Edward Palmer Torian was the son of George and Martha Palmer Torian, born in Christian County March 22,1820, the ninth child out of ten.  He moved to Trigg County and became a merchant.  On November 10, 1848, he married Martha L. Durall.

Infant daughter of E. P. and M. L. Torian, born and died April 26th 1850.  Pioneer Cemetery, Cadiz, Trigg County, Kentucky.

In the 1850 census of Trigg County the couple were living with the D. B. Carson family, also a merchant.  Edward was 30, and Martha was 22.  No children were listed, but the sad fact is they had a daughter, Molly, who born and died the same day, April 26, 1850.  Martha soon followed her daughter to the grave on September 23, 1850.

Mrs. Martha L. Torian, consort of E. P. Torian, born September 29th 1827, died September 23rd 1850.

The beautiful sentiment written on the stone gives us an idea of Edward’s grief –

When evening shadows gather round, And sleep our eyelids seal, The memory of departed friends, Will o’er our spirits steal.  Again we press a loving lip –

And the rest is beneath ground!  How I wish I could read the full verse!

Infant son of E. P. & M. E. Torian, born and died May 3, 1855

Three years later Edward marries Mary E. McAllister on December 18, 1853.  Again his marriage ends in tragedy.  An infant son was born and died May 3, 1855.  Mary died eighteen days later, May 21st, of puerperal fever.  This fever killed so many women in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries I had to do a little research.

Puerperal fever is an infection of some part of the reproductive organs following childbirth, resulting in high fever, chills and lower abdominal pain – generally resulting in death.  Since many doctors at the time did not believe hand washing was necessary, many cases were caused by the doctors themselves.  The prior health of the mother was also a determining factor.

Edward marries a third time – to Mary E. Allegree.  In the 1860 Trigg census they are living with the E. A. Slaughter family, a druggist.  Edward was 37, merchant, with $8000 in personal estate, and Mary was 26.

Edward P. Torian, born March 22, 1820, died November 20, 1861.

Edward Palmer Turian died November 20, 1861.  I could find no cause of death.  His widow lived less than three years after his death.  Such a shame that no one from this family has descendants living today to keep their memories alive.  We shall remember and mourn them.