Ephriam Allison

Missouri Department of Corrections — Jefferson City, MO

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch November 24, 1905

Age 69

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

The Vigil Panel 20 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 19

Incident

Guards Ephriam Allison and Guard John Clay were shot and killed during an escape attempt by inmates at the Missouri State Penitentiary. Four revolvers, ammunition, and explosives had been smuggled into the Missouri State Penitentiary for the inmates. After the murders, the inmates were apprehended by citizens in front of the prison. Three of the inmates were convicted of murder and hanged on June 27, 1907. One of the three who was hanged was a member of the Morrison-Rosenau Gang, which was responsible for the murders of Detective Thomas Dwyer, Detective James McCluskey, and Detective John Shea, of the St. Louis Police Department, on Oct. 21, 1904. Officer Allison had served with the agency for 16 years and had previously served as a Confederate soldier in the Civil War as a Captain with the 116th Missouri Infantry Regiment and was survived by his wife and children. He is buried in Englewood Cemetery, Clinton, Henry County, Missouri.

Survivors

Officer Allison had served with the agency for 16 years and had previously served as a Confederate soldier in the Civil War as a Captain with the 116th Missouri Infantry Regiment and was survived by his wife and children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-E55246E0
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Prison Guard Allison gave the Missouri Department of Corrections 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Missouri, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Missouri Department of Corrections

Location Jefferson City, MO

Platform Identity mdcorr.cole.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 24, 1905

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

Age 69

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .45 caliber

Offender Executed in 1907

Military Service

Ephriam Allison served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Prison Guard Ephriam Allison is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Missouri Department of Corrections, 9 of 20 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 45% of this agency's fallen.

Missouri Department of Corrections

of 20 officers

45% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious