Ephraim Bee

Ephraim Bee BIRTH 26 Dec 1802 Harrison County, West Virginia, USA DEATH 23 Oct 1888 (aged 85) Doddridge County, West Virginia, USA BURIAL Cabin Run Cemetery West Union, Doddridge County, West Virginia

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5740988/ephraim-bee

DAVIS, THE SETTLERS OF SALEM, WEST VIRGINIA, by Susie Davis Nicholson, Salem, West Virginia, 1992. p. 38, 84

Ephraim was the son of Asa Bee, a Revolutionary War soldier who was born at Salem, New Jersey. His father's family joined the westward movement of the Seventh Day Baptists. After a brief stop in Preston & Taylor Counties, they established their home at Salem, West Virginia. Ephraim's mother was Rhoda (Cox) Bee. Asa & Rhoda Bee had thirteen children. At the age of 19 Ephraim came to Doddridge County, living here the rest of his life. On June 19, 1823, he married Catherine Davis. They had ten children. His second wife was Mary Welch (Bee). Their marriage was March 27, 1853. They had seven children. The fifth daughter of his second marriage was born on the day Pres. Abraham Lincoln signed the proclamation or bill making West Virginia a state; hence her name was West Virginia Bee. In 1883 H. H. Hardesty [History of Doddridge County] wrote: "Ephraim Bee is a self-made man, having had but four month's of schooling in all of his life. He held district offices, was a magistrate, a postmaster. He had a blacksmith shop (near the present railroad bridge in West Union) for thirty-five years, making everything, - guns, cowbells, augurs, etc. He has in his possession a gimlet he made when he was nineteen years old and is a good one yet." The first bridge across Middle Island Creek was of hewed logs with a center abutment of stones. In the great flood of 1835 if' was washed away. In 1842 a contract was awarded to build a new covered bridge. Ephraim Bee at that time had a hotel and blacksmith shop on what is now known as Block House Hill. He made all the bolts and bands for the bridge which was completed in 1843. In 1863 Ephraim Bee was elected to be a member of the first West Virginia Legislature. He helped make the state's first laws. He served a second term in the legislature in 1866 and a third in 1867. "To the people of Central West Virginia, Ephraim Bee was a personage, combining the qualities of a shrewd wit and love of fun, with a keen eye for value in a horse-trade or a deal in land. To the younger generation he has become something of a legend, so great and widespread was his fame."

Ephraim had a reputation as a great story teller and practical joker. Hardesty wrote: "Lincoln & Bee had more in common than a sense of humor. They were both long, lean and lanky and with faces that could not be termed handsome by their dearest and closest friends. They were saved from ugliness by a sense of humor and softened, kindly eyes that lit up and redeemed an otherwise unprepossessing appearance." Along this line of having fun, Ephraim established a secret order of his own, called E. Clampus Vitus and with a ritual similar to existing orders. His goal was to produce a grin where only a grouch had flourished.

This fraternal order was similar to the Masons, and had quite a success, too lengthy to describe here. It was started at West Union perhaps as early as 1850 "By 1853 it was being introduced to other towns and had won a very considerable following of zealous members." A report of the activities was recorded in the "Weston Herald for Nov. 28, 1953. "In 1828 Ephraim Bee established himself as a blacksmith on Blockhouse Hill (Lewisport). His business was good. To add to his family income, Ephraim and his good wife opened a tavern for the entertainment of travelers The hostelry became justly popular and was soon made a stagecoach stop (on Norwestern Turnpike). Here the passengers broke the tedium of their journey with food and drink." One of those travelers was Joseph H. Diss Debar (designer of W.Va. State Seal.)
He wrote of the excellent quality of food, saying that he had a smoking hot dinner of boiled ham, greens, mashed potatoes, dried peach pie, store tea; all of a quality to be gratefully remembered..... When he settled his modest bill and learned that the proprietor's name was Bee and observing the number of children playing about, said that it had never before been his pleasure to dine in a "Bee Hive." For years, afterwards the inn was known by that name. Certainly, for his accomplishments, Ephraim Bee was a remarkable man. An item in the West Union Record in 1885 stated that "Honorable Ephraim Bee, one of the first settlers in this area & now an old & respected citizen of this county is dangerously ill at his home on Cabin Run. He died on Oct. 23, 1888, age 86. Place of burial Cabin Run Cemetery. back to whence ye came. _____
In 1828 Ephraim & Catherine established a home on Meathouse fork of Middle Island Creek, now West Union, West Virginia. At the age of 60, He became a candidate for the First West Virginia Legislature in 1863, at Wheeling, the first Capitol. His opponent was Joseph H. Diss Debar, a talented French Alsatian who had settled in the country previously an artist who drew caricature sketches of Ephraim Bee and these are now in the State Capitol at Charleston, W.VA. Diss Debarr was apparently elected and presented himself at Wheeling on June 20, 1863 to take his seat. Ephraim Bee also presented himself, filed his petition contesting the seat of Mr. Diss Debarr. A committee of the house passed on the merits and the claims of each and reported in favor of Mr. Bee. Honorable Ephraim Bee of Doddridge County, farmer, blacksmith,Hotel proprietor of BEE HIVE TAVERN, land dealer, United States Postmaster for West Union and member of the 1st. Legislature, in 1863. Diss Debarr was not entirely overlooked. Being an artist, he was commissioned to design the State Seal for The State of West Virginia, which is still being used without change. Ephraim Bee was twice returned to the Capitol at Wheeling 1866 & 1867 and then retired from public life. He is buried under a beautiful monument at Cabin Run Cemetery, with his second wife, near where they lived. _______________

