Ephraim Thompson

Ephraim Thompson (October 28, 1859 – April 17, 1909) was a well-known American elephant trainer.

[1][2] Thompson was trained by Stewart Craven,[3] who was inducted into the Circus Hall of Fame in 1979.

In 1887, he performed with Carl Hagenbeck's International Circus from April to September.

[6] He married Dolinda de la Plata née Roba in 1887 and had a son in 1889 named Leo.

At the time of his death he was married to the circus performer Jessie Kelly (Leopold), who after Thompson's death married the acrobat/comedian/ringmaster Sam Nagle (Elton), who was best known for his act "Domestic Mishaps," performed at the London Hippodrome before the Shah of Persia, a notoriously dour man who nonetheless laughed throughout Elton's performances.