Engineer, born at Saxenburg, PA, on the 26th of May 1837. He was the son of the famous bridge-builder John Augustus Roebling (1806–1869). After graduating at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1857 he began work under his father at Pittsburg. In 1861 he enlisted in a New York artillery company and served in the Army of the Potomac. He was appointed on the staff of Gen. McDowell, and later on that of Gen. Pope, and engaged as military engineer, bridge-builder, and aeronaut. After rising to the rank of major in April 1864, and winning higher brevets, he resigned in January 1865, and resumed work with his father, who was then engaged on the railroad suspension bridge at Cincinnati. Of these Washington soon took nearly entire charge till its completion in 1867. In the next year he studied in Europe the system of pneumatic caissons for foundations, and on the death of his father, July 22, 1869, he was called to finish his plans for the construction of the famous Brooklyn Bridge. After a severe attack of caisson fever in 1872, he endeavored, while still so weak as to be unable to leave his room, to continue his superintendence of the bridge, but was compelled in 1873 to recruit his health by a visit to Europe. On his return he resumed work and finally completed the bridge in 1883. He was the engaged in conducting at Trenton, NJ, the wire manufactory established by his father.
