Title Page from
"Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883"
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Brooklyn Bridge Names
Sources: (DM) "The Great Bridge" by David McCullough, Touchstone Books; ISBN: 067145711X; Reprint edition (January 1983) (AT) "Brooklyn Bridge, Fact and Symbol" by Alan Trachtenberg University of Chicago Press; ISBN: 0226811158; 2nd edition (July 1979) (DBS) "The Builders of the Bridge" by D.B Steinman Harcourt, Brace and Co., Inc.; 1945 "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" Brooklyn Eagle Job Printing Department, 1883 Accoring to McCullough, Roebling supervised almost 1000 workmen during construction of the bridge. There were no comprehensive records kept for the workmen employed by the Bridge Company. If you have information about workers not listed below, please notify the webmaster. |
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John Augustus Roebling John Augustus Roebling - June 12, 1806 - July 22, 1869. Born Muehlhausen, Thuringia (Prussia) Civil Engineering Royal Polytechnic Institute of Berlin, 1826, immigrated - 1831 (to Pennsylvania intending to be a farmer). Captained ship August Eduard, 1831 (25 years old). Founded Saxonburg, Pa. 1832. Profession - civil engineer. Fatal Accident - July 6, 1869 at the Brooklyn Fulton Ferry slip. Died of Lockjaw, an infection. http://www.endex.com/gf/buildings/bbridge/roebling/roebling.htm Washington Augustus Roebling Washington Augustus Roebling born May 26, 1837, at Saxonburg, Butler County, Pennsylvania, the oldest son of John Augustus and Johanna (Herting) Roebling. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Civil War engineer officer, rank of Colonel. Following the war, Washington returned to his father's business and assisted in completing the Cincinnati and Covington Suspension Bridge over the Ohio River. Took over as chief engineer on Brooklyn Bridge on his father's death, and assumed presidnecy of John A. Roebling's Sons Co., later relinquished his office due to BB commitment. Roebling was stricken by Caisson disease, housebound, completed engineering and oversight of the bridge only through the considerable assistance of Emily, his wife. After the bridge opening on May 24, 1883, Roebling resided in Troy, New York, returning to Trenton in 1893, in 1921, he again became president of the John A. Roebling's Sons Co. Washington Augustus Roebling died at his home at 181 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey on July 21, 1926. Emily Warren Roebling Emily Warren Roebling - Penn State Emily Warren Roebling - Rutgers (1843-1903) Emily Roebling, wife of Col. Washington A. Roebling, an engineer and vice-president of the Roebling Company of Trenton, makers of wire rope. In 1873, while Washington Roebling was building the Brooklyn Bridge, he became ill and was incapacitated. Emily Roebling took over the supervision of the work and saw to completion the building of the bridge, the first span over the East River from New York City to Brooklyn. http://www.fta.dot.gov/picw/women/Roeblingbio.htm http://www.engr.psu.edu/wep/EngCompSp98/sdent/ENGR297.html Julius Adams Brroklyn Bridge Design Review Committee, 1869. Then there was Colonel Julius Adams of Brooklyn, a former Army engineer, who was usually described as an expert on sewer construction, and who, in truth, was not quite in the same league as the others. He had, however, a number of influential friends in Brooklyn and for years he had been dabbling with designs for an East River bridge of his own. For a while it had even looked as though he might be given the chance to build it. When Roebling's proposal was first made public, he had been among those to voice From "The Great Bridge" pp22, 23 John T. Agnew Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing New York. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883". Chairman Executive Committee. Horatio Allen Brooklyn Bridge Design Review Committee, 1869. Chairman of the group was the sociable Horatio Allen, whose great girth, gleaming bald head, and Benjamin Franklin spectacles gave him the look of a character from Dickens. He fancied capes and silver-handled walking sticks and probably considered his professional standing second only to that of Roebling, which was hardly so. But like Roebling he had done well in manufacturing - in his case, with New York's Novelty Iron Works - and forty years before he had made some history driving the first locomotive in America, the Stourbridge Lion, all alone and before a big crowd, on a test run at Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He had also, in the time since, been one of the principal engineers for New York's Croton Aqueduct and so was sometimes referred to in biographical sketches as "the man who turned the water on." From "The Great Bridge" pp22, 23 Arberg Workman on New York anchorage 14 June 1878 when cable snapped, knocking him down with injuires, but living. From "The Great Bridge" pp439. Frederick Arnold One of the first Wire riggers along with Supple, Carroll and Miller. From "The Great Bridge" pp369. John Barnabo Italian, 42. 13 March 1872 treated by Dr. Smith for "Caisson Disease". From "The Great Bridge" pp304. Alfred C. Barnes Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing Brooklyn. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" George Bell It was the half brother of James ENGLISH, Mr. George BELL, who built the caissons of the Brooklyn Bridge. from the Obituary of James English, published 9 July 1898 in the DAILY STAR - Brooklyn Area Deaths Thomas Blake Workman on New York anchorage 14 June 1878 when cable snapped, killing him instantly. From "The Great Bridge" pp439. Aaron Brinkerhoff Comptroller of Brooklyn, 1883. Ex-Officio Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, May 24, 1883" Steve Brodie Barkeep at 114 Bowery in New York City who claimed to have jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge on July 23, 1886 and lived to tell about it. Shamelessly self-promoting, he worked his isntant fame into a successful tourist bar and a Broadway role in the play "On the Bowery". 1863-1901. From Columbia Encyclopedia and New Tork Times 2001 Brodie's terminal velocity as he hit the water calculated by the University of Texas from The Flying Cat and other Amazing Stories of the Washington Monument by Jim Berard: 
