12. Robert Falkner, son of Nickolas and Katharina Christina (Eckert) Falkner, was born 11 October 1894 in Payson, Utah, Utah.[1] He died 30 June 1963 in Kaysville, Davis, Utah and was buried 3 July 1963 in the Kaysville City Cemetery, Kaysville, Davis, Utah.[2] He married 14 February 1923 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, Anna Pearl Pryor.[3]
During his childhood, Robert’s family moved a lot. In 1898, when Robert was four years old, Nickolas Falkner bought 40 acres of land in Ferron, Utah, where Nickolas’s brother, Peter Falkner, was living.[4] Nickolas worked in the Castle Gate Coal Mine.[5] After a mining accident, Nickolas and family left Ferron and moved to Eureka, Utah and later to Mammoth, Utah.[6] There, Nickolas worked as a miner in the mineral mines, which he felt, were safer than the coalmines.
Note: After doing some research, the Castle Gate Mine #2 (he would have been in #1) didn’t have an accident until 1924, well after Nickolas’s death. The best match to a mining accident would have been in Winter Quarter’s Utah (outside of Scoville, Utah), which is 32 miles away. “On May 1, 1900, an explosion occurred in the Winter Quarters Number Four mine. Immediately following the explosion, miners working in the Winter Quarters Number One mine, which was connected to the Number Four mine, were killed by the carbon monoxide gas that was a product of the mine explosion. Rescue crews consisting of men from Clear Creek, Castle Gate, and Sunnyside, along with locals from the valley, worked for almost a week recovering bodies. The final death count reported by the Pleasant Valley Coal Company was 200, though other reports reported 246 deaths. 62 of the deceased were Finns. The state inspector's report concluded that the cause of the explosion was an accidental ignition of black powder, which ignited the coal dust in the air. The Pleasant Valley Coal Company supplied each deceased miner with a coffin and burial clothes. The company also provided $500 to each family who was affected by the mine explosion.” I believe that Nickolas did work in the Castle Gate #1 Mine but was affected by the explosion in the Winter Quarter’s mine.
In 1900, the family bought a farm in Springville, Utah, Utah and traveled back and forth to the mines in Mammoth (41 miles). On the 1900 census, Robert is living in Mammoth, Juab, Utah- age 6.[7]
In 1903 the family moved to Provo, Utah, Utah and in 1906 to Salt Lake City, Utah, Utah and lived in the Pioneer 7th Stake.[8] In 1907 there was quite a panic, they rented their house in Salt Lake and went to Steptoe Valley, Nevada where Nickolas was an assayer, and the boys, including Robert, drove the old time stage line and freight team of 10 horses and 2 wagons.[9]
In 1909 they returned to Salt Lake City, sold their city home and bought a little farm in Buna Vista, Utah, where they attended the Brighton Ward. In 1910 Robert is not found on the census with his parents but is found in the Salt Lake City Directory as an employee at the Mount Pickle Company. His parents are living in Salt Lake City on Vissing Court.[10] [11] Robert worked in the pickle factory for five years and then worked for the Utah Copper Company in 1915.[12] [13]
In 1915, Robert lost his father from cancer of the lungs and throat, which left him to raise four brothers and support his mother.[14]
On 5 June 1917, Robert filled out the Draft Registration Card for the Great World War (WWI) which was raging in Europe.[15] He states that he was a steel bender for the Utah Copper Company in Garfield, Utah.[16] He was 22 years old living at R.D. #6 Box 52, Salt Lake City, Utah. He lists that he was providing his mother and 3 brothers.
On 17 September 1917 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, Robert was drafted into the Army for the Great World War (WWI).[17] He was in the Army Company F 362 Infantry 91st Division. Robert arrived with the second group of men to Camp Lewis (later called Fort Lewis) near Tacoma, Washington on 21 September 1917.[18] On his first day, he had a medical examination, received 5 shots (immunizations), and received a lecture on American citizenship. From The History of the 362nd Infantry, “The early camp days were filled with trying experiences for some of the boys, and homesickness caused many a bitter, scalding tear to be shed in the darkness of the new-smelling barracks. Many had never spent a night away from home in their lives before.” The new recruits also had qualification cards which listed their pedigree which was used when calling roll. Many new soldiers were not issued uniforms for a while and ended up doing drill in their civilian clothing.
