Indian Captive. Olive and her family headed alone for California in 1850. They were attacked by Indians on the Gila River in Arizona in February of 1851, and Olive and her sister Mary were captured. The girls served as slaves for a year and were later sold to a Mojave chief who lived near Needles, California. Mary died of starvation and abuse. By 1855, the army began negotiations for Olive and she was ransomed near Fort Yuma, Arizona, and allowed to rejoin her only surviving relative, her brother Lorenzo. R.B. Stratton wrote a book titled "Life Among the Indians" about Olive Oatman. Royalties paid for Lorenzo and Olive's college education. Olive went on the lecture circuit to help promote the book, but eventually married John Brant Fairchild and moved to Sherman, Texas.
Indian Captive. Olive and her family headed alone for California in 1850. They were attacked by Indians on the Gila River in Arizona in February of 1851, and Olive and her sister Mary were captured. The girls served as slaves for a year and were later sold to a Mojave chief who lived near Needles, California. Mary died of starvation and abuse. By 1855, the army began negotiations for Olive and she was ransomed near Fort Yuma, Arizona, and allowed to rejoin her only surviving relative, her brother Lorenzo. R.B. Stratton wrote a book titled "Life Among the Indians" about Olive Oatman. Royalties paid for Lorenzo and Olive's college education. Olive went on the lecture circuit to help promote the book, but eventually married John Brant Fairchild and moved to Sherman, Texas.
Inscription
OLIVE A. OATMAN
WIFE OF
J. B. FAIRCHILD
Family Members
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