John Roebling
Engineer
Remembered best for designing the Brooklyn Bridge, this 19th-century civil engineer helmed numerous other major projects, including the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge; the Allegheny Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge (which connects Ohio and Kentucky).
Before beginning his work in the United States, he studied engineering, architecture, hydraulics, and construction in Berlin, Germany.
Tragically, while Roebling was investigating the future site of the Brooklyn Bridge, his foot was injured so badly by a boat that his toes had to be amputated. He then developed tetanus, a condition that quickly led to his death.
A native of Muhlhausen, Germany (then Prussia), Roebling grew up with three older siblings. His marriage to Johanna Herting produced five sons and four daughters; his oldest son, Washington Roebling, also contributed to the design and construction of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Roebling and Golden Gate Bridge engineer Joseph Strauss were both responsible for landmark American suspension bridges.