John Onins Exley Jr. (1867-1938) - Find a Grave Memorial

Olympic Games Gold Medalist Athlete. Known as "The Iron Man" of rowing due to his strong physique, he was a member of the Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was part of two Vesper crews that won the Gold Medal in the Coxed Eights at the 1900 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France, and at the 1904 Summer Olympic Games in St. Louis, Missouri. Born in Philadelphia, he developed his strength on the farm he grew up on. Notice by a rowing coach, he joined the Philadelphia Barge Club, and helped them to amateur rowing championships from 1897 to 1899. He joined the Vesper Club in 1900, and helped them defeat rowing teams from The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in the 1900 Olympiad. In 1904 Games he and rower Lou Abell were the only holdovers from the previous Vesper team as they again took the Gold Medal in the Coxed Eight. He rowed competitively until 1912, when he retired and took up coaching. He also ran a farm that was located where the Philadelphia International Airport stands today.

Bio by: Cheryl Exley