Friday, August 24, 2012

Who is This Woman?


Thought we’d play a little today.
What can you tell me about this woman—Annie Edson Taylor?

As you make your guesses and comment I’ll provide the fascinating details I’ve discovered about her throughout the day (and let you know the resource where I got them).
Now have at it. Tell me who she is.

Here’s a huge clue to get you started…

 

*I’ll continue with Moving Thoughts Friday questions sometime in September

17 comments:

  1. That name sounds really familiar. Is she the one who went over Niagara Falls in a barrel?

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  2. Ha! Jessica, cliff diver would be fun!

    Sarah, technically, yes! She was the FIRST person to successfully go over the Falls in a barrel! A woman mind you.

    The facts surrounding her story intrigue me.

    Throwing out a few more questions...

    How old do you think she was when she accomplished this?

    And what were her motives for smashing herself inside a barrel and going over?

    I'll provide answers as the day unravels.
    ~ Wendy

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  3. She is the first woman to fall off into Niagra Falls and survive???

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  4. Hehe, what I want to know is, how does someone come up the ambition to go over the Falls in a barrel? How does that become one's life dream? Heheh...

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  5. We went to Niagara Falls six years ago. It was so beautiful! I would guess she was probably in her forties? Was she a women's suffragette? I have no idea, but I can't wait to find out!

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  6. I give Annie a ton of credit for her imagination and guts.

    She was 62! when she went over!

    Annie was forced to close her dance school and feared, as a widow, she'd been thrown in the poorhouse. Her idea of a money-making scheme involved going over the Falls in a barrel (you know, the kind of thing we all think of when money is tight). What a character, eh?

    Now, what do you think she stuffed inside the barrel with her to cushion her ride?

    And do you think she earned a sweet profit after her adventure?

    *information is coming from a great children's book call QUEEN OF THE FALLS, written by Chris Van Allsburg
    ~ Wendy

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  7. What a story! And what a character! :) Sounds like good inspiration for a novel, eh?

    Um, did she use a pillow? Or a sweatshirt? Or...socks? I have no clue!

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  8. Wendy,

    Oh my goodness! I'd heard of this character but I didn't realize she was 62!!! I suppose whatever she used she didn't want to be very absorbent... corn husks? Although I like Lindsay's suggestion: socks. Not sure why I like it, but I do.

    Blessings,
    Becky

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  9. Oh wow, I was going to guess she was in her teens or twenties! I want to know more about this woman.

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  10. Exactly what I felt, Cindy.

    "She strapped herself in, then had the boatman hand her the pillows she'd brought along. Once Annie was tightly packed inside, she told Fred Truesdale to seal up the barrel." ~ from QUEEN OF THE FALLS

    Yikes! Sealed!

    Do you think the tumble over the Falls resulted in many injuries for Annie? And how do you think her big plan to make money panned out?

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  11. No idea, but I'll take a wild guess. She went over Niagara Falls in a barrel? Looking forward to finding out more. :)

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  12. Oh, I love this, Wendy! You always amaze me with your posts. I think she DID make enough money to live on the rest of her life. I'll guess $50,000 total, touring and speaking about her adventure.

    After that, beating off suitors who wanted to marry her for her spunk and money-making ability.

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  13. No idea.
    The photo looks like Niagra Falls -- I have no idea which side of the Falls, though.
    Did she walk across the Falls on a tightrope? Did she get married at the Falls? Did she photograph the Falls?

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  14. Wow. Just went back and read the other comments.
    62 years old -- and making money by going over the Falls in a barrel?
    With a pillow for padding?
    C-R-A-Z-Y.
    And I'm thinking, even though she survived, it probably didn't make her a lot of money.

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  15. I'm late here, so I have an advantage. She was quite daring to go over the Falls in a barrel. I've seen those Falls in person. There's no way you'd get me to pull that stunt!

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  16. Sorry I'm late with more answers...

    You're right, Beth, she didn't make a lot of money. And actually, both of the men she hired to help her promote her story as the "Queen of the Falls" tried to steal her barrel and rip her off. Thankfully, she didn't sustain many injuries from her fall.

    Thanks for playing! This was fun.

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