John Metcalf
(1717-1810)
Died aged c. 93
Wikidata WikipediaJohn Metcalf (15 August 1717 – 26 April 1810), known as Blind Jack of Knaresborough or Blind Jack Metcalf, was the first professional road builder to emerge during the Industrial Revolution. Blind from the age of six, Metcalf had an eventful life, which was documented by his own account just before his death. He was an accomplished diver, swimmer, card player and fiddler, but was better known for the period between 1765 and 1792 when he built about 180 miles (290 km) of turnpike road, mainly in the north of England and as such, he became known as one of the fathers of the modern road. His work on the roads in the north has been commemorated in a pub named after him, a statue in Knaresborough town centre and part of the A658 in Harrogate being named John Metcalf Way.
DbPedia
Commemorated on 2 plaques
Blind Jack of Knaresborough (John Metcalf) was born in 1717 in a cottage whose garden adjoined the churchyard. Though blinded by smallpox at the age of six, he became famous as a musician, guide, horseman, trader and pioneer builder of roads. He died in 1810 and is buried in Spofforth churchyard.
The Parsonage, Knaresborough, United Kingdom where they was born near (1717)
Texas Historical Marker #10124
Vogel Sunday House. In the 1880s German immigrant Christian Vogel (1824-1889) built the left half of this structure to house his family while in town for Saturday trading and Sunday church services. His son Amandus (1854-1898) and daughter-in-law Elizabeth (Weber) (1857-1944) added the right half and covered it with pressed tin at the turn of the century. It was used as a Sunday House by Elizabeth until her death and remained in the family until 1947. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982 #10124
418 West Austin, Fredericksburg, TX, United States where they was