William "Red" Hill, Sr. | |
|---|---|
 "Red" in a barrel, about 1935 | |
| Born | William Thomas Hill, Senior November 17, 1888 Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | May 14, 1942 (aged 54) Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Riverman, daredevil |
| Years active | 1896–1918 |
| Spouse | Beatrice Clark |
| Children | William Red Hill, Jr., Major Lloyd Hill, Norman Corky Hill, Wesley Hill, Edith Hill, Helen Hill, Margaret Hill. |
William "Red" Hill Sr. (November 17, 1888 – May 14, 1942) was a Canadian daredevil and rescuer, born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, in 1888. In 1896 he received his first medal for bravery when he rescued his sister from their burning house which was followed by a life-saving medal in 1912, achieving the status as a local hero. A bootlegger on occasion during the Prohibition,[1] Hill went on to receive a total of four medals in addition to being credited with saving 28 lives and the recovery of 177 accident and suicide victims from the Niagara River just below the Falls.[2]
Hill's reputation grew as a renowned Canadian daredevil in 1930 with a five-hour journey in a 6-foot-long (1.8 m) steel barrel which began just below the falls at the Maid of the Mist boat landing and through the treacherous Niagara lower rapids ending up several miles down stream at Queenston, Ontario.
- ^ Berton, Pierre (27 July 2011). Niagara: A History of the Falls. Toronto: Anchor Canada. ISBN 978-0385659307.
- ^ "Daredevils of Niagara Falls | William "Red" Hill Sr". IMAX Theatre Niagara. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2019.