David William Davis
The Montpelier News-Examiner, Thursday,
January 17, 1957, page 1
RETIRED RAILROAD ENGINEER DIES
David William Davis, 84, of Pocatello, a former resident of Montpelier, died Sunday in a Pocatello hospital after a short illness. His wife the former Edith Burgoyne of Montpelier died December 18. Mr. Davis was born January 3, 1873 in Montpelier, the son of Jared Moroni and Jane Osborn Davis. He lived here until 1922. As a boy of eight he witnessed the arrival of the first train into Montpelier when the Union Pacific lines were extended from Granger, Wyoming. He married Ada Mae Williams December 30, 1895 in the Salt Lake City Temple.
He began service in the UP in 1901 as a fireman and was promoted to engineer January 10, 1905, working between Pocatello and Granger. He went to Pocatello in 1922 and resided there until 1925 when he returned to Montpelier. In that year he was qualified to handle Diesel engines, one of the first engineers to do so. He went back to Pocatello in 1928. Mr. Davis was the engineer of the first train to cross Lucin cutoff on great Salt Lake, and operated the work train on the Yellowstone branch during its construction. He retired from railroad service in 1941 after 40 years.
Mrs. Davis died October 11, 1941 and he married Edith Burgoyne in Soda Springs on September 1, 1942. He was a member of Division 324, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers until 1924 when he transferred to Division 228. He was an elder in the Sixth ward in the Pocatello stake.
Mr. Davis is survived by two sons, Jay Davis of Twin Falls, Mahlon Davis of Pocatello; two daughters Mrs. Jack DeWitt of Pocatello and Mrs. Theo Merrill of Salt Lake City; one brother Guy Davis of Maywood, California; three sisters, Mrs. Charles Dalton of Pocatello; Mrs. Rebecca Wilson and Mrs. Ethel Lind of Salt Lake City; 14 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Funeral services in Pocatello were conducted by
Bishop Contril Nielsen of the Sixth ward on Wednesday at 10 am. Graveside
services were held at 2 pm at the Montpelier cemetery.