Sam Patch

     In 1829, Sam Patch jumped over Niagara Falls near Goat Island on the American side and lived to tell about it.
     Sam was born in 1799 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. As a child laborer in a cotton mill, he entertained his friends by jumping off the local mill dam. By 1827, he had moved to New Jersey and he started work in a mill near Paterson. On September 30, 1827, he successfully jumped the 70-foot high Pasaic Falls. On August 11, 1828, he jumped the 100-foot high Hoboken Falls. He was nicknamed, "Patch, the New Jersey Leaper."
     He began a daredevil's career of jumping from bridges, factory walls, and ship's masts, and raising money from bets and selling souvenirs. He traveled with a pet bear cub on a chain and a pet fox on a rope.
     He jumped Niagara Falls twice in October, 1829. A 125-foot ladder was extended over the falls from the river edge on Goat Island. Before his first jump, a 15-foot section of the ladder broke near the cliff. The ladder was repaired and re-anchored and he jumped at 4 P.M. on time. No one saw him in the tumultuous water below the falls until he emerged on shore and the crowd cheered. He performed his second jump on October 17 before a larger crowd. 
     Newspapers across the nation announced his feat and a popular slogan appeared: "Some things can be done as well as others."
     He traveled to Rochester and prepared to jump 99-foot high Genesee Falls. On November 6, 1829, he first threw his pet bear cub over the falls. The crowd watched the bear swim to safety and cheered. Sam soon followed the bear over the falls and emerged safely on shore to louder cheers from the crowd.
    But the betting and souvenir money was paltry, so Sam decided to raise more money and make another jump on Friday, November 13, 1829.
     A 25 foot platform was built above Genesee Falls to increase the height of the jump to 125 feet. About 8,000 people watched Sam Patch jump, but he never emerged from the whirling waters below. Boaters and intrepid swimmers searched for him but did not find him. Some people said Sam was drinking before he jumped. Others said it appeared that he wasn't in a vertical position when he jumped but appeared to fall off the platform sideways.
     His frozen body was found in ice next spring. He was buried in Charlotte, not far from the spot where his body was found. A wood marker was placed at his grave: "Sam Patch--Such is Fame." 
     His name became familiar with schoolchildren across the nation, especially in upstate New York. It was used derisively, as a substitute for fool.
    The musical group Pinataland created a song called The Fall of Sam Patch. You can listen to it at MySpace:  http://www.myspace.com/pinataland/music/songs/the-fall-of-sam-patch-25795298
     Additional information about Sam Patch can be found at:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Patch