From a Trenton Letter.
    Archie Parks, an old man living by the canal feeder, in this city, has saved sixty-two lives in his time. He saved a little girl's life only last week. He was interviewed this morning and asked to give an account of his rescues. He said: "I can't go over them all, but I'll mention some. I saved Seve Wyncoop, [sic] who fell into the prison basin. I had a narrow escape that time, for he was a heavy weight. I was in bed another night when a call came for me, and that a man was making for the feeder for suicide. I jumped out and got there in time to nab him as he went down the third time. That man is about town yet. Another day I was coming through Montgomery street, when I saw a boy riding on a sled. He had hitched to a milkman's wagon. The sled rope had got around his neck, and he was choking. The milkman wouldn't stop, not seeing the boy, so I grabbed the horse and saved the lad. I had to carry him home. He was an ex-Senator's son. At Pennington, another day, a lady and two children was getting off the train. She was on the point of falling under, when I grabbed the woman and one child and pushed the other on the platform. At least one would have been run over."
    "And how much have you got, Archie," was asked, "for your services."
    "Once I got an old soldier's coat for stopping two burglars from stealing a valuable team back of Hanover street. I got the suit of clothes I told you about, and I got twenty-five cents for saving a rich man's son. That's all I ever saw for saving sixty-two lives; but never mind, I haven't told you all. One winter night, while I was constable out near the Star Rubber works, I heard a cry of murder. I ran out and saw two fellows on the go. Close by, in the water, a man was struggling. It was mighty cold weather, but I jumped in and saved him. Another time Jack Donnelly would have smothered while fixing a boiler at the rubber works if I had not pulled him out. On New Year's eve I was in bed in the swamp when I heard 'murder.' I got out quickly and found a man, head down, in a big bank of snow, unable to get up. He had been assaulted and robbed. I got him out and caught the robbers, who went to prison. I saved an Ewing township farmer twice from robbery, and maybe murder, in the swamp. About two years ago I was at the Clinton-street depot, when someone called that a boy was in the creek. I slipped off my shoes and jumped in, and with John Bradley's help, got out the boy; but a spike had run clean through my foot and I was laid up six weeks, narrowly escaping lockjaw. A few months ago I had my wrist sprained saving a boy in the feeder, and couldn't work for weeks."
    Archie belongs to a family of rescuers of human life. His father died from injuries received in saving the life of a lady who was riding behind a wild runaway horse. His son Elwood claims to have saved seventeen lives about Trenton, some from drowning and others on the railroad and runaways, etc. His seventeen-year old daughter saved her own sister and another little girl from burning to death. His nine-year-old boy dragged a child off the track in front of an approaching train.

Source:

Unknown, "The New Jersey Hero, An Old Man Who Has Saved Sixty-two Lives," The Washington Post, Washington, D.C., Sunday, 23 March 1884, p. 7.