Washington A. Roebling
By: Chris Laddin

Washington A. Roebling was born on March 25, 1881 in Trenton, New Jersey.  He lived at 335 West State Street during his childhood.  He graduated from the State Model School, and also from the Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania with a degree in engineering.  While there, he was a great football player.  

After working for his father for awhile, Washington went to work for the Walter Automobile plant which later became the Mercer Automobile Company.  While working there, he designed and built his own Roebling-Planche Racer which won 2^nd place in the Vanderbilt Cup in Savannah, Georgia in 1912.  In early 1912, Washington Roebling and Stephen Blackwell left for a tour of Europe to see France and Italy.  Before they went, they brought a chauffeur who drove Roebling’s Fiat car.  When they were finished in Europe, Roebling reserved a 1^st class ticket to board at Southampton on the White Star Line’s Titanic.  Roebling’s ticket number was PC 17590.

Little did Roebling know that he would be soon doomed……  Later on April 10^th, 1912 Mr. Roebling and Mr. Blackwell boarded the Titanic in Southampton, England 1^st class in room A-24.  Sadly, Washington Roebling and Stephen Blackwell did not manage to get into a lifeboat when the Titanic sank, so they both died on April 15, 1912.  Washington Roebling has park named after him about a mile away from his house.

 Work Cited

Merchant, Arthur. "Mr Washington Augustus II Roebling." Encyclopedia Titanica. 21-December-1997. 15 Apr 2008 <http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/biography/242/>.