John Augustus Roebling (born Johann August Röbling, June 12, 1806 in Mühlhausen - July 22, 1869) was a German-born civil engineer famous for his wire rope suspension bridge designs, in particular, the design of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Roebling was the youngest of four children. He was baptized in the Lutheran church Divi Blasii at Mühlhausen. As a young boy he enjoyed music such as playing the flute and the piano. Roebling also exhibited great artis...
more
John Augustus Roebling (born Johann August Röbling, June 12, 1806 in Mühlhausen - July 22, 1869) was a German-born civil engineer famous for his wire rope suspension bridge designs, in particular, the design of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Roebling was the youngest of four children. He was baptized in the Lutheran church Divi Blasii at Mühlhausen. As a young boy he enjoyed music such as playing the flute and the piano. Roebling also exhibited great artistic talent for sketches and paintings. His father maintained a small tobacco shop but the business was not large enough to provide livelihood for all three of his sons. Roebling's sister Friederike Amalie married Carl August Meissner a wealthy merchant in the town, and his oldest brother Herman Christian Roebling prepared to take over the tobacco shop.
At first John attended the public school Gymnasium in Mühlhausen. Recognizing his intelligence at a young age, Roebling's mother, Friederike Dorothea Roebling arranged for him to leave his home...
less
