Annie Edson Taylor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Annie Edson Taylor
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Taylor posing next to her barrel
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Anna M Edson
24 October 1838 Auburn, New York, U.S.
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| Died | April 29, 1921 (aged 82) Lockport, New York, U.S.
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| Other names | Queen of Mist, Qween of the Falls |
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| Known for | First person to go over Niagara Falls intentionally and survive |
Anna "Annie" Edson Taylor (born October 24, 1838 – died April 29, 1921) was an American schoolteacher. On her 63rd birthday, October 24, 1901, she became the first person ever to survive going over Niagara Falls inside a barrel. She hoped this amazing stunt would make her rich, but it didn't quite work out that way. Annie died without much money, and her funeral was paid for by kind people who donated.
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Who Was Annie Taylor?
Annie was born on October 24, 1838, in Auburn, New York. She was one of eight children. Her father owned a flour mill and passed away when Annie was 12 years old. He left enough money for the family to live comfortably.
Annie became a schoolteacher after finishing her studies. She met David Taylor and they got married. They had a son who sadly died very young. Annie's husband also passed away soon after. After this, she worked many different jobs in various places.
She eventually moved to Bay City, Michigan, hoping to teach dance. Since there were no dance schools there, Annie started her own. Later, she moved to Sault Ste. Marie in 1900 to teach music. She also traveled to San Antonio, Texas and Mexico City looking for work, but she wasn't successful. She then returned to Bay City.
Her Niagara Falls Adventure
By 1900, Annie was having a tough time financially. She decided she needed to do something big to make money. She claimed to be only 42 years old, thinking it would be easier to earn money if people thought she was younger.
Hoping to secure her future, Annie decided to be the first person to ride over Niagara Falls in a barrel. She had a special barrel made just for this trip. It was built from strong oak wood and iron, and it was padded inside with a soft mattress.
To test the barrel's strength, a cat was sent over the Horseshoe Falls two days before Annie's attempt. The cat survived the plunge! Seventeen minutes later, the cat was found with a small cut on its head. It even posed for photographs with Annie afterward.
On October 24, 1901, Annie's 63rd birthday, her barrel was placed into a rowboat. Annie climbed inside with her lucky heart-shaped pillow. After the lid was screwed on, her friends used a bicycle pump to fill the barrel with compressed air. This helped to make sure she had enough air to breathe. The hole was then plugged with a cork. Annie and her barrel were then set adrift near the American shore, south of Goat Island.
The strong river currents carried the barrel over the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. This part of the falls is where most successful daredevil stunts at Niagara Falls have happened. Rescuers quickly reached her barrel after it went over the edge. Annie was found alive and mostly unharmed, except for a small cut on her head. The trip itself took less than twenty minutes. Annie was helped out of the barrel by Carlisle Graham, a friend who was also a daredevil.
What Happened After the Stunt?
Annie briefly earned money by speaking about her amazing experience. However, she was never able to become truly wealthy. She wrote a book about her adventure and returned to Niagara Falls to sell it.
Sadly, her manager, Frank M. Russell, ran away with her famous barrel. Annie spent most of her savings hiring private detectives to find it. The barrel was eventually found in Chicago, but it disappeared permanently some time later.
Annie spent her last years posing for photos with tourists at her souvenir stand. She also tried to write a novel and even talked about going over the falls a second time in 1906. She tried to make a film about her 1901 plunge, but it was never shown.
Annie's Final Years
Annie Taylor passed away on April 29, 1921, at the age of 82. She was buried next to her friend and fellow daredevil, Carlisle Graham, in a special section called "Stunter's Rest" at Oakwood Cemetery in Niagara Falls, New York.
Since she died without much money, people donated to help pay for her funeral. Annie believed that her trip over the falls caused her health problems and near blindness later in life.
See also
In Spanish: Annie Edson Taylor para niños
