The Oatman Massacre occurred in the early months (February or March) of 1851. Royce Oatman and his family, pioneers looking to find a new life in California, were traveling towards Fort Yuma from Tucson. The family set out alone, having decided to press on when the pioneer caravan they were travelling with had opted to rest and resupply at a friendly Pima village. The Oatman family were attacked by a hostile tribe (the survivors identified the group as Tonto Apache, while others have said Yavapai or even Maricopa). The parents, eldest daughter, and two youngest children were killed in the attack. Two daughters, the 13 year old Olive and the seven year-old Mary were taken captive and the eldest son, Lorenzo was beaten and left for dead.
This collection contains secondary sources regarding the Oatman Massacre, Olive Oatman’s captivity and release. Also includes photocopies of original materials such Olive’s re-published lecture notes, and other original sources held by the Bancroft Library.