Robert took a leave in April 1918 where he returned home to Utah and took out his endowment in the Salt Lake Temple.[19] After his leave, Robert returned to Camp Lewis before they set off across the country. On the afternoon of 23 June 1918, the 362nd infantry started the seven thousand mile journey to the trenches in France.[20] They first traveled by trains on the Milwaukee line through Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and finally to Chicago, Illinois. From there they took the New York Central Line through Indiana, Ohio, to Buffalo, New York. And finally the Lehigh Valley Line to New York City. At various places along the route stops, the men were allowed to indulge in physical exercise, including plunging into rivers. Many towns would welcome the train cars full of doughboys with sandwiches and hot drinks. [21]
On 1 July 1918, the men were camped along the Hudson River at Camp Merritt, New Jersey waiting further orders.[22] There were additional medical examinations, new equipment, and fake passes handed out for those who desired to visit New York City. On July 5th, the men hikes four miles to Alpine Landing and boarded a river ferry. The ferry carried the regiment to the piers in New York harbor and along the way passed historic sites such as General Cornwallis house, Old Fort Washington, Fort Lee, and Grants Tomb. The boys were simply too tired to be excited about these things, yet when they saw the Statue of Liberty, they broke out in song, “We won’t come back till it’s over, over there.”
6 July 1918 the 362nd infantry set sail on the Empress of Russia, which was fresh from the Pacific and ready to make her maiden voyage across the Atlantic.[23] This was the largest convey at that time to cross the Atlantic. They left New York Bay and were joined by 14 battle cruisers. The doughboys were jammed down the holds in four or five tier bunks. For 11 days the ships leisurely picked their way across the Atlantic. Each day the men would have life-boat drills including wearing their life preservers. Every Sunday they had religious services and spent time cleaning, getting sick, watching for submarines, and speculating about trench life. Many men slept on the wet, cold decks to escape the hot, ill-smelling holds. The kitchens were run by “Chinamen”. Many of the men stayed up late on the night of July 16th to see the first hint of land. Dawn was a happy time with views of the Scottish and Irish coasts. On the 17th they arrived in Liverpool, England. That night, cheering sightseers from New Brighton Beach would crowd into excursion boats to see the solders. This was their first welcome to Europe. The next morning the men marched through Liverpool through the narrow lanes lined with the welcoming English which consisted of old men, women, and children. The children would sing out, “The Yanks are coming” and the older people waved their handkerchiefs or said “God Bless you” with moist eyes.
While in the Liverpool docks, more than a hundred men, women, and children were landed from a small steamer. They were quite the sight with messy hair, lack of clothing, and sad faces told the story they just went through. This group of people were leaving Europe’s shores in hopes of a safe voyage to America, but a German submarine attacked and the ship went down. The few people to escape on lifeboats were later picked up by a passing steamer.
Not long after their landing in Liverpool, the men took a short four-mile hike over the cobblestone streets to the Knotty Ash Rest Camp. It certainly wasn’t a pleasure camp. Knotty Ash was quickly assembled to meet the emergencies of war. It was basically a tent city surrounded by stone and picket fences. The tents were cone shaped and designed to hold 8 men where as they would put 20 to a tent. The way how the tent was designed, it was wide at one end and narrow at the other. The men would sleep with their feet towards the center pole. Each man was given a pad of a few inches thick to sleep on and two blankets which weren’t thick enough to keep away the damp from the English rain. Two nights were spent here before boarding a train.
They traveled through the English countryside passing famous places such as Oxford and Shakespeare country at Stratford-on-Avon. Once in Southampton, the men marched to another rest camp which was worse than the first. They soon marched to the dock and boarded a ship headed to France. It was a cold, dark night. The men were grouped on the crowded deck since there were no sleeping quarters. The many partially destroyed ships lining the English Channel added to the speculation on what was to come. In the morning, they disembarked in France and soon was marching their way through La Havre to their next rest camp.
