Sam Patch

Rumors were passed that he had hidden in a cave at the base of the falls and was enjoying all the excitement he had created. This time he increased the height of the jump to 125 feet by constructing a 25-foot stand. Bad weather and the delay in his arrival drew a disappointingly small crowd for this jump so Patch announced he would repeat the feat a second time October 17.

Sam Patch (1799 – November 13 1829) known as "The Yankee Leaper" became the first famous American daredevil after successfully jumping from a raised platform into the Niagara River near the base of Niagara Falls in 1829.