One of the most unusual stories of the Washington Monument is the story of the cat that jumped from the top of the monument, and survived... briefly.On September 22,1880, the monument was up to only 160 feet of its eventual 555-foot height. That night, according to a 1927 Washington Post article, a cat named Steve Brodie, owned by Mrs. R. E. Brown of Washington, climbed to the top of the construction scaffolding and went to sleep. When the workmen arrived the next morning, they startled the cat. In its eagerness to escape, the frightened cat leapt from the 16-story tower. Witnesses said the animal spread out its paws, flattened its body, and glided like a flying squirrel. The cat hit the ground on all fours, tumbled over a few times, and righted itself, dazed but very much alive. The cat's leap to safety was short-lived, however (as was the cat). After surviving its 16O-foot plunge, Steve Brodie headed for home and the safety of Mrs. Brown. On the way, the cat caught the eye of a neighborhood dog, which chased, caught and killed it. Brodie's incredible luck had run out. According to another account of the event, cat and dog met on the monument grounds, shortly after the historic leap. The workers who witnessed the cat's amazing feat and untimely death recovered the body and donated it to the Smithsonian Institution, which had the cat stuffed and mounted and placed on display as the only living creature known to have survived a jump from the top of the Washington Monument. Attempts to verify this story have been futile. The Smithsonian has no record of receiving this particular cat for its collection or putting such an animal on display. According to staff at the Museum of Natural History, the museum has had any number of domestic cats donated, but none specifically designated as the famous flying cat. About the only fact that could be verified is the existence of the cat's owner. The Washington city directory of the time lists a Patent Office clerk named R.E. Brown living at 720 5th St. NW. Like the story of Mrs. O'Leary's cow starting the Great Chicago Fire, the leap of Mrs. Brown's cat from the top of the Washington Monument may be just another interesting, but untrue, urban legend. (Webmaster's Note: Though popular and still repeated on tours of the monument, the tale of the falling cat named after the famous jumper from the Brooklyn Bridge loses all credibility considering that the incident would have taken place 6 years before Steve Brodie became famous for his leap off the Bridge.) Joseph Brown American, 28. 28 February 1872 treated by Dr. Smith for "Caisson Disease". From "The Great Bridge" pp304. Brown Carpenter worked on hoisting the first cable. From "The Great Bridge" pp355. William Brown My g-greatgrandfather, William Brown, was a stonecutter by trade, who married and lived in Washington, DC. He died in Bellevue Hospital in NYC on 8 Sep 1872, of "pneumonia" at age 52, and was returned to his family for burial in DC. I now believe he was employed on the "East River Bridge" project, and likely died of caisson disease. From JH 20 December 2003 J. Adriance Bush Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing New York. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883". Vice President of New York and Brooklyn Bridge. Henry Lloyd Cade My great-grandfather, Henry Lloyd Cade, an earlier Confederate prisoner on Hart's Island in New York Harbor, later returned from Charleston, SC to live in Brooklyn when he worked on the Brooklyn Bridge; his first son, John Henry Cade, was born in 1870 in Brooklyn and baptized at St. John's Catholic Church during this time. H. L. Cade returned to Charleston, SC, joined his father, Walter Lloyd Cade, in building numerous buildingsincluding Holy Communion Episcopal Church, Porter School, then later built on his own, including St.Patrick Church, St. John and St. Finnbarr Catholic Cathedral, and the Marion Square Baptist Church, all still standing in Charleston. I will visit Washington, DC later this month, and intended to attempt to locate a book at the Archives that I thought contained the listing of the workmen on the Bridge. Your website indicates there is no such listing? from JHM 4 September 2004 Allan Campbell Comptroller of New York, 1883. Ex-Officio Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, May 24, 1883" Card Caisson Foreman treated by Dr. Smith for "Caisson Disease". Card incapacitated for 2 days, leter returned to the caisson. From "The Great Bridge" pp312. Thomas Carroll Englishman. Wire rigger worked on main span cables. Rescued in midspan by Supple during early cable rigging. From "The Great Bridge" pp367. Claps My great-grandfather was brought over from Italy to help build the Brooklyn Bridge. He was a blacksmith. the last name is Claps. How can I find out more information? thanks. From CC 2 May 02 Thomas C. Clarke Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing New York. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" James Clasen The oral history of our family claims that my GREAT GRANDFATHER, James Clasen, was employed in the original construction of the bridge, however documentation is lacking. His death certificate states that he was a "Retired Rigger" at the time of his death in 1922, at the age of 79 years, making his birth date 1843. His US Naturalization papers, dated 1880 state that he came to the US, from Germany, prior to his 18th birthday, which would be prior to 1861. Our oral history states he came from the territory of Schleswig-Holstein, historically taken back and forth by the Danes and Germans. His death certificate and gravestone (Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn) have the family name spelled CLASEN, but his widow's death certificate has it spellen CLASSEN. Discussion with German language scholars suggests that CLASEN was NOT an original spelling, and further, that JAMES is not a real German language name. from MH 3 June 2004 Henry Clausen Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing New York. