Tour in the "Darke" Leads to Annie Oakley Collection Coming to Light

A pearl-handled revolver belonging to Annie Oakley is among the extraordinary artifacts recently acquired from a rare private collection by Garst Museum and the National Annie Oakley Center. The heirs of William and Jennie Longfelder are donating this collection following almost two years of communications and a most unusual tour of Garst in the dark.

Long stored in a safety deposit box, the Annie artifacts are finally going to see the light. The great grandchildren of William and Jennie Longfelder granted final disposition of their great grandparents’ Annie artifacts to Garst Museum’s national Annie Oakley collection. Mr. Longfelder from Nutley, New Jersey, served as the executor of not only Annie Oakley’s estate but also her husband Frank Butler’s in 1926.

The Annie Oakley Center Foundation (AOCF) was contacted two years ago about this group of items through its webpage by one of the great grandchildren. Eileen Litchfield, Chairman of the Annie Oakley Center Foundation (AOCF), continued those conversations and worked towards receiving the items for the National Annie Oakley Center.

The family later sent cataloged photos, which a team of five from the museum and the AOCF reviewed. The donated revolver was found in the box with letters and newspaper articles verifying that Annie slept with this gun under her pillow when visiting with the family.

Several months later, two of the siblings came to Greenville from Tennessee and Florida for a scheduled tour on May 8, the morning after the tornado hit! With the Museum’s power out, Eileen led the visitors through the museum with flashlights so that they could appreciate the National Annie Oakley Center and the whole Garst Museum. There were many comments about touring Darke in the dark!

Additionally, the box contained letters from Annie Oakley to the Longfelders where Annie confides in her friend about issues with Frank’s health. There are also newspaper articles from New Jersey, a domicile of the couple, that shed further research into the couple. According to Brenda Arnett, office manager and Annie specialist at Garst who was involved in the team evaluation, “This is a treasure trove of great artifacts and research material about Annie Oakley.” Dr. Clay Johnson, Garst Museum CEO, comments, “This is a unique collection of items with excellent provenance and connection to Annie Oakley. I am so thankful for the AOCF and our team of researchers who worked behind the scenes with the donors to ensure that this important collection will receive the recognition and care it deserves. Mike Ross, AOCF board member, and Nancy Cooper, AOCF director, were a part of the team. I also appreciate the donors’ patience and understanding when visiting the museum the morning after the tornado struck. It certainly created a memorable experience for all involved.”

Continuing conversations and research on the part of the four siblings, and further negotiations led them to the decision that all of the collection would be donated to Garst. According to Craig Timmins, the brother of the four great grandchildren, “We narrowed it down to two venues and then decided it would all go to Garst.”

The team was very excited to review the photos of the collection. “We learned of the great friendship between Annie, Frank, and the Longfelders from the information that was shared. They were neighbors just three blocks apart in Nutley, New Jersey,” remarked Mike Ross.

The AOCF has included some of the items in a temporary display for the public to view in the Lowell Thomas room of the Garst Museum, and many will be added more permanently in the collection for all to see in the National Annie Oakley Center.

This gift was given by the following families in loving memory of Mr. and Mrs. William Longfelder, Mr. and Mrs.Richard Carmel, and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Timmins by the Conley Family, Alpharetta, Georgia; Greenfield Family, Nashville, Tennessee; Timmins Family, Naples, Florida; and the Wirshing Family, Henderson, Nevada.

Receiving the treasure trove of Annie Oakley items at Garst Museum from Carolyn Timmins Greenfield and her husband Jeff Greenfield as representatives of the great grandchildren of the Longfelders are left to right: Brenda Arnett, Garst Museum; Joan Dowler and Bonnie Perry, great great nieces of Annie Oakley; Mike Ross, AOCF and Garst board member; the Greenfields; and Eileen Litchfield, AOCF and Garst board member.

Images courtesy of the Darke County Historial Society
Annie Oakley Center Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 1025, Greenville, OH 45331info@annieoakleycenterfoundation.com