On July 25th, the men boarded trains to take them further into France.[24] They trains were small compared to the massive ones in America. The train cars were loaded with 40 men and 8 horses per car. This was pretty much standing room only although they would try to make room to rest on the floor. While the train was standing on the main line near the station in the village of Bonnières, there was a horrible accident. A heavy loaded, fast moving train had plowed into the rear end of the train carrying the soldiers. This forced many of the cars to pile one on top of the other. 32 men were killed and 63 were seriously injured. The remaining troops made their way and stayed in five small villages. Robert was most likely in the Dammartin-sur-Meuse, village since he worked on the artillery or part of the Machine Gun Company. For 6 weeks, the 91st division trained around Montigny le Roi, Val-de-Meuse, in Haute Marne, a rolling grazing county with narrow ridges and miles of terrain. The towns were small and infrequent. The soldiers were in temporary barracks or in stable lofts with ticks of straw for beds. The men spent their time drilling, doing maneuvers, and terrain exercises. The evenings were spent gossiping of war.
In the first days of September, the men were out on a three-day maneuver, which was never finished. The day had come that they would be sent to fight. Without a fuss, the division moved out of the area and made a 15 mile march from Dammartin-sur-Meuse to Chauffourt. Once there, they learned the field clerk sent them in the wrong direction. They were to go to Chalindrey instead of Chauffourt. On September 9th, the men started out from Chauffourt to Chalindrey which was 17 miles away. Two and a half miles into the journey and the torrents of rain began. Once in Chalindrey the men stayed in pup tents waiting to leave by train the following day.[25]
They boarded similar French trains with 40 men and 8 horses per car. The Machine Gun Company placed several machine guns and gun squads on flat cars to protect against Boche (German soldiers) planes. They spent a day and a night on a jerky, slow train. They passed innumerable troops and Red Cross trains of wounded. Later they men and baggage departed the train into the dark night with only truck headlights glaring at them. From there a 3 mile march down the dark roads to the designated town in the outskirts of Chauvoncourt.
They spent a few days in Chauvoncourt. A canal ran through the town which the men used for swimming and washing. Rumors were that a big attack was planned in the next few days. Great care was taken that the presence of soldiers in the town would not be known because the front lines were not far off. On the second night, orders were sent for the 3,200 men, with full packs to march towards the front 12 miles away.[26]
Before dawn, the regiment arrived at some woods where guides had marked where each company was to go. They spent the morning there trying to sleep before moving again in the afternoon. They went only a few miles across hills under the cover of the forest to Lérouville to help in the St. Mihiel attack which last from September 11th to the 13th. The artillery barrage started at one o’clock in the morning of September 12th. The flash of the guns could be vivdly seen and their heavy roar kept the men awake. During the day many squadrons of aeroplanes passed overhead; more than a hundred were counted in one squadron. The men kept under cover of the wet, dripping words like hunted rabbits. The regiment was in reserve.
On September 13t, the regiment marched to Sorcy-Commercy road and loaded into the 1500 French trucks. They rumbled through the night to the town of Rembercourt. On the night of September 16th they marched to Jubrecourt.[27] Hundreds of exhausted men arrived in the village at different times during the following day because they were unable to keep up with the regiment during the night. Many men would unload their packs of clothing and some even their blankets so they make the march. They left Jubrecourt on the night of September 17th and marched a short distance to Parois and later to the Foret De Hesse. The men moved under the cover of darkness and were almost too afraid to whisper for the fear the Germans would hear them. They were only a few miles from the front lines. This area had heavy mustard gas, something that effected Robert during his life.
Late in the afternoon of September 25th, orders arrived calling the regiment to attack the next morning. Orders were given for the men to dump their packs and in the morning, they would go over the top into no man’s land. That night was a quiet and thoughtful time. Men wrote letters home and talked in low tones. This was the moment they had trained for. At 5:55 the order was given for advance.[28] Without a word or any noise, the platoons ran up the steep slope. Ahead of the worked squads of wire cutters or clear the path for the advance. Clearing the top and crossing into no mans land, not a shot came from the German side. Everything seemed deserted. Soon a group of Germans came into view and the fighting began. Fighting in this and the Épinonville, area was simply horrible. September 29th brought the men into Gesnes-en-Argonne. While operating his artillery gun, Robert was injured by shrapnel hitting his left hand. Robert noticed that his four finger were dangling from his hand, knowing they could not be saved he took his knife and cut them off. He bandaged his hand and headed to the medical tent. On the way he was offered a ride by the military ambulance (wagon with a horse), he declined. A few hundred yards down the road from where he was walking, he saw the ambulance and everyone in it blown up.
Robert spent a few months in the hospital recovering and learning to do everything with his right hand. His left hand received the injury and he happened to be left handed.
He was discharged on 8 February 1919 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah and then attended the University of Utah earning a degree in engineering.