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" Francis Collingwood Jr. Listed as Assistant Engineer in "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883". Roebling's engineering staff, as of the end of August 1870. Collingwood had been a friend at Troy. He had been two years ahead of Roebling and finished first in his class, but in the time since, he had been working in the family jewelry business in Elmira and had not had much engineering experience. Had it been up to John A. Roebling, Collingwood probably would not have been hired, but the new Chief Engineer knew his man, he thought, and had written to Elmira to ask Collingwood to join him in Brooklyn. Collingwood agreed, on the condition that he would serve one month only ( the jewelry business was prospering it seems) .When he arrived in Brooklyn in mid-August, Roebling put him to work helping Paine with plans for the Brooklyn caisson. From "The Great Bridge" pp145 Theodore Cooper Assistant for Hildebrand, worked for Eads in St. Louis, served as inspector of iron for the superstructure. From "The Great Bridge" pp341. Cope 1876. Workman assigned to guide rope onto the drum of the hoisting engine. Decided to kick the rope, caught foot in engine, died almost immediately. From "The Great Bridge" pp335. Daniel Cullen I am trying to find out information relating to my mothers father Daniel Cullen from Musselburgh in East Lothian Scotland. He left in his early twenty's to go to New York and was employed as a stone mason. I would really like to find any web sites that may hold the names of any of the workers and gain information about this time in his life. I would be very grateful if you have any ideas where to look. From JM 11 September 2003 Daugherty Workman caught in the derrick failure 23 October 1871. Trapped along with Thomas Douglas under derrick on top of Brooklyn tower. Rescued, but lived only a few minutes after being pulled from under the derrick. From "The Great Bridge" pp259. John G. Davis Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing New York. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" Dempsey Foreman worked on hoisting the first cable. From "The Great Bridge" pp355. John Doherty Supposedly, my great-grandfather, John Doherty worked on the Brooklyn Bridge. He immigrated from Ireland and upon landing in New York worked on the bridge. Do you have any information regarding him? From DDB 9 Feb 03 Thomas Douglas Thomas Douglas. Mason respected for work at Prospect Park. Supervisor in charge of work outside the Brooklyn caisson, 1870. Caught in the derrick failure 23 October 1871. Trapped along with Daugherty under derrick on top of Brooklyn tower. Rescued, but died in 1873 due to complications from accident. From "The Great Bridge" pp193, 259. Henry Downing Tonight I saw the story of the building of the Brooklyn Bridge on The Learning Channel. From that I found my way to your informative website. My great grandfather, Henry Downing, worked on the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. We were told by my mother that he was an engineer (we don't know if that is so). We do know that he came home from working on the bridge and told his wife that he didn't feel well. He was dead by morning. The doctor said it was pneumonia. Before coming to America Henry Downing was a Fenian and a friend of Charles Stewart Parnell. He must have been a very interesting man. From DK 29 October 2003 Henry Drescher Our family's oral history includes the (as far as I know) fact that my great great grandfather Henry Drescher (1836-1898) was an ironworker employed in building the Brooklyn Bridge. I have no additional information or documents to prove that, but little reason to believe there would be a reason to fabricate the information. Henry was born in Kassel (?) Germany, and emigrated to the United States sometime before the Civil War in which he took part (I have government records confirming that). He married Mary Hans (1842-1931) c. 1865 (first child b. 1866, William Henry, my great grandfather). From KK 12 Nov 02 Eales Dine I understand from my mother that one of my relatives was the first person to drive a tram over b bridge. His surname would have been either Eales or Dine. I think his first name was Albert, but don't quote me on that! can you help? FromWS 2001 Franklin Edson Mayor of New York, 1883. Ex-Officio Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" John Elliot May 1876, fell from New York Tower, slipped on flatcar track, killed instantly. From "The Great Bridge" pp335. E.F.Farrington E.F.Farrington. Master Mechanic of the Construction, 1870. In 1876, at nearly 60 years old, Farrington was the first to ride a cable the length of the bridge, to the uproarious cheers of thousands of spectators. From "The Great Bridge" pp196, 360. Charles Féquière My father, Charles Féquière, who as a young civil engineer from Haiti, recently married, went to New York. He participated in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. This fact has been confirmed to me many times by one of my mother's brother (deceased). How can his name be found? There are not many people mentioned in the list provided. Can my father's name be found in the archives of the construction company? Is there a way to look for his name in the payroll books of the company for instance--everybody got paid--or anywhere else? From JF-R 18 Jan 06 Freeman Baker I have been trying to get details on my relatives for some time. I am told that they were laborers on the bridge. Their names were Henry and Thomas Freeman and George