The main attraction: Annie Oakley the Leo star.

Annie Oakley, was a quintessential Leo, showy, brave and exceptional. Although we don’t have her birth time, I have set the chart for midday, we can she she has a stellium in Leo, Jupiter, Mercury, Sun and Saturn.

I wonder if her chart does have a Scorpio ascendant, as Scorpios quite often have a hard start in life and have to battle setbacks and cruelty to survive.

Annie was born in rural Ohio the sixth of nine children. Her father died when she was six and she was raised in poverty. At the age of nine, March 15th 1870, she was sent to a local infirmary with her sister, and later ‘bound out’ to a local family to help with their child and promised a small sum in payment. She was ill-treated, once sent out in the snow because she fell asleep over some sewing. Annie did not name the family, but later referred to them as ‘the wolves’.

Her transits¹ on that date were a Uranus Neptune conjunction at 18/19 degrees of Cancer respectively both conjunct her sensitive Venus in Cancer (and possibly her Moon). Certainly it was a violent rupture (Uranus), they were deceived (she was not paid, but treated like an indentured servant). Mars was conjunct the Sun that day at 23/24′ Pisces aspecting her Lilith at 22′ Pisces. Lilith was cast out, so the myth goes, and being exiled developed her great strength and also her defiance, she would bow down to no one. Finally, Venus at 27′ Aquarius had just passed over her Chiron at 25′ Aquarius. This deep wound, the wolves, drove her to success and the freedom wealth brought throughout her life.

In the spring of 1872 she ran away, and lived with another family, we don’t have the exact date, but Saturn in was around 20′ Capricorn, opposing that Venus at 18′ Cancer. While Jupiter, the planet of freedom, was at 21′ Cancer, she escaped with luck and perhaps help from strangers. There is a story that she arrived at the railway station, and had no money to buy a ticket, and a kind man, seeing her distress, gave her the money. Later, Annie took his name as her stage name and throughout her life, she gave her wealth away to charities, understanding how a little help at the right time, changes lives.

She did not return to her mother’s home until she was 15. All the while she was hunting and trapping game to support her mother, which she sold to local stores and hotels in Cincinnati. She paid off the mortgage on her mother’s farm when she was 15. Her Mars in Capricorn shows her hardworking nature and sense of responsibility to her family and also the hunting skills, Mars loves a gun!

Aim at the high mark and you will hit it. No, not the first time, not the second time and maybe not the third. But keep on aiming and keep on shooting for only practice will make you perfect. Finally you’ll hit the bull’s-eye of success.”²

Annie Oakley 1880, cabinet card. By Baker’s Art Gallery, Columbus, Ohio – Heritage Auctions, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28824418

Indeed, it was through the gun and that martian quality of sure-footed ambition that lead her to take part in a shooting contest on Thanksgiving 1875³. Traveling showman Frank Butler made a bet of $100 with a Cincinnati hotel owner, that he could beat any local sharpshooter. Annie beat him.

That Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday in October, the 24th, Uranus was at 20′ Leo conjunct Sun, which is perfect symbolism for a random, surprise event (Uranus) which transformed her life and set her on her life’s path. Lucky Jupiter was opposite her Pluto at 9′ Scorpio. Jupiter Pluto transits can be devastating but also life changing in a good way. Saturn was at 19′ Aquarius, and so opposite her Sun. Saturn Sun transits can also be transformative, overcoming obstacles (Saturn) and shows her determination, refusal to be bested and that Leo brilliance and showmanship. Certainly, Butter was astonished to be beaten by a slight women.

Annie Oakley 1899. Richard K. Fox.⁴

They married in 20th June 1882. That day, there was a Moon Mars conjunction at 23′ Leo, conjunct her Sun, and Mercury was conjunct her Moon at 10′ Cancer (even though we don’t know the exact degree of the Moon) it would have passed over the Moon at some point. Jupiter had recently passed over her Uranus and was at 13′ Gemini, Jupiter Uranus shows the break with the past and an expanded future, and indeed they worked and lived together for the rest of their lives. It is said, after Annie died, Frank only lived eighteen days, dying of a broken heart.

They joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show in 1885, Oakley was given the nickname of “Watanya Cicilla” by fellow performer Sitting Bull, or ‘Little Sure Shot’.

Annie Oakley shooting over her shoulder using a hand mirror. Public domain.⁵

Annie, had a long and successful career as a sharpshooter, she traveled with Buffalo Bill all over the world, even meeting Queen Victoria in England.

Annie knew from personal experience, how women and girls could be badly treated by wicked people and she made it her personal mission to teach women how to shoot. It is believed that Oakley taught more than 15,000 women how to use a gun. Oakley believed strongly that it was crucial for women to learn how to use a gun, as not only a form of physical and mental exercise, but also to defend themselves. She said: “I would like to see every woman know how to handle guns as naturally as they know how to handle babies.”⁶

Annie’s life show the resilience and strength of Leo, that whatever the setbacks, they rise up and overcome, taking centre stage and being generous and kind.

1. ttps://www.astro.com/swisseph/ae/1800/ae_1870.pdf transits from the ephemeris, thank you astro.com. ↩︎
2. Annie Oakley exhibit at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas ↩︎
3. Other sources say 1881 but the astrology favours the 1875 date. In 1881 there are no major transits to her horoscope. ↩︎
4. By The original uploader was Katharina at German Wikipedia. – Transferred from de.wikipedia to Commons by Ireas using Commons Helper., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11425631 ↩︎
5. By Annie Oakley – https://twitter.com/HistoryInPix/status/458534748496072705, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33154248 ↩︎
6. Wukovits, John (May 1997). Annie Oakley. Legends of the West. Chelsea House. ISBN 978-0791039069. ↩︎