Edward Paycon Weston is buried in Saint John's Cemetery. Weston, a long distance walker, is celebrated for his 1909 trek from New York to California and for his return trip the following year.
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Edward Payson Weston (1839-1929) was a proponent of long distance walking. (b. March 15, 1839; Providence, Rhode Island, USA - d. May 12, 1929; Brooklyn, New York City, Kings County, New York, USA)
Biography:
Edward Payson Weston was born on March 15, 1839 in Providence, Rhode Island to Silas Weston, a teacher and publisher, and Maria Gaines, a writer. As a teenager, Weston published books about his father's trips to the California Gold Rush and to the Azores, and he also published a novel written by his mother in 1859. During childhood Weston moved frequently, and by his own account, spent some time travelling with the popular Hutchinson Family Singers. He first received attention as a notable pedestrian in 1861, when he walked 478 miles (769 km) from Boston, Massachusetts to Washington, D.C. in 10 days and 10 hours, from February 22 to March 4. During the walk, he faced snow, rain, and mud, and he fell several times. His longest period of uninterrupted sleep was 6 hours, and he usually ate while walking. He arrived in Washington at 5:00 pm, and was strong enough to attend Abraham Lincoln's inaugural ball that evening. The walk was part of the terms of a bet on the 1860 presidential election. The bettor whose candidate lost was to walk to Washington to see the inauguration of the new president. Weston lost when he bet against Lincoln, and received only a bag of peanuts for his trouble. However, he also received newspaper coverage and a congratulatory handshake from the new president, which inspired him to further pedestrian feats. In 1867, Weston walked from Portland, Maine to Chicago, Illinois, covering over 1200 miles (1900 km) in 26 days, winning a prize of $10,000. He received several death threats from gamblers who had bet against him, and was attacked once. He gave lectures to crowds of spectators on the health benefits of walking, both during the walk and afterwards. Over the next few decades, Weston continued his professional walking career. While he was sometimes beaten in indoor multi day races, he held numerous records for long-distance endurance events. In 1869 he walked 1,058 miles (1,703 km) through snow-covered New England in 30 days. In 1871, he walked backwards for 200 miles around St. Louis, Missouri in 41 hours. Weston spent 8 years touring Europe, starting in 1876 in England where he challenged England's race walking champion to a 24-hour, 115 mile ultramarathon. The Englishman quit 14 hours and 65.6 miles into the race, but Weston walked the full 24 hours and covered 109.5 miles. His performance caused a bit of a controversy when he later admitted to having been chewing coca leaf throughout much of the race. Weston was severely injured when he was struck by a New York City taxicab in 1927, and never walked again. He died in his sleep two years later. (Source: Wikipedia)
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Edward Payson Weston (1839-1929) was a proponent of long distance walking. (b. March 15, 1839; Providence, Rhode Island, USA - d. May 12, 1929; Brooklyn, New York City, Kings County, New York, USA)
Biography:
Edward Payson Weston was born on March 15, 1839 in Providence, Rhode Island to Silas Weston, a teacher and publisher, and Maria Gaines, a writer. As a teenager, Weston published books about his father's trips to the California Gold Rush and to the Azores, and he also published a novel written by his mother in 1859. During childhood Weston moved frequently, and by his own account, spent some time travelling with the popular Hutchinson Family Singers. He first received attention as a notable pedestrian in 1861, when he walked 478 miles (769 km) from Boston, Massachusetts to Washington, D.C. in 10 days and 10 hours, from February 22 to March 4. During the walk, he faced snow, rain, and mud, and he fell several times. His longest period of uninterrupted sleep was 6 hours, and he usually ate while walking. He arrived in Washington at 5:00 pm, and was strong enough to attend Abraham Lincoln's inaugural ball that evening. The walk was part of the terms of a bet on the 1860 presidential election. The bettor whose candidate lost was to walk to Washington to see the inauguration of the new president. Weston lost when he bet against Lincoln, and received only a bag of peanuts for his trouble. However, he also received newspaper coverage and a congratulatory handshake from the new president, which inspired him to further pedestrian feats. In 1867, Weston walked from Portland, Maine to Chicago, Illinois, covering over 1200 miles (1900 km) in 26 days, winning a prize of $10,000. He received several death threats from gamblers who had bet against him, and was attacked once. He gave lectures to crowds of spectators on the health benefits of walking, both during the walk and afterwards. Over the next few decades, Weston continued his professional walking career. While he was sometimes beaten in indoor multi day races, he held numerous records for long-distance endurance events. In 1869 he walked 1,058 miles (1,703 km) through snow-covered New England in 30 days. In 1871, he walked backwards for 200 miles around St. Louis, Missouri in 41 hours. Weston spent 8 years touring Europe, starting in 1876 in England where he challenged England's race walking champion to a 24-hour, 115 mile ultramarathon. The Englishman quit 14 hours and 65.6 miles into the race, but Weston walked the full 24 hours and covered 109.5 miles. His performance caused a bit of a controversy when he later admitted to having been chewing coca leaf throughout much of the race. Weston was severely injured when he was struck by a New York City taxicab in 1927, and never walked again. He died in his sleep two years later. (Source: Wikipedia)
Edward Paycon Weston is buried in Saint John's Cemetery. Weston, a long distance walker, is celebrated for his 1909 trek from New York to California and for his return trip the following year.