In 1920, Robert is living in Brighton, Salt Lake County, Utah on California Street. He is listed as a farmer on his own account. Living with his mother and siblings.[29]
On 14 February 1923, Robert married Anna Pearl Pryor in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. The marriage certificate was signed by Anna’s parents as witnesses. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on 17 January 1924.
Robert spent ten years working for the Prudential Life Insurance Company of America. From 1932 to 1942 worked at cabinet making, then three and one-half years at Hillfield, Air Force Base, Utah and twelve years for the U.S. Navy, Naval Supply Depot, Clearfield, Utah and retired in March 1958.
On 20 June 1963, Robert was invited to go hunting with possibly Randy and some of the other grandsons. He wasn't feeling very well and decided to stay home. That night he went to bed as normal, both sleeping in separate twin size beds. Robert and Anna said goodnight and settled down for the night. Anna heard Robert let out a sigh. She knew that he was gone. He died from a coronary occlusion, which is the partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in the coronary vein. This may cause a heart attack. His death was after five years after retiring from a life of hard work and dedication to his family, his church and to neighbors.
Robert had many hobbies, including wood working (made furniture), hunting and fishing (with sons and grandsons), and gardening (beautiful gardens both vegetable and flowers--he sold trees for Stark Brothers and helped plan and plant the gardens in Memory Grove in Salt Lake City. He grew his own horseradish and wore an old gas mask when he ground it.) He loved to hunt.
Known children of Robert and Anna Pearl (Pryor) Falkner:
+6. i. Robert Pryor Falkner, born 3 March 1924 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah;[33] died 18 March 1964 in Ogden, Weber Utah;[34] married, 4 September 1943 in Lincoln, Lancaster, Nebraska, Edith Blamires.[35]
ii. Joyce Ann Falkner, born 30 December 1925 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah;[58] died 16 November 1986 in Ogden, Weber Utah;[59] married, first, 19 November 1944, Cecil Ray Pritchard. Second, 30 December 1949 in Kaysville, Davis, Utah, John Paul Malloy.[61]
iii. Carol Jean Falkner, born 8 January 1930 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah;[64] died 9 December 2000 in North Salt Lake, Davis, Utah;[65] married, first, 2 December 1950 in Davis County, Utah, Billy Gene Chrisman.[66] Second, 5 November 1961, George Raymond Poulson.
iv. Living.
[1] “U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database, Ancestry.com (ancestry.com : viewed 12 July 2016), entry for Robert Falkner.
[2] Utah State Board of Health, death certificate no. 63062770, Robert Falkner, 1963.
[3] “Utah, Select County Marriages, 1887-1937,” database, Ancestry.com (ancestry.com : viewed 12 July 2016), entry for Robert Falkner and Anna Pearl Pryor, 1923.
[4] Personal History written by Robert Falkner, original in the possession of Nicol Montero.
[5] Personal History written by Robert Falkner, original in the possession of Nicol Montero. After doing some research, the Castle Gate Mine #2 (he would have been in #1) didn’t have an accident until 1924, well after Nickolas’s death. The best match to a mining accident would have been in Winter Quarter’s Utah (outside of Scoville, Utah), which is 32 miles away. “On May 1, 1900, an explosion occurred in the Winter Quarters Number Four mine. Immediately following the explosion, miners working in the Winter Quarters Number One mine, which was connected to the Number Four mine, were killed by the carbon monoxide gas that was a product of the mine explosion. Rescue crews consisting of men from Clear Creek, Castle Gate, and Sunnyside, along with locals from the valley, worked for almost a week recovering bodies. The final death count reported by the Pleasant Valley Coal Company was 200, though other reports reported 246 deaths. 62 of the deceased were Finns. The state inspector's report concluded that the cause of the explosion was an accidental ignition of black powder, which ignited the coal dust in the air. The Pleasant Valley Coal Company supplied each deceased miner with a coffin and burial clothes. The company also provided $500 to each family who was affected by the mine explosion.” I believe that Nickolas did work in the Castle Gate #1 Mine but was affected by the explosion in the Winter Quarter’s mine.
[6] Personal History written by Robert Falkner, original in the possession of Nicol Montero.
[7] 1900 U.S. Census, Juab County, Utah, population schedule, Mammoth, Nicholas Falkner; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 13 July 2016), Roll: T623_1683; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 100.
