![]() After his last fateful leap, Patch became something of a national folk hero. An autopsy revealed that Sam had suffered the “rupture of a blood vessel, caused by the sudden chill of the atmosphere through which he passed to the water.” On his grave a crude wooden marker was placed baring the inscription: “Here lies Sam Patch, Such is Fame.”īut fame sometimes has a way of living beyond the grave, and the Jersey Jumper’s notoriety is one such instance. In actuality though, the corpse was recovered just two days later. It was widely reported that Patch’s body did not resurface for four months when it was found by a farmer six miles down river, frozen in a block of ice. Patch hit the water at an angle, accompanied by a loud smack, and sank. According to a witness, Patch “descended about one third of the distance, as handsomely as ever.” Then suddenly his body went limp, arms and legs akimbo. But something was different on this Friday the 13th, something was wrong. Sam examined the abyss below him, then sprang from the cliff and began is trademark arrow-like descent. and Canada gathered to see Patch make the 125-foot jump into the Genessee River. He promoted this next exploit with a poster that read: Sam planned to make one more jump in Rochester before returning home. 6th, “gracefully and fearlessly,” according to the account of one local paper. Just to dispel any doubts as to whether there was any mistake in Sam Patch, he did it again 10 days later.įor his next daredevil stunt, Sam announced that he “was determined to astonish the natives of the West before returning to the Jerseys.” Patch leapt over the Genessee Falls in Rochester, New York on Nov. The Jersey Jumper had become the first person ever to survive a trip over Niagara Falls. He then kissed the American Flag and hurled himself 130 feet down into the tumultuous river. Standing on an island in the middle of the river, Patch waved to the crowds assembled on both the American and Canadian sides. Invited to upstate New York by a group of Buffalo hotel owners, the now famous Patch planned to leap over Niagara Falls. Then, in October of 1829, Sam would rise to the greatest challenge of his jumping career. Somewhere along the way he acquired a trained bear that he occasionally would persuade to jump with him. He jumped from bridges, cliffs, and anything else on the East Coast that was high enough to look life threatening. Then Sam began what he called his “Jumping Tour.” He jumped from a 90-foot ship’s mast into the Hudson River before a crowd of 500 in Hoboken. Patch would repeat his jump several times in Paterson, often passing a hat amongst the crowd to collect money. The legend of the “Jersey Jumper” was born. The daring feat was reported in newspapers across the country, including The Saturday Evening Post. “There is no mistake in Sam Patch!” he proclaimed. After a suspense-filled moment beneath the churning surface, Patch re-emerged to the jubilant applause of the spectators, and swam to shore unharmed. Sam then launched himself from the 80-foot high cliff, arms at his side, and shot down into the turbulent river like an arrow. Then, laying them carefully at his side he paused for a moment, seemingly to contemplate whether he would again be needing the articles. First, he removed his coat, vest and shoes. After a brief address to the audience, in which he praised the new bridge and its engineer, Sam prepared to jump. ![]() Sam managed to elude their surveillance, only to reappear high atop the rocky precipice overlooking the falls. That Saturday, as a large crowd gathered to watch the bridge being placed, a group of police officers kept a watchful eye on Patch. 29th, the day that the new Chasm Bridge was to be erected across the span. In 1827 Sam was employed at the Hamilton Mills Cotton Works in Paterson, when, around the time of his birthday, he announced that he would jump over the Great Passaic Falls. Although Samuel Patch was born in Rhode Island in 1807, it was right here in New Jersey that he would jump his way into America’s consciousness 20 years later. ![]()
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