Cpl. Earl Norten Kniffen,
Co. E. 55th Infantry,
13th Brigade, 7th Division,
United States Army,
Service No. 453595

Earl was the 13th and last born child of John and Mary Kniffen, farmers in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada.
In the following photograph his mother is pregnant with him and one sister had died thus accounting
for only eleven children showing in the picture.

On 15 June, 1906 records show that he was a Private in the Volunteer Militia, 27th Lambton Regiment,
where he was paid 50 cents per day for his service. On 20 December, 1915, on his Attestation Papers for
the Canadian Army, he is shown as serving with the 97th Militia and having spent 3 years with the 28th Scotch Highlanders.

The 27th Lambton Regiment (St. Clair Borderers)

On 20 December, 1915 Earl was living and working as a Steel Worker in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
where he enlisted in the 159th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Earl's Attestation Papers signed 20 December, 1915.

The above photo appears to be Earl in a Canadian military uniform. Earl's time in the Canadian Military did not appear to have agreed with him
as it was troubled and short lived with him apparently deserting.


Next we see him living in Pontiac, Michigan and being Drafted into the U.S Military 5 June , 1917
however the Veterans Affairs show him in enlisting on 14 May, 1918 and being discharged 25 April, 1919.
In 1918 we see Earl applying for naturalization in the United States. His application shows Camp
Merritt, New Jersey and a court number of 2187.

Earl served in Europe with the American Military as we see him arriving in Hoboken, New York
 3 August, 1918 aboard the USS Leviathon. He is listed as a Private  with Company E. of the
55th Infantry Brigade, 7th Division.

Again we see him departing Brest, France on 21 or 23 March, 1919 aboard the USS Leviathon and listed
 as a Corporal with  Company E. of the 55th Infantry brigade and arriving in Hoboken,
New York 2 April, 1919.



Here we see the troopship, USS Leviathon, formerly the German Luxury Liner, Vaterland,
in her 1918 splinter camouflage. At this time she was the largest steamship in the world.

With a load of several thousand troops, other military
personnel and equipment the ship was quite crowded.
Fortunately she was considered to be faster than a
U-Boat so did not require an escort.


Instructions for the troops on board.
After the war Earl became a U.S. citizen,  met and married Bertha Marion Disbrow
 and raised a family of five children. The 1930 Census shows Earl living in Oakland County,
Michigan and employed as an Ironworker. He lived there until 1967 after which he moved to
Phoenix, Arizona where he died in 1971.



The Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940

Earl and his wife.

Earl's grave marker.