James Bogardus
James Bogardus (1800-1874) was an American inventor.
Said to have constructed 'the first complete cast iron edifice in America or in the world.'[1]. However, the 'world' part of this claim does not stand up to scrutiny.
From Wikipedia:-
'In 1828, Bogardus invented a cotton-spinning machine called a ring flier. In 1831, he invented a mechanized engraving machine that was employed for engraving dies for bank notes. He also invented the eccentric mill in 1832, which is still used in principle for fine finish of ball bearings, and, with variable eccentricity, for lens grinding.
'Bogardus attached plaques to his cast-ironwork that read: "James Bogardus Originator & Patentee of Iron Buildings Pat' May 7, 1850." After his invention of cast-iron [!] in the early 1850s, he demonstrated the use of it in the construction of building facades, especially in New York City for the next two decades. He was based in New York, but also worked in Washington, DC, where three cast-iron structures erected by Bogardus in 1851 were the first such constructions in the capital. The success of the cast-iron exteriors from 1850-1880 led to the adoption of steel-frame construction for entire buildings.'