[8] Personal History written by Robert Falkner, original in the possession of Nicol Montero.
[9] Personal History written by Robert Falkner, original in the possession of Nicol Montero.
[10] “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” database, Ancestry.com (ancestry.com : viewed 12 July 2016), entry for Robert Falkner.
[11] I believe that Robert was living with his parents in 1910 but was left off the census. On the city directory is also lists his brothers working in the Pickle Factory and they are listed on the census.
[12] Personal History written by Robert Falkner, original in the possession of Nicol Montero.
[13] The Utah Copper Company later became Kennecott Copper Mine.
[14] “Utah Death Registers, 1847-1966,” database, Ancestry.com (ancestry.com : viewed 12 July 2016), entry for Nicholas Falkner, 1915.
[15] “U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database, Ancestry.com (ancestry.com : viewed 12 July 2016), entry for Robert Falkner.
[16] Garfield had a smelter which can still been seen along I-80 heading west from Salt Lake City.
[17] World War I, Enlistment Record—copy in possession of Nicol Montero.
[18] Meldrum, T. Ben, and Axel A. Madsen. A History of the 362nd Infantry. Salt Lake City, UT: A.L. Scoville Press, 1920.
[19] There is a photo with Robert in uniform with his younger brother Walter in the background. He is holding his nephew, Robert Leo Falkner (son of Nickolas Leo Falkner). This photo would have been taken, as others in his uniform, when he was home on leave.
[20] Meldrum, T. Ben, and Axel A. Madsen. A History of the 362nd Infantry. Salt Lake City, UT: A.L. Scoville Press, 1920.
[21] Doughboy was an informal term for a member of the United States Army or Marine Corps during WWI.
[22] Meldrum, T. Ben, and Axel A. Madsen. A History of the 362nd Infantry. Salt Lake City, UT: A.L. Scoville Press, 1920.
[23] Meldrum, T. Ben, and Axel A. Madsen. A History of the 362nd Infantry. Salt Lake City, UT: A.L. Scoville Press, 1920.
[24] Meldrum, T. Ben, and Axel A. Madsen. A History of the 362nd Infantry. Salt Lake City, UT: A.L. Scoville Press, 1920.
[25] Meldrum, T. Ben, and Axel A. Madsen. A History of the 362nd Infantry. Salt Lake City, UT: A.L. Scoville Press, 1920.
[26] Meldrum, T. Ben, and Axel A. Madsen. A History of the 362nd Infantry. Salt Lake City, UT: A.L. Scoville Press, 1920.
[27] Meldrum, T. Ben, and Axel A. Madsen. A History of the 362nd Infantry. Salt Lake City, UT: A.L. Scoville Press, 1920.
[28] Meldrum, T. Ben, and Axel A. Madsen. A History of the 362nd Infantry. Salt Lake City, UT: A.L. Scoville Press, 1920.
[29] 1920 U.S. Census, Salt Lake County, Utah, population schedule, Brighton, Kathryn Falkner; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 13 July 2016), Roll: T625_1864; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 43.
[30] 1910 U.S. Census, Salt Lake County, Utah, population schedule, Garfield, Edger L Pryer; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 13 July 2016).
[31] “Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 13 July 2016), entry for Anna Falkner.
[32] “Utah, Select County Marriages, 1887-1937,” database, Ancestry.com (ancestry.com : viewed 12 July 2016), entry for Robert Falkner and Anna Pearl Pryor, 1923.
[33] Utah Vital Records, Birth Certificates Salt Lake County, Utah, No. not listed, Robert Pryor Falkner, 3 March 1924.
[34] Utah State Board of Health, death certificate no. 64291547, Robert Pryor Falkner, 1964.
[35] Nebraska Office of Vital Records, Marriage License for Robert P Falkner and Edith Blamires, 1943.
[59] “Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 13 July 2016), entry for Joyce Malloy.
[61] “U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 13 July 2016), entry for Joyce Malloy.
[64] 1930 U.S. Census, Salt Lake County, Utah, population schedule, Salt Lake City, Robert Falkner; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 13 July 2016), Roll: 2420; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 46; Image: 65.0.
[65] “Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 13 July 2016), entry for Carol F Poulson.
[66] “Utah, Select Marriage Index, 1877-1985,” database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed 13 July 2016), entry for Billy Gene Chrisman and Carol Jean Falkner, 1950.
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