Chances are, you've seen the haunting photos of Olive Oatman with her chilling stare and noticeable face tattoo.
But do you know the real story behind her distinct ink? There have been plenty of rumors and myths surrounding Olive's photographs over the years, ever since they began circulating, but many of those have also been heavily embellished.
It's impossible to avoid the curiosity that comes with seeing the marks on her chin. Even Olive's own stories about her time with Native American tribes weren't the whole truth.
There is a comprehensive account of how Olive endured her five years of captivity, The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman by Margot Mifflin.
Below you'll find the most surprising details that have come to light about Olive, her family, and the marks on her face.
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1. Her Family Was Traveling To California
Olive, her parents, Roys and Mary, and their six other children joined a wagon trail group of about 90 individuals, known as "Brewsterites," on their way to California from Independence, Missouri.
Led by James Brewster, the group of Mormons wanted to split off from Brigham Young's Salt Lake City-based followers and find a new place to make their own.
2. The Wagon Train Split Apart Several Times
When they got to Santa Fe, feuding between members of the wagon train caused them to split into two factions: one remaining with Brewster and taking the northern route while the others, including the Oatmans, went south toward Tucson.
By 1851, Roys was in command of the group and attempted to lead them through Maricopa Wells, Arizona. After being warned about the potentially hostile Native Americans residing there and the lack of sufficient food or water supply, Roys still went ahead with just his family on the trail.
3. Her Family Was Brutally Attacked
Known as the "Oatman Massacre," every member of Olive's family save for her, her 7-year-old sister, Mary Ann, and their 14-year-old brother, Lorenzo, were beaten to death by members of a Native American tribe. They had made it to what is now Yuma, Arizona, when a disagreement with the tribal members attempting to trade tobacco turned deadly.
Olive, who was 14, was taken along with Mary Ann and turned into a slave. Lorenzo was left for dead but barely survived and made his way back to their original group.
4. She And Her Sister Were Traded For Horses
Their original captors were likely from the Tolkepayas or Western Yavapais tribe. After a year of living with them, suffering abuse and mistreatment, Olive and Mary Ann were traded to the Mohave tribe.
Along with the horses, the Mohave offered vegetables, blankets, and other trinkets and brought the girls back to their tribal leader.
5. Her New Tattoos Were Part Of Mohave Tradition
Despite Olive's own statements claiming that she and her sister were given specific marks to show they were slaves or captives of the tribe, you can see on this Mohave tribal woman that the tattoos were part of the custom for the whole community.
6. She And Her Sister Were Treated As Equals By The Mohave
Instead of being used as slaves, as with the previous tribe, the Oatman sisters were given their own plots of land and accepted as members of the Mohave.
7. She Had Several Chances To Escape
White traders and railroad surveyors interacted with the Mohave on more than one occasion while Olive and Mary Ann were with the tribe, but they made no moves to interact with them.
This is likely because they believed their entire family to be dead, not knowing Lorenzo had survived, and didn't think they had anywhere else to go anyway. They thought of the tribe as their new home.
8. She Lost Her Sister To Starvation
Reports claim there was a serious drought between 1855 and 1866, when Mary Ann was about 10 or 11 years old. She unfortunately became one of the victims of extreme lack of food supplies and passed away.
9. She Was Finally Released After 5 Years
At 19 years old, word spread to the white communities that a non-Native American was among the Mohave tribe. Authorities negotiated at length for her release, something she seemed reluctant to accept herself, and she was eventually taken back to Fort Yuma.
Olive reunited with her brother and a childhood friend. Although rumors claim she died in an insane asylum, she actually married a cattleman named John B. Fairchild and moved to Sherman, Texas. The couple had one adopted daughter.
She passed away from a heart attack at age 65.
Were you surprised about the truth behind Olive's striking photos?
Be sure to SHARE her fascinating story with your friends on Facebook!
