Washington DC
Blagden
George Blagden, was a man of many parts that, taken together, reflect a responsible, competent, compassionate and well-regarded citizen of early Washington. Blagden, a stone mason by trade, was born in Attercliffe, Sheffield, the son of Attercliffe stonemason, George Blagden, who built the Newhall and Washford Bridges and his wife, Ann Beaumont of Wentworth.George settled in Washington in 1793. He was in charge of cutting the stone at the Government Island quarry as well as dressing and installing the stone in Washington. George Blagden held the position of Superintendent of masons at the Capitol building until his accidental death in 1826. Source: Congressional Cemetery Newsletter
Benjamin Henry Latrobe
He was born 1764 near Pudsey, Yorkshire in the Moravian Settlement at Fulneck. His father was the Rev. Henry Latrobe and his mother, Anna Margaretta Antes, the 2nd child of eleven of Henry Antes and his wife Christina Elisabeth DeWees, a wealthy Pennsylvanian family. Anna was sent to Fulneck to receive a Moravian education. Benjamin spent a few years in the army but after being wounded he trained to become an architect. In 1795, after bankruptcy and the death of his wife, he emigrated to Virginia. He moved to Philadelphia where he designed the Bank of Pennsylvania. Over the years he was involved in the design and building of many important buildings. In 1803 he was appointed by President Jefferson as Surveyor of Public Buildings with the principal responsibility of constructing the South Wing of the United States Capitol.
He died in New Orleans in 1830 from yellow fever.
