, encompassing all or part of the land for 15 states. In 1853, the United States made a smaller, yet crucial acquisition referred to as The Gadsden Purchase.

James Gadsden, once a soldier serving under General Andrew Jackson, later worked for President Monroe. After Andrew Jackson became President, Gadsden fell out of favor. He’d always had an interest in railroads, and in 1839 he was appointed President of the South Carolina Railroad Company. His dream was to see a southern transcontinental railroad and he began to work toward that end.

In 1846 the United States entered into war with Mexico. The war lasted until 1848, when the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed and the United States gained ownership of much of the western half of what is now the continental United States of America. In the Arizona Territory, the new border ran along the Gila River, miles north of the current border.

Even after the Treaty had been signed, tensions between the two countries were high. Border disputes continued, and there was protection for new settlers heading west. Meanwhile, James Gadsden had been advised that the best route for the southern transcontinental railroad would be through the territory still held by Mexico. As the U.S. Minister to Mexico, Gadsden was sent by President Franklin Pierce and the Secretary of State to renegotiate the southern border of Eastern New Mexico and what would become the Arizona Territory. The change would accommodate the perfect route for the proposed railroad.

In September of 1853, Gadsden began talks with Mexican President Antonio de Santa Anna. After months of negotiations an agreement was reached. The proposed purchase price presented to the American government for approval was $15,000,000 for 45,000 square miles of territory. In April of 1854, the ratified agreement approved the amount of $10,000,000 for 29,670 square miles of land. Pierce signed the document and Santa Anna signed it on June 8, 1854. The procurement of the land figured out to a cost of thirty-three cents per acre.

The new border ran along the Rio Grande River and included the little presidio of Tucson. It would be several years before the United States of America would provide protection through its cavalry. In 1854, the inhabitants asked for a territorial government. One of the proposed names for Arizona was Gadsonia. Arizona became a Territory in 1863, and became a State in 1912.

Soon after his famous purchase, James Gadsden lost his position as U.S. Minister to Mexico. He also didn’t live to see the fulfillment of his dream in the southern route of the transcontinental railroad. President Santa Anna was ousted because of the unpopularity of his decision to sell the land to the United States of America.

Without Mr. Gadsden purchase we wouldn’t have some of the colorful history from the Southwest. Just think if there had been no Tombstone with a shootout involving Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp. The beautiful Mission San Xavier del Bac south of Tucson wouldn’t be part of the United States of America. Part of our rich heritage includes Mr. Gadsdens purchase.

I used to live in the part of Arizona that joined the United States of America when Gadsden made his purchase. Have you ever traveled to Southern Arizona? Have you visited Tucson or the Catalina Mountains? Have you ever traveled the southern route by train?

Coming July 2013

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest and interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.