Washington Roebling

25/3/1881 - 15/4/1912

Record updated 25-Mar-20

Washington Augustus Roebling, II,came from a wealth family. Which enabled him to indulge in a little motor sport. In 1910 he designed and built his own racing car, the Roebling-Planche, finishing second in the Vanderbilt Cup that year. He perished two years later aboard the Titanic returning from a trip to Europe.

Washington Roebling
Washington A. Roebling II was the third of four children born to Charles G. Roebling and Sarah Ormsby (died during his childhood) on March 25, 1881. Named after his paternal uncle, Colonel Washington A. Roebling, who was the chief engineer in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, Charles’s son quickly became known as 'Washy' to the rest of the family. Blessed with great wealth by his relatives' deeds, the young man was something of a playboy, but he had a good mind and took a special interest in his family's investments. Washington graduated from the State Model School in Trenton, New Jersey, as well as the Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania where he also played football.

After graduation Washington, following in his father and uncles’ footsteps, and joined the John A. Roebling’s Sons Company around 1900. During his time working for the family business, Washington developed a passion for automobiles and racing. His interest in automobiles transformed into a business when the Roeblings, along with the Kuser brothers of Hamilton Township, New Jersey, paid for the William Walter’s Automobile Company to be moved to the vacant Kuser Brewery in Hamilton Township, New Jersey in 1906. While holding the position of secretary for the Walter’s Automobile Company, Washington also collaborated with the French automobile designer, Etienne Planche, to construct a race-car was named the Roebling-Planche and sold by the Walter’s Automobile Company.

In June of 1909, the Walter Automobile Company filed for bankruptcy. The Roeblings and Kusers acquired what assets where left of the company and invested them into the Mercer Automobile Company that manufactured cars that were safe for and made for individual citizens to drive at their own leisure. Washington continued his love of automobiles and pursued his interest in racing. He began racing Mercer models before they were put on the market to ensure they were safe and well-built.

 

He finished second in his No 33 Mercer at  the Savannah Trophy Race for light cars on November 11, 1911 and No 1 Planche-Roebling was entered the next day for the American Grand Prize but did not start.

In 1911, a thirty year old Washington made plans for a motoring tour around Europe with family friend Stephen Blackwell, son of the former U.S. Senator Jonathon Blackwell. 

Roebling's chauffeur, Frank Stanley accompanied the two men, bringing with them Roebling's Fiat car. They toured Italy and France, and it was in France. However a week before the completion of their trip, Stanley fell ill and returned to the U.S. aboard another ship, bringing the Fiat back with him.

The final stop of the tour, Southampton, England, was reached in April of 1912. Washington and Blackwell planned to return home aboard a newly constructed ship, the Titanic. Roebling carried ticket no. PC 17590 (£50 9s 11d) and occupied cabin A-24. Within a week of its departure, on the historic night of April 15, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg. Washington worked calmly and diligently to help the women and children on board the sinking ship into lifeboats and on to safety. A Ms. Caroline Bonnell, who he met on the outward voyage to Europe, was one of the many women aided by Washington that tragic night. She later told the Roebling family and reporters that the last words she heard from Mr. Washington A. Roebling II was, “You will be back with us on the ship soon again” as he waved to her from the deck of the sinking ship with a smile.

Members of the Roebling family traveled to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to meet ships carrying victims of the Titanic, however; Washington’s body was never recovered. Despite Washington A. Roebling II’s tragic death at the young age of thirty-one, his contributions to the Mercer Automobile Company and his heroic acts aboard the Titanic have become part of the Roebling family’s famous legacy.

In addition to his father, Roebling also left behind two sisters, Miss Helen Roebling, at the time engaged to noted Philadelphia artist, Caroll Sergeant Tyson, Jr.; and Mrs Richard McCall Cadwalder (nee Emily Roebling) of Philadelphia. Charles G. Roebling, a prominent member of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Trenton, later had the west wall of the cathedral rebuilt as a memorial to his son.

Charles Roebling himself died in 1918 and the age of 69, never having recovered from his son's death. After the chauffeur Stanley's return to America, the Fiat car, the only remnant of the men's ill-fated journey was driven back home by relatives. What became of it remains a mystery.



encyclopedia-titanica.org, the roebling museum and other research.

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