Ephriam Allison
Agency patch
Prison Guard

Ephriam Allison

Missouri Department of Corrections — Jefferson City, MO
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch November 24, 1905
Age 69
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
The Vigil Panel 20 ›
Gender Male

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
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 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

Type 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

Military Service

Ephriam Allison served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Prison Guard Ephriam Allison is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 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 63.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

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
9
of 20 officers
45% Felonious
MO — Statewide
516
of 813 officers
63.5% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ephriam Allison's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Ephriam Allison Compares

Age at Death
69
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
16
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ephriam Allison is highlighted in Nov.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ephriam Allison was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Ephriam Allison served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Ephriam Allison’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.