Three people who took on Niagara Falls and won and lost

On my walk at Oakwood Cemetery, in Niagara Falls, New York, I discovered the graves of three people who were willing to face death by challenging The Falls.

Captain Matthew Webb was an English seaman and swimmer who became the first recorded person to swim the English Channel.

Webb’s intention was to swim in the Niagara Gorge through the Whirlpool Rapids on the Niagara River. Everything went smoothly for the first part of the swim, but upon being lifted by a large wave, Webb shouted and lifted his arm, before being pulled underwater by the currents for a distance of about 40 meters. He reappeared several times briefly, but was sucked into the whirlpool and was never seen alive again. Four days later, Webb’s body was found. The body had a cut on the forehead, which caused people to assume he was knocked out on a submerged rock.

1848-1883 (35 yrs.)

Annie Edson Taylor 

Annie was an American schoolteacher who, on her 63rd birthday on October 24, 1901, became the first person to survive a trip over Horseshoe Falls in a barrel. Rescuers reached her barrel shortly after the plunge. Taylor was discovered to be alive and relatively uninjured, except for a small gash on her head.

Her motives were financial but she never made much money from her adventure. She died penniless and her funeral was paid for by public donations.

1838-1921

Carlisle D. Graham

In 1886, inspired by the late Captain Matthew Webb, Carlisle decided to follow in Webb’s footsteps by navigating Niagara Falls and its whirlpool in a barrel cask. Despite warnings of likely death, Graham accomplished his goal on July 11 that year, witnessed by a large crowd.

1850-1909