Mary Ann Oatman
Encyclopedia
Mary Ann Oatman was the sister of Olive Oatman
, and a survivor of abuse by the Yavapai people
(though many historians argue that it is impossible to know whether or not these were Yavapai, or some other tribe.)
Mary Ann Oatman was born to Roys Oatman and his wife; also named Mary Ann, in Illinois
. The Oatmans were members of the Mormon
religion
.
Believing that they were immigrating to a divine country, the Oatmans travelled to Arizona
, where they were massacred by Yavapai. The only survivors of the Oatman family massacre were Mary Ann, her sister Olive and brother Lorenzo, who was badly injured.
Mary Ann and her sister Olive were taken as slaves by the Yavapai. Tied with ropes and forced to walk along the Arizonan desert
, the girls' health suffered deeply; they became hungry and dehydrated. Whenever they asked for rest or water
, they would be poked by the Yavapai with lances.
Mary Ann and Olive were forced to hard labor, and they would be bothered by Yavapai children, who used sticks to burn them.
In 1851, the sisters were traded to the Mohave tribe for a couple of horse
s and bags of beans. The Mohave chief and his family welcomed the Oatman sisters with love and care, giving them food and providing them with a family life. Unfortunately for young Mary Ann, the help came too late: her body affected by the hunger and illness she suffered as a captive, she died soon after being taken by the chief's family. Shortly before passing away, she tried to comfort her sister by telling her "I have been a great deal of trouble to you, Olive. You will miss me for a while, but you will not have to work so hard when I'm gone".
Olive Oatman
Olive Oatman was a woman from Illinois who was famously abducted by a Native American tribe , then sold to another . She ultimately regained her freedom five years later. The story resonated in the media, partly owing to the prominent blue tattooing of Oatman's face by her captors...
, and a survivor of abuse by the Yavapai people
Yavapai people
Yavapai are an indigenous people in Arizona. Historically, the Yavapai were divided into four geographical bands that considered themselves separate peoples: the Tolkapaya, or Western Yavapai, the Yavapé, or Northwestern Yavapai, the Kwevkapaya, or Southeastern Yavapai, and Wipukpa, or Northeastern...
(though many historians argue that it is impossible to know whether or not these were Yavapai, or some other tribe.)
Mary Ann Oatman was born to Roys Oatman and his wife; also named Mary Ann, in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The Oatmans were members of the Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
.
Believing that they were immigrating to a divine country, the Oatmans travelled to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, where they were massacred by Yavapai. The only survivors of the Oatman family massacre were Mary Ann, her sister Olive and brother Lorenzo, who was badly injured.
Mary Ann and her sister Olive were taken as slaves by the Yavapai. Tied with ropes and forced to walk along the Arizonan desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
, the girls' health suffered deeply; they became hungry and dehydrated. Whenever they asked for rest or water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, they would be poked by the Yavapai with lances.
Mary Ann and Olive were forced to hard labor, and they would be bothered by Yavapai children, who used sticks to burn them.
In 1851, the sisters were traded to the Mohave tribe for a couple of horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s and bags of beans. The Mohave chief and his family welcomed the Oatman sisters with love and care, giving them food and providing them with a family life. Unfortunately for young Mary Ann, the help came too late: her body affected by the hunger and illness she suffered as a captive, she died soon after being taken by the chief's family. Shortly before passing away, she tried to comfort her sister by telling her "I have been a great deal of trouble to you, Olive. You will miss me for a while, but you will not have to work so hard when I'm gone".