Baker. Can you give me any advice on how to get this information? I would appreciate any help you can give and thank you for all the work you have done on this wonderful site. From PB 2001 James Hagan My great grandfather, James Hagan, worked on the Brookly Bridge [as well as on the stairs in the Statue of Liberty]. Rather firm family tradition says that he was a left handed riveter. [In old directories, he is listed as a 'housesmith'.] My grandmother used to bring him lunch on the Brooklyn side of the bridge since they lived nearby. Do any records exist that might include some names of laborers? I expect that 19th Century records might not contain the same detail as 20th or 21st Century records but I was just wondering. From JB 21 Jul 02 J. Lloyd Haigh Contractor for funishing steel wire for cables. Caught in fraud for supplying substandard wire. From "The Great Bridge" pp415. Joseph C. Hendrix Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing Brooklyn. Penciled in on Title page of webmaster's copy of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" Eli Holland Eli Haley I am researching some of the information about the bridge because I believe My great-grandfather Eli Holland, later changed to Eli Haley, possibly because of Irish immigrants and getting jobs was better possibility with Irish sounding name. I believe from aural History passed on that he was part of the party that worked on drawing the cable for the bridge. He arrived in America from England with his new wife whom he married shortly after arriving. The time line coincides with the building and installation of cables. I don’t know if he was a direct worker or associated in some way with the manufacturer of the cable. His wife’s name was Emily and they had a son in 1879, my grandfather Lewis E. Haley. I don’t know if this helps much but I think it is a part of the story. from DH 12 Jan 2005 Frank Harris Irish workman who later became a man of letters. Writings included a vivid description of the effects of the "Caisson Disease" From "The Great Bridge" pp301. Frank Harris 2 Workman fell into the Brooklyn Tower, about 186 feet down. His fall was broken by an empty barrel, he survived and was back on the tower in 8 days. From "The Great Bridge" pp336. Hefner Stricken 2 May 1872 with "Caisson Disease". From "The Great Bridge" pp313. Wilhelm Hildenbrand Listed as Assistant Engineer in "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883". Roebling's engineering staff, as of the end of August 1870. Of the three new men, Hildenbrand was the only proved quantity. A strapping, smooth faced young German who arrived in the United States only a few years before, he was a draftsman of exceptional talent. Earlier he had done a number of finished draw- ings of the bridge for John A. Roebling, including a big panoramic rendering with clouds sweeping above the towers, which was the one three-dimensional view the engineers had to show how the finished bridge would look. More recently he had worked for Vanderbilt's architects on the new Grand Central Depot and was in fact the man who had designed, at age twenty-two, the great arched roof over the train shed. Hildenbrand would spend most of his time in the office, computing stresses in various parts of the bridge, and producing the finished drawings. But he would also go to Maine to supervise the cutting of the granite and his primary responsibility would be to keep the plans well in advance of the work. He was to be a most valuable man. From "The Great Bridge" pp145-6. James Howell I'm trying to obtain some family history. My great-great uncle James Howell, was the mayor of Brooklyn elected in 1877. In 1885 he was elected President of the Brooklyn Bridge trustees and according to my family there is a plaque somewhere on the Brooklyn Bridge that bears his name. Do you have any history on this? Many thanks for whatever you can offer. From KM 2001 Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing Brooklyn. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" 
If you have additional information about workers, please notify the webmaster. Kavanaugh My great grandfather from Ireland worked on the Brooklyn Bridge approximately 1870, I do not know his first name. His last name was Kavanaugh. My relatives have told me he worked for $2.50 per month, sending most of his savings home to Ireland to wife and family. When no longer receiving money, oldest son came to NY to check to find out what happened. The rented room he had only had his wallet and eyeglasses. Relatives seem to think he might have been killed working on the bridge. From JL 23 Mar 03 William Kingsley William Kingsley. General Superintendent of the Construction, 1870. From "The Great Bridge" pp194. Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing Brooklyn. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883". President of New York and Brooklyn Bridge. Willie Kitzer I came across your web page for the bridge today and wondered if you might be able to verify a family story. I'm told that a relative named Willie Kitzer was thrown by his horse from a horse drawn laundry truck off the Brooklyn Bridge in the late 1800's. Story says he was the first person to be thrown from the bridge and survive. Can you verify? From AW 2001 Charles Knubbert I hope you can help me. My Grandfather, Charles Knubbert, was supposed to have fallen off the Brookly bridge, to his death, while he was painting it. I don't have any dates except that he was born in 1885, and I know for a fact he was alive in May 1936. His death had to have occured after May 26, 1936. Can you tell me how I can verify this rumor of his death? From LH 6 Sep 02 The bridge records would not include this information. I would try the New York State archives. I'm sure they have a record of the death, which is where you would need to start. Just start with any of the search engines for New York deaths. William Kohrner German wire rigger worked from cables, replaced by