What is sam patching?

Sam Patch (1807-1829) was an American daredevil and folk hero who became famous for his death-defying jumps from high places into water. He was born in Rhode Island and worked as a mill worker before starting his career as a jumper. His most famous jump was from a height of 125 feet into the Genesee River in New York in 1829, which he survived. His next jump, from the High Falls of the same river in November of the same year, was fatal. Patch's story has been the subject of numerous books, songs, and other forms of popular culture over the years. He is remembered as one of America's most colorful and daring folk heroes.