In 1850, Royce and Mary Oatman and their seven children left Illinois and headed West for a better life.  On the fourth day of their travels, the family was attacked by Native Americans and a young Olive and her sister, Mary Ann, were abducted.  They spent the next years as slave labor, but were ultimately traded to a group of Mohave Indians.  

Here is their story...

Upon joining the Mohave tribe, both of the girls had their chins tattooed in the customary fashion.  They didn't know at the time that any of their family members had survived the attack, much less that there would be a chance of freedom.  As such, they became an active part of the tribe...

In 1855, when Olive was 19, a severe drought hit the area and many people died of starvation.  The young Mary Ann died during this time, as depicted in this 1857 drawing by Royal B. Stratton.  The drought increased travel and communication among tribes and also between tribes and the west-ward travelers.  Rumors began to circulate that a white woman was living with the Mohaves.  

 

A group of men (including her brother, Lorenzo) sent a messenger to the camp and arranged for Olive's release.  She traveled safely to Fort Yuma and everyone was shocked and amazed at not just that she had survived, but that she was now 'marked' as one of the tribe members!

This made her an instant celebrity, so much so that in 1857, Royal B. Stratton wrote a bestselling book about what Olive and Mary Ann had experienced.  This celebrity funded education and a better life for Olive and her brother.  

In 1865, Olive would marry a local cattleman and adopt a baby girl.  Despite her husband forcing her to stop doing lectures tied to the books, it's reported that toward the end of her life, she traveled to meet with a Mohave leader to discuss "old times".  She also always kept a jar of hazelnuts, a Mohave stable, nearby as a reminder of her experience.