Timbs due to discomfort on the cables. From "The Great Bridge" pp367. Benjamin Henry Latrobe Brooklyn Bridge Design Review Committee, 1869. Probably the best-known figure among them, however, was Benjamin Henry Latrobe of Baltimore, who had the face of a bank clerk, but whose endorsement alone would perhaps have been enough to settle the whole issue. He was the son and namesake of the famous English-born architect picked by Jefferson to design or remodel much of Washington, and who rebuilt the Capitol after it was burned by the British during the War of 1812. He had laid out most of the B&O Railroad and had been in charge of building a number of exceptional bridges in Maryland and Virginia. From "The Great Bridge" pp22, 23 John H. Loff I would be interested in seeing a directory of those who worked on the bridge. Supposedly my grandfather worked on the bridge after his arrival in this country from Denmark. His name was John H. Loff. Do you have anything? From PJ 25 Oct 02 Seth Low Mayor of Brooklyn, 1883. Ex-Officio Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, May 24, 1883" James Patrick Mahon According to family lore-my great-grandfather- James Patrick Mahon ( from Leitrim, Ireland) - worked on the Brooklyn Bridge. He was married to Bridget Feeney ( from Scotland). They had 2 children born in Scotland - Agnes and James. My grandmother Elizabeth Mahon was born while he worked here. Patrick and Bridget returned to Ireland, when Elizabeth was about 6 weeks old, and had 7 more children. They were Annie, Mary Ellen, Patrick, Bridget, Josephine, Katherine, and John. As a child walking near the Bridge, I remember my Dad pointing out the window Roebling used to oversee the construction. from TF 28 November 2004 C. C. Martin Listed as Assistant Engineer in "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883". Roebling's engineering staff, as of the end of August 1870. Chosen by Kingsley. Charles Cyril Martin, C. C. Martin as he was known, was second-in-command after Roebling, with a salary of five thousand dollars a year. Older than Roebling by six years, he had a big, plain, manly face, handsome except for the ears, which were extremely large, and he wore his whiskers clipped trim, in the manner made popular by Grant - as Roebling would too now, after his father's death. Martin was another Rensselaer graduate. He had been a class ahead of Roebling, but already twenty-three when he first arrived at Troy, he had been regarded as an old-timer even then. By this time he had been married ten years, was the father of four children, and had worked for William Kingsley on three different reservoirs. He had put down Brooklyn's new water main and was head engineer in charge of building Prospect Park. (The actual design of the park had been worked out by the noted landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who had done Central Park, which they considered the lesser work of the two.) Martin had even named one of his sons Kingsley Martin. So if experience dealing with Kingsley or a knowledge of Brooklyn politics were to count for anything, Martin had added qualifications. Martin was to concentrate on supplies and the hiring of the work force, Kingsley's chief interests. He was, for all practical purposes, to be the executive officer for the bridge. For help he had Probasco and young McNulty. From "The Great Bridge" pp145-6 William Jarvis McAlpine Brooklyn Bridge Design Review Committee, 1869. William Jarvis McAlpine, of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, was the president of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Kindly, genial, widely respected, he had built the enormous dry dock at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Albany Water Works, and a fair number of bridges. He was also the proud possessor of what must have been the most elaborate jowl whiskers in the profession and he was the one man in the group, the two Roeblings included, who had had any firsthand experience working with compressed-air foundations, or caissons, as they were called, which, in this particular case, was regarded as an attribute of major proportions. From "The Great Bridge" pp22, 23 Bernard (Barney) McBride Greetings, I live in Ontario Canada. All the time I was growing up,my dad always told us that his grandfather told him that he worked on the brooklyn bridge when he was a young man. His name was Bernard (Barney) McBride. I have since found out that he was born in Louth Co. Ireland in 1851 and immigrated to New York in 1853. I am not sure when he left N.Y. but I do know that my grandmother and her siblings were born in northern Wisconsin in the late 1870s and1880s. I know also that he was a very good carpenter and he made violins and clocks (with wooden gears). From CC 15 Mar 06 McCann 1875 hit by mortar box, fell from Brooklyn Tower, killed instantly. From "The Great Bridge" pp335. Timothy McCarthy Ran the engine during Farrington's first ride over the bridge. From "The Great Bridge" pp361. Charles Macdonald Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing New York. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" McDonald Workman judged to be responsible for starting the devastating fire in the Brooklyn caisson. December 1870. "In chamber #2, just below the place where the fire was discovered, a workman named McDonald had nailed a wooden box about head high, where he evidently stored his dinner pail, and during change of shifts at three, in order to see into his box, he must have held his candle against the seam just long wnough to start the oakum burning." From "The Great Bridge" pp233. McGrath Workman on New York anchorage 14 June 1878 when cable snapped, throwing him across the anchorage with multiple injuries, but alive. From "The Great Bridge" pp439. Michael McGuire Hello! I'm writing to give you the name of my Great Great Grandfather, Michael McGuire, who immigrated from Ireland to work on the bridge. That's all I know! I was doing a search