Ephraim Ward, son of Manasseh and Madeline

Ephraim Ward was born at Etna Street Gosford in June 1888, the son of Manasseh Ward and Madeline Geary Henderson.  He had two older sisters, Josephine who was eleven and Madeline nine. He also had three brothers, William who was eight, Robert six and Roy one. Three more brothers had died in infancy.

Ephraim was named after his father’s older brother, Ephraim Mitchell Ward. The name Ephraim has biblical origins (Manasseh and Ephraim were the sons of Joseph).

The family remained in the Etna Street until 1991 when they moved into a new house in Gertrude Street. The house was named ‘Myee’ and was set on two acres. The home was surrounded by gardens, orchard, poultry pens and horse yards.

Ephraim’s father, Manasseh Ward, was very active in the local community and shortly after Ephraim was born, he was elected to the local Council for the first time. He would go on to serve as an alderman, mayor, and shire president for most of Ephraim’s childhood.

There are hints that Ephraim and his sister Amy may have suffered teasing and bullying at the local school, and they were both sent away to boarding schools in Sydney for their education. Ephraim later trained as a fitter and turner with NSW Railways and, once qualified, was posted to various country towns.

In 1910 he married Margaret Callaghan at Junee.  They had two children Ellen (always known as Nell) was born in Junee in 1910 and Frank was born in Goulburn in 1911. Margaret died in Cowra in 1912.  Ephraim was unable to care for two small children while working and the children were sent to live with his parents in Gosford. Nell and Frank remained with their grandparents for their whole childhood.

Ephraim married Rubena (Ruby) Alphic at Chatswood in 1914  and they had a son named Arthur, born in 1915.

Ephraim and Ruby remained in Sydney and by 1930 Ephraim had left the railways and was working as a lock fitter. They lived in Lakemba and Greenacre.

Ephraim was remembered by his nieces and nephews as an entertaining storyteller, with a love of tall tales.  Unlike some of his siblings, he readily shed the trappings of the bush life. He was a keen motorist, and even in later life, drove the best and latest model of car.

Ruby died in 1962.  Ephraim moved to Cabramatta after Ruby died. He died in 1975 aged 87.