{"id":104657,"date":"2019-10-24T10:11:35","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T17:11:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.geni.com\/blog\/?p=104657"},"modified":"2019-10-24T10:11:35","modified_gmt":"2019-10-24T17:11:35","slug":"profile-of-the-day-annie-edson-taylor-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.geni.com\/blog\/profile-of-the-day-annie-edson-taylor-3-104657.html","title":{"rendered":"Profile of the Day: Annie Edson Taylor"},"content":{"rendered":"

On this day in 1838,\u00a0American school teacher\u00a0Annie Edson Taylor<\/a> was born. Taylor is remembered for her death-defying stunt on\u00a0her 63rd birthday when she became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel.<\/p>\n

\"Profile<\/a><\/p>\n

Image: Annie Edson Taylor \/ Library of Congress<\/em><\/p>\n

Taylor was born in Auburn, New York and was one of eight children.\u00a0Before marrying at the age of 17, she studied to become a school teacher. After her husband’s death, Taylor\u00a0struggled financially for years and traveled\u00a0around the country to find work.<\/p>\n

In an effort to secure her future financial stability, Taylor hatched a plan to become the first person to ride over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Taylor believed the stunt would bring her fame and fortune and keep her from the poorhouse in her later years. Thus, on her 63rd birthday, Taylor rode in a specially designed barrel over Niagara Falls.\u00a0Thousands watched as Taylor became the first person to ride the raging falls and survive with only a few scrapes and bruises. Although she gained some notoriety and money from the stunt, she did not achieve the fortune she had hoped.<\/p>\n

She died on April 29, 1921 at the age of 82 and is buried in the “Stunter’s Rest” section of Oakwood Cemetery in Niagara Falls, New York.
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View Annie Edson Taylor’s Geni Profile<\/a><\/h3>\n

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