to find out more about him but this is proving to be a series of dead ends. From JM 31 July 2003 Michael McHale my grand uncle was killed off on the construction of the brooklyn bridge name micheal mchale from mayo ireland we have his gold pocket watch. can never find any reference of his death would welcome any information, thank you From KM 28 Dec 2005 James McHugh Good afternoon. I came upon your website while trying to obtain information about my maternal grandfather. James McHugh came to America from Ireland and worked on the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. He and my grandmother eventually returned to County Sligo and bought a farm and opened a grocery store as well. James may have been injured on the job and may have even recovered a sum of money due to his injuries. Unfortunately those that could attest to that are no longer with us. Nevertheless, being a New York resident, I have always taken great pride in knowing that my grandfather contributed to the construction of such a beautiful NY landmark. From JN 9 Aug 2006 Patrick McKay Irish, 50. Died 30 April 1872 from "Caisson Disease". From "The Great Bridge" pp313. George McNulty Listed as Assistant Engineer in "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883". Roebling's engineering staff, as of the end of August 1870. McNulty, the youngest of them, was barely twenty, a New Yorker and a graduate of the University of Virginia. He had done a little surveying, but that was about the sum of his experience and he had been turned down when he first applied for a position. Then he offered to serve without pay and Roebling had been so impressed by his manner that he took him on, with pay, as an assistant to Martin. Later Supervisor for the Brooklyn Anchorage. From "The Great Bridge" pp145, 332. John J. McQuade My GGG Grandfather John J. McQuade a contractor and Tammany man in Manhattan was suppose to have built one of the pilings. Do you have any info on the contractors who built the bridge? Fropm HM 18 Sep 02 p.s. btw, John J. McQuade was the contractor, and a Grand Sachem of Tammany Hall, responsible for the Manhattan Piling of the Brooklyn Bridge. From CH 4 Nov 2003 William Marshall Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing Brooklyn. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" William Miller Wire rigger beat Supple's speed at slinging cables. From "The Great Bridge" pp369. Jack Minihane My great grandfather Jack Minihane from Rathura near Schull , West Cork, Ireland worked on the bridge and broke both his ankles in the process. From JF 27 Nov 02 Neil Mullen d. Dec, 1877. Masonry Collapse. Brooklyn man, widower with 6 children. From "The Great Bridge" pp412. James Myer Heavy-set German common laborer. Died 22 April 1872 from "Caisson Disease". From "The Great Bridge" pp313. Richard Nicholas I discovered from a relative yesterday that my great-grandfather - Richard Nicholas - worked on the Brooklyn Bridge. He lived from 1885 to 1949. He later returned to England, to work as a builder, repairing Hereford Cathedral In Herefordshire, England and the fallen spire of St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury. He built the (now closed) Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital, Shrewsbury and some streets of houses in Shrewsbury. I do not know of any information about his American travels. Is there a Directory of people who worked on the Brooklyn Bridge project? I would be most grateful if you were able to discover any information about my ancestor and his work on the famous bridge. Thank you. From PJD 24 Apr 02 Nichols I think lots of family oral histories must suggest an ancestor's connection with the Brooklyn Bridge! Our family history relates that my great-great-great grandfather NICHOLS worked on the Brooklyn Bridge, but I doubt the literal accuracy of the story given that he was born in about 1800. Born in New York, as an adult he lived on the state's western frontier, was in the Sackets Harbor area in the 1820s, and seems to have disappeared from the scene by sometime in the 1840s, well before start of construction on the Bridge. One of his sons was my great-great grandfather, Nelson Elijah Nichols (1821-1915). My guess is that there is some truth “somewhere” to the family story. Perhaps Nelson’s father worked on another, earlier big bridge – perhaps even a Roebling designed bridge. Or, perhaps one of his relatives worked on one of the big bridges. Associated family names include LORD, McLAUGHLIN, BURNS [BYRNES/BYRNE], and perhaps BEEBE. I hope something turns up some day to help solve this mystery. From Dk 16 Nov 2005 Noonan Dear Sir, This request has nothing to do with any death on the Brooklyn Bridge, but I am at the end of my search on the internet for a family member who apparently was an engineer on the Brooklyn Bridge, and have essentially found nothing. I was hoping that you may be able to help. The story goes that my husband's grand-uncle was an engineer on the Brooklyn Bridge. My husband does not know his first name, but his Mother's family name was Noonan. He supposedly made a lot of money, bought a little bank in Jamaica and lost it all in The Wall St. crash. I am a little sceptical about the whole thing, as it all sounds a little too adventurous, especially for an Irishman. Anyway, if you can help, it would be great. If not, thank you for your effort. For the record, he was NOONAN from ROSCOMMON in Ireland. From SK 29 Oct 02 James O'Neil One of the first Wire riggers along with Supple, Carroll, Arnold and Miller. Made daring cable exchange at mid span when he realized he had attached to the wrong support cable. From "The Great Bridge" pp369. Colonel Paine Listed as Assistant Engineer in "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883". Roebling's engineering staff, as of the end of August 1870. Along with Collingwood, responsible for clearing boulders from beneath the shoe of the caisson and seeing that the caisson settled properly. From "The Great Bridge" pp145, 201 Sam Probasco Listed as Assistant Engineer in "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883". Roebling's engineering staff, as of the end of August 1870, another Kingsley man. From "The Great Bridge" pp145 Dave Quinlan Hi Gary, I'm the great-great granddaughter of Dave Quinlan, a construction worker who was part of the support structure team. They blasted rock and constructed the supports for the bridge. All were divers. Dave rescued an injured man. I would love to know if the injured man's family is aware of the situation. Any pages for the injured? I have a photo of Dave in his diving suit. I keep it on my work desk. He was from Ireland. I'd love to know who the two other men (in suits) are in the photo. Someone told me they recognized him from other research and thought he was the crew doctor. Relatives told me the doctor refused to dive to tend to the trapped man. Dave evidently amputed his leg in order to free him. They think the man survived. From DE 20 Sep 2005 Orestes P. Quintard Secretary of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, May 24, 1883" Reardon Stricken 17 May 1872 with "Caisson Disease", died the following morning. From "The Great Bridge" pp317. Reed 1875 fell from Brooklyn Tower, killed instantly, later found to suffer from epileptic fits. From "The Great Bridge" pp335. Reilly Rutherford According to my family history, my Great Grandfather did the original paving on the Brooklyn Bridge. Supposedly, his name is on a plaque attached to the bridge. I've done some research, but have been unable to find any reference to my family. Do you know any place where I might be able to verify this claim or not? I live in Ohio and therefore unable to visit the bridge to do any checking there. Family name is Reilly, but could also be Rutherford. Thanks for any assistance. From MR 3 Sep 02 E. Riley Taken sick Feb. 16th, 1872 one hour after leaving the caisson. Pressure 26 ls. Epigastric pain and pain in the legs. No loss of sensibility. Profuse cold perspiration. Pulse, when I saw him, two hours after the commencement of the attack, was 96. The pain, which at first was very severe, had by this time become much less. Gave him an ounce of brandy and a teaspoonful of fluid extract of ergot. In 10 minutes the pulse had fallen to 82. Was able to resume work the next day. From "The Great Bridge" pp303. Patrick Rogers Irish, 40 in 1872 treated by Dr. Smith for "Caisson Disease". Smith advised Rogers to find other work following a sever attack. From "The Great Bridge" pp305. Edward Wellman Serrell Brooklyn Bridge Design Review Committee, 1869. John J. Serrell, the only builder of suspension bridges in the group except for the Roeblings. From "The Great Bridge" pp22, 23 This is an error by David McCullough back in the 1970s - There was a board of consulting engineers reviewing the initial BB plans - one member of the board was John J. Serrell. McCullough stated he was the "only" member of the consulting group that had built a suspension bridge. This is plain wrong for two reasons: First, Julius Adams on the board had built a suspension bridge, but more significantly, David has confused John J Serrell with his youngest brother Edward Wellman Serrell (1826-1906) who built the Lewiston-Queenston suspension bridge. To my knowledge John J Serrell never built a bridge in his life. The Serrell family were surveyors in New York City. The middle brother James E. Serrell (1820-1892) left behind a large quantity on New York City surveys that are at the NY Public Library. The youngest brother Edward is much more famous because he formed a group of volunteer engineers to serve the Union army in the Civil War - he was brevetted to General for his services. I have not yet found a bio that makes a good distinction between the careers of the three brothers (I think their father was from England) but you should make a correction in "Names" to clarify it was Edward, not John, who built bridges. So far as I know John was a NY City surveyor his whole life. From DS 1 Jan 06 Anthony Siragusa My great grandfather Anthony Siragusa was an Italian immigrant was one of the many workers on the Brooklyn Bridge . As the story has been passed on to me, generation to generation Anthony fell off the Bridge during it’s construction and lived. From as 26Apr08 Henry W. Slocum Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing Brooklyn. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" John D. Smallfield Operated the starting lever during Farrington's crossing. From "The Great Bridge" pp361. Asa W. Smart My Great Grandfather worked on this bridge - Asa W Smart. I see no mention of his name Born 1871 in Shawville, Que, Canada and died 1951 in Tweed, On., Canada From rh 1Feb08 Andrew H. Smith Former Army Doctor hired by Roebling as medical official for the Bridge Company, serving from January 25, 1872 until May 31, 1872 when the caisson work was finished. Later performed autopsy on President Garfield. From "The Great Bridge" pp298. Austin Smith ... I'm trying to verify a story passed down in my family. The story is that my Grandfather's grandfather, Austin Smith was an engineer on the Brooklyn Bridge and that his name is on a plaque on the bridge. I've tried doing some web searching to verify this and have been unsuccessful so far. Do you have a picture of this plaque? Do you know where on the bridge it is located so that I can take a photo of it From cn 31Jan08 Edward E. Smith I hope you can help, my brother and I are doing family research and it has come to our attention that our great great grandfather, Edward E Smith, was one of the first toll takers on the brooklyn bridge. Not sure how we can confirm this information which is why i am emailing you. Perhaps you can direct me where to go for this confirmation. From jks 15Jan08 Hannon Smith My father Remembers his grandfather telling him stories about keeping the Brooklyn bridge open as he was a cop and his beat was