Olive Oatman: The Tragic Story of the Girl with the Blue Tattoo

Born in September 1837, Olive Oatman is recognized for her distinctive blue facial tattoo. The daughter of Mary Ann and Roys Oatman, her family embraced Mormonism and parted ways with James Brewster's wagon train in 1851. Tragically, 19 Native Americans attacked them, resulting in the deaths of Roys, Mary Ann, and four of their children; Olive and her sister Mary Ann were taken captive. For a year, they were enslaved by the Yavapai before being sold to the Mojave, who adopted them and adorned them with tattoos. Mary Ann passed away in 1855. In 1856, Olive was freed to Fort Yuma, reunited with her brother Lorenzo, and married John Fairchild in 1865. She died of a heart attack at 65 and is interred in Sherman, Texas.