Oatman, Arizona Home of Wild Burros
Article and Photographs By Nancy Binder
A
long “The Mother Road,” Route 66, there are many quirky, fun towns to visit. One of my favorites is Oatman, Arizona located in western Arizona near the California and Nevada borders on old Route 66 between Needles, California and Kingman, Arizona. Gold was found in the Black Mountains near there in 1863 by Johnny Moss. He staked two claims, one named after himself and the other after Olive Oatman. The Oatman story was well known in the area by this time and the town was named for Olive. The Oatman family were Mormons traveling from Illinois to California. They joined a wagon train of fellow Brewsterite Mormons in Independence, Missouri. The group split near Santa Fe, New Mexico territory, with the Brewsters going north and Oatman and several other families going south. Near Maricopa Wells, Arizona territory, they were told that they would be risking their lives traveling further. The Native Americans were hostile and the land ahead was barren. The other families decided to stay, but the Oatman family continued on. Going it alone, Royce Oatman, his wife, and seven children were massacred on February 18, 1851. It is thought that Yavapai Native Americans wanted food and tobacco from the family. As they didn’t have much, they gave the Yavapai a meager amount which angered them. The Yavapai clubbed the family to death, 16 | April 2020 | voicemagazineforwomen.com
all except Olive, age 14, and Mary Ann, age 7, who were taken as slaves. Their brother, Lorenzo age 15 was left for dead. Lorenzo awakened to find his family dead and sisters, Olive and Mary Ann, gone. He found his way to a settlement where he was nursed back to health. Olive and Mary Ann were used as slaves to forage for food and carry water and firewood, and according to Olive’s memoir were beaten frequently. While living with the Yavapai, Mohave Native Americans came to trade. Topeka, the daughter of the Mohave chief, saw the girls and how poorly they were treated and tried to trade for the girls, but was refused. Topeka came back and offered two horses, some vegetables, beads, and blankets continued on next page