----------
Edward Payson Weston (1839-1929) was a proponent of long distance walking. (b. March 15, 1839; Providence, Rhode Island, USA - d. May 12, 1929; Brooklyn, New York City, Kings County, New York, USA)
Biography:
Edward Payson Weston was born on March 15, 1839 in Providence, Rhode Island to Silas Weston, a teacher and publisher, and Maria Gaines, a writer. As a teenager, Weston published books about his father's trips to the California Gold Rush and to the Azores, and he also published a novel written by his mother in 1859. During childhood Weston moved frequently, and by his own account, spent some time travelling with the popular Hutchinson Family Singers. He first received attention as a notable pedestrian in 1861, when he walked 478 miles (769 km) from Boston, Massachusetts to Washington, D.C. in 10 days and 10 hours, from February 22 to March 4. During the walk, he faced snow, rain, and mud, and he fell several times. His longest period of uninterrupted sleep was 6 hours, and he usually ate while walking. He arrived in Washington at 5:00 pm, and was strong enough to attend Abraham Lincoln's inaugural ball that evening. The walk was part of the terms of a bet on the 1860 presidential election. The bettor whose candidate lost was to walk to Washington to see the inauguration of the new president. Weston lost when he bet against Lincoln, and received only a bag of peanuts for his trouble. However, he also received newspaper coverage and a congratulatory handshake from the new president, which inspired him to further pedestrian feats. In 1867, Weston walked from Portland, Maine to Chicago, Illinois, covering over 1200 miles (1900 km) in 26 days, winning a prize of $10,000. He received several death threats from gamblers who had bet against him, and was attacked once. He gave lectures to crowds of spectators on the health benefits of walking, both during the walk and afterwards. Over the next few decades, Weston continued his professional walking career. While he was sometimes beaten in indoor multi day races, he held numerous records for long-distance endurance events. In 1869 he walked 1,058 miles (1,703 km) through snow-covered New England in 30 days. In 1871, he walked backwards for 200 miles around St. Louis, Missouri in 41 hours. Weston spent 8 years touring Europe, starting in 1876 in England where he challenged England's race walking champion to a 24-hour, 115 mile ultramarathon. The Englishman quit 14 hours and 65.6 miles into the race, but Weston walked the full 24 hours and covered 109.5 miles. His performance caused a bit of a controversy when he later admitted to having been chewing coca leaf throughout much of the race. Weston was severely injured when he was struck by a New York City taxicab in 1927, and never walked again. He died in his sleep two years later. (Source: Wikipedia)
----------
Edward Payson Weston (1839-1929) was a proponent of long distance walking. (b. March 15, 1839; Providence, Rhode Island, USA - d. May 12, 1929; Brooklyn, New York City, Kings County, New York, USA)
Biography:
Edward Payson Weston was born on March 15, 1839 in Providence, Rhode Island to Silas Weston, a teacher and publisher, and Maria Gaines, a writer. As a teenager, Weston published books about his father's trips to the California Gold Rush and to the Azores, and he also published a novel written by his mother in 1859. During childhood Weston moved frequently, and by his own account, spent some time travelling with the popular Hutchinson Family Singers. He first received attention as a notable pedestrian in 1861, when he walked 478 miles (769 km) from Boston, Massachusetts to Washington, D.C. in 10 days and 10 hours, from February 22 to March 4. During the walk, he faced snow, rain, and mud, and he fell several times. His longest period of uninterrupted sleep was 6 hours, and he usually ate while walking. He arrived in Washington at 5:00 pm, and was strong enough to attend Abraham Lincoln's inaugural ball that evening. The walk was part of the terms of a bet on the 1860 presidential election. The bettor whose candidate lost was to walk to Washington to see the inauguration of the new president. Weston lost when he bet against Lincoln, and received only a bag of peanuts for his trouble. However, he also received newspaper coverage and a congratulatory handshake from the new president, which inspired him to further pedestrian feats. In 1867, Weston walked from Portland, Maine to Chicago, Illinois, covering over 1200 miles (1900 km) in 26 days, winning a prize of $10,000. He received several death threats from gamblers who had bet against him, and was attacked once. He gave lectures to crowds of spectators on the health benefits of walking, both during the walk and afterwards. Over the next few decades, Weston continued his professional walking career. While he was sometimes beaten in indoor multi day races, he held numerous records for long-distance endurance events. In 1869 he walked 1,058 miles (1,703 km) through snow-covered New England in 30 days. In 1871, he walked backwards for 200 miles around St. Louis, Missouri in 41 hours. Weston spent 8 years touring Europe, starting in 1876 in England where he challenged England's race walking champion to a 24-hour, 115 mile ultramarathon. The Englishman quit 14 hours and 65.6 miles into the race, but Weston walked the full 24 hours and covered 109.5 miles. His performance caused a bit of a controversy when he later admitted to having been chewing coca leaf throughout much of the race. Weston was severely injured when he was struck by a New York City taxicab in 1927, and never walked again. He died in his sleep two years later. (Source: Wikipedia)
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