the bridge. I have pictures of him as well as his night stick that he used on his beat. I was wondering if there was any place to post his stories and to see if anyone else had stories to contribute about the bridge? From LLMAHS 11 Nov 02 Walter Solley It is my belief that my great-great grandfather was killed while working on the Brooklyn Bridge. Born Walter Solley in Denmark in 1855, he is believed to have immigrated to the United States sometime in 1873. Shortly thereafter he married my great-great grandmother Antoinette (b. 1858 d. 1883). They had one son, August (b. 1876 d. 1967). According to my great-grandmother, her husband often recounted how his father had died "in a terrible fall" while working on "Roebling's Bridge" in New York. "His body was never recovered." And, according to her, his mother never recovered from her husband's death; often showing up at the work site wandering around calling her husbands name. Her parents took over raising the small child August. Even more tragically, Antoinette disappeared shortly after the bridge opened in 1883. A note left to the family in which she said she was "going to be with Walter" led them to believe she jumped from the bridge to her death. From TS 10 Jul 02 J. Dutton Steele Brooklyn Bridge Design Review Committee, 1869. J. Dutton Steele, chief engineer of the Reading Railroad; and James Pugh Kirkwood, a rather mournful-looking Scotsman who was an au- thority on hydraulics, among other things, and who, in 1848, in northeastern Pennsylvania, had built the beautiful stone-arched Starrucca Viaduct, then the most costly railroad bridge in the world. From "The Great Bridge" pp22, 23 James S. T. Stranahan Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing Brooklyn. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" Henry Stroud Diver. 2 April 1872 treated by Dr. Smith for "Caisson Disease". From "The Great Bridge" pp304. Harry Supple Worked on the bridge starting in 1870. Wire rigger adept at working from cables. Working on New York anchorage 14 June 1878 when cable snapped, knocking him off the anchorage, died within 24 hours. From "The Great Bridge" pp366, 439. Alden S. Swan Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing Brooklyn. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" Ferdinando Tanzi My great grandfather Ferdinando Tanzi from Parma, Italy, worked on the Brooklyn Bridge. Do you have any information about Italians working on the bridge? I'm looking for info about dates that he may have done the work-He would have been one who was building one of the stone towers. From MM 10July2006 H. K. Thurber Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing New York. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" Patrick Timbs Englishman. Wire rigger worked on main span cables. From "The Great Bridge" pp367. William Jewett Travis Family legend has it that my great grandfather, William Jewett Travis, an army colonel, lead President Arthur's honor guard at the formal opening of the bridge, thereby becoming the first person to OFFICIALLY cross the bridge. Do you know any way to check this out? Thanks very much. From PC 8 Jan 03 The opening ceremonies booklet describes the procession in some detail: "Early in the afternoon the President of the United States, Gen. Chester A. Arthur, and the Hon. Grover Celveland, Governor of the State of New York, the former accompanied by the members of his Cabinet and the latter by the officers of his Staff, were escorted from the Fifth Avenue Hotel to the New York City Hall, where they were joined by his Honor Mayor Franklin Edson and the New York officials. From City Hall the possession proceeded to the New York Approach to the Bridge. The Seventh Regiment, N.G., S.N.Y., Col. Emmons Clark, commanding, acted as escort to the Presidential and Gubernatorial party. The regimental band, of 75 pieces, headed the column and played popular airs as the procession moved along the crowded and gaily decorated thoroughfares. At the New York Tower a battalion of the Fifth United States Artillery, under command of Major Jackson, joined the escort, and between the lines of brilliantly uniformed troops the distinguished guests passed upon the roadway. They were formally recevied by a Committee of the Bridge Trustees, headed by Mr. William C. Kingsley, Vice-President and acting as President of the Board". It is possible the Col. Travis was part of the procession, but there was not a crossing per se, as the New York party met the Bridge trustees in the middle of the span, and a similar Brooklyn party proceeded from the East. Jenkins Van Schaick Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing New York. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883" Charles Wehrum I see that you are listed as the person who maintains the Brooklyn Bridge website. It was an old story in my family that a relative helped design the bridge. If I were to guess, I'd think that person was my great grandfather Charles Wehrum, but I'm not sure of that. From nt 7Jan08 Otto Witte Trustee of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge representing Brooklyn. Listed on Title page of "Opening Ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883". Treasurer of New York and Brooklyn Bridge. James J. Wood Electrical Engineer. Attended Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (circa 1879) and designed the electric's for the machine that constructed the cables for the Brooklyn Bridge WEB REFERENCE: http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/wood.html http://decoy.union.edu/community/project95/HOH/Biography/wood.html from CH 4 Nov 2003 Charles Young Charles Young. Foreman inside the Brooklyn caisson, 1870. Later suffered from the "Caisson Disease", collapsed in the Brooklyn Caisson at the same time as Roebling, later resigned his foreman position to work on the dock. From "The Great Bridge" pp193,303 If you have additional information about workers, please notify the webmaster.  |