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Robert Emmet OdlumAmerican Swim Instructor
Date of Birth: 31.08.1851
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Robert Emmet Odlum
Robert Emmet Odlum was an American swimming instructor who became the first person to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, but unfortunately, it cost him his life. He was born on August 31, 1851, in Ogdensburg, New York, to Richard and Catherine Odlum. He was named after the Irish nationalist Robert Emmet. Odlum had six siblings, but only four of them survived into adulthood. He was the younger brother of the well-known activist and women's rights advocate Charlotte Odlum Smith, while his older brother David volunteered for the infantry during the Civil War and went missing in action.
Early Life and Travels
From a young age, Odlum showed a talent for swimming and achieved excellent results. After the death of his father in the mid-1850s, the family moved from one big city to another, eventually settling in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1860, they moved to Cuba and later returned to New Orleans, just as Louisiana joined the Confederates on March 21, 1861. They spent most of the war in hostile surroundings in Memphis, Tennessee, and in 1865, they relocated to Mobile, Alabama.
In 1869-1870, Robert traded tea in Philadelphia and worked as a conductor on a railroad. He later moved to St. Louis, where he worked for his sister Charlotte's magazine. He then lived and worked in Chicago, Illinois, before finally settling in Washington, D.C., in 1878. There, he opened a swimming school called the "Natatorium." The residents of Washington respectfully called the young instructor "Professor." His students included children of prominent and respected individuals, and business was going well. In 1881, Odlum expanded the school to include a gymnasium.
The Pursuit of Fame
Despite the success of his enterprise, Odlum began to feel dissatisfied with his situation in the spring of 1881. He wanted to compete and showcase his skills to an audience. Finally, on July 4, 1881, Odlum jumped 90 feet from a wooden bridge at Occoquan Falls. In June 1882, Odlum and Paul Boyton, another skilled swimmer and adventurer, arranged for Odlum to jump 110 feet from a steamboat. Although Robert entered the water at a slight angle, he was unharmed.
In the end, the "Natatorium" swimming school, which had not received the attention it deserved, went bankrupt and closed. Odlum worked as a swimming instructor and lifeguard at a hotel in Fort Monroe, but his thirst for fame prevented him from living a peaceful life. On May 19, 1885, Robert Odlum became the first person to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. He needed money for himself and his mother, and he wanted to become famous. Additionally, he wanted to prove that people do not die from falling from a certain height. A boat with a hired rescuer waited a hundred yards from the bridge, and in the morning, Odlum attended church just in case. At half-past five in the evening, he jumped from the bridge. Strong winds caused him to veer slightly in the air, resulting in him entering the water at an angle. The rescuer was unable to reach him, but Paul Boyton swam to Robert and pulled him aboard. Despite resuscitation efforts, Robert briefly regained consciousness and realized he was dying. Shortly after, blood began to flow from his mouth, and within minutes, he passed away.
Autopsy results revealed that internal bleeding started due to Odlum's ruptured spleen, liver, and kidneys, as well as broken ribs. It was also discovered that he had tuberculosis. Odlum's funeral took place in Washington. His mother blamed Paul Boyton for her son's death, claiming that he had encouraged Robert to make this dangerous jump, but no legal action was taken. Boyton denied all of Catherine Odlum's accusations and referred to her words as slander. Later that same year, Catherine wrote and published a biography of Robert titled "The Life and Adventures of Prof. Robert Emmet Odlum, Containing an Account of his Splendid Natatorium at the National Capital".
