Ephraim Turley
1845-1845

Born: 11 February 1845 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois1
Died: 6 July 1845 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois2
Buried: Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois3
FamilySearch ID: KGCZ-XLF
FindaGrave Memorial ID: 45359398

Ephraim was the son of Mary Clift and likely the son of Theodore Turley.

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Life Sketch

Ephraim was the son of Mary Clift. He was born 11 February 1845 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois.4 He died at the age of four months and twenty-six days on 6 July 1845 from inflammation of the brain. He was buried at the Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds.5 Ephraim was recorded in Nauvoo cemetery records as “Ephraim Ridge.”6

Ephraim Turley recorded on Mary Clift’s Family Memorial.

It’s possible Ephraim’s surname of “Ridge” in Nauvoo death records was a simple error (the name above him also had the surname Ridge). It’s also possible the alternate surname was an effort to hide Ephraim’s status as a product of Theodore Turley and Mary Clift’s plural marriage. The date of Theodore and Mary’s plural marriage is unknown, but Theodore married Mary’s sister, Sarah Ellen Clift, on 26 April 1844 in Nauvoo. If Theodore married Mary about that same time, Ephraim could’ve been Theodore’s biological child.

Ephraim Turley recorded as “Ephraim Ridge” in Nauvoo sexton records (1845).

Theodore Turley recorded Ephraim’s name as “Ephraim Turley” in his family memorial of Mary Clift and her children. However, Theodore also recorded Jason, Ephraim’s older brother, with the Turley surname, but historical records strongly indicate Jason’s father was Gustavus Hills. Thus, it’s possible Ephraim’s father may not have been Theodore Turley.

Related Links

Timeline

1845
February 11: Ephraim, son of Mary Clift, was born in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois.7
July 6: Ephraim died in Nauvoo from inflammation of the brain.8 He was buried in Nauvoo.9

Important Places

Nauvoo, Illinois: Ephraim was born in Nauvoo in February 1845 and died there the following July. He was buried at the Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds.

  1. Family Memorial-Mary Clift.
  2. Theodore Turley wrote Ephraim’s surname as Turley in his family memorial, but Nauvoo cemetery records have him listed as “Ephraim Ridge.” His death date, 6 July 1845, and age, four months and 26 days, match the information in Theodore’s record. Family Memorial-Mary Clift; William D. Huntington records, 1839-1884, Nauvoo cemetery record, 1839-1845, image 220 of 252, Ephraim Ridge, 6 Jul. 1845, Church History Library, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=43801da4-6d22-4f24-9fbf-20712836a4f7&crate=0&index=219, accessed March 2021.
  3. FindaGrave.com, memorial page for Ephriam Ridge (unknown–6 Jul 1845), memorial no. 45359398, citing Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds, Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, USA; William D. Huntington records, 1839-1884, Nauvoo cemetery record, 1839-1845, image 220 of 252, Ephraim Ridge, 6 Jul. 1845, Church History Library, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=43801da4-6d22-4f24-9fbf-20712836a4f7&crate=0&index=219, accessed March 2021.
  4. Family Memorial-Mary Clift.
  5. FindaGrave.com, memorial page for Ephriam Ridge (unknown–6 Jul 1845), memorial no. 45359398, citing Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds, Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, USA.
  6. Family Memorial-Mary Clift; William D. Huntington records, 1839-1884, Nauvoo cemetery record, 1839-1845, image 220 of 252, Ephraim Ridge, 6 Jul. 1845, Church History Library, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=43801da4-6d22-4f24-9fbf-20712836a4f7&crate=0&index=219, accessed March 2021.
  7. Family Memorial-Mary Clift.
  8. Theodore Turley wrote Ephraim’s surname as Turley in his family memorial, but Nauvoo cemetery records have him listed as “Ephraim Ridge.” His death date, 6 July 1845, and age, four months and 26 days, match the information in Theodore’s record. Family Memorial-Mary Clift; William D. Huntington records, 1839-1884, Nauvoo cemetery record, 1839-1845, image 220 of 252, Ephraim Ridge, 6 Jul. 1845, Church History Library, https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=43801da4-6d22-4f24-9fbf-20712836a4f7&crate=0&index=219, accessed March 2021.
  9. FindaGrave.com, memorial page for Ephriam Ridge (unknown–6 Jul 1845), memorial no. 45359398, citing Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds, Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, USA.