In his later years Bee was also a successful land speculator, who accumulated around 40,000 acres (160 km²) in West Virginia. When he died in 1888 he was buried in the Cabin Run Cemetery, near West Union, West Virginia.

His grandson, Clair Bee, was a college basketball coach for Long Island University.

Sources:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephraim_Bee
• http://www.ephraimsclampingvipers.com/beebio.htm

  ---

  
  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephraim_Bee

Ephraim Bee

Ephraim Bee (December 26, 1802–October 23, 1888) was an American pioneer, blacksmith, and inn-keeper from Doddridge County, West Virginia. He represented Doddridge County in the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1863 and 1866-1867.

Ephraim was born to Asa and Rhoda (Cox) Bee in Salem, New Jersey. He moved with his parents around 1820 to western Virginia, settling in what later became Lewisport. There he built his own cabin and blacksmith shop. He later opened an inn, which became known as the Beehive Inn. Bee was married twice: first to Catherine Davis (1803-1852) in 1823, and second to Mary Welch (1823-1905). Between them he had 17 children who survived infancy.

Bee was the founder of E Clampus Vitus, a fraternity similar to that of the Masons.

When West Virginia became a state in 1863 Bee represented Doddridge County in the first state legislature. In 1864-65 he served as the U.S. Postmaster for West Virginia. He was elected to two later terms in the House of Delegates before his retirement.

In his later years Bee was also a successful land speculator, who accumulated around 40,000 acres (160 km²) in West Virginia. When he died in 1888 he was buried in the Cabin Run Cemetery, near West Union, West Virginia.

His grandson, Clair Bee, was a college basketball coach for Long Island University.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Clampus_Vitus

The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus (ECV) is a fraternal organization dedicated to the study and preservation of Western Heritage, in particular the history of the Mother Lode and gold mining regions of the area. There are chapters in California, Nevada and other Western states. Members call themselves "Clampers." The organization's name is in Dog Latin, and has no known meaning; even the spelling is disputed, sometimes appearing as "Clampusus"[citation needed], "Clampsus", or "Clampsis". The motto of the Order, Credo Quia Absurdum, is generally understood as meaning "I believe it because it is absurd."; the proper Latin quotation Credo quia absurdum est, is from the Christian apologist Tertullian (140-230), who rejected rationalism and accepted a Gospel which addressed itself to the "non-rational levels of perception."

History

The history of the organization is steeped in mythology. It is said [who?] that the organization was created in 1845 in Lewisport, Virginia, now West Union, West Virginia, when tavern and stable owner Ephraim Bee was given a commission from the Emperor of China to "extend the work and influence of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus."

Bee claimed to have received his commission from Caleb Cushing, the American minister to China. West Union has a monument to Ephraim Bee on the site of the old "Beehive" Tavern, where the RailTrail comes through. The original tavern, the "Bee Hive", was destroyed in the late 1800s during a flood.

Ephraim Bee played his greatest joke on his local West Virginian neighbors. Occasionally, the entire town was invited to a great party. After the Civil War, it was discovered that a nearby cave was a holding area for the Underground Railroad. When the cave was full, E. Bee gave a party to keep all busy while that group of people were moved further north to the next stop.

http://yerbabuena1.com/bee/beebio.htm

Ephraim Bee – 1802-1888

Early Settler and a Founder of Doddridge County, W. VA

Ephraim Bee was born December 26, 1802 in Salem, New Jersey, and died October 23, 1888 on Cabin Run, Doddridge County, West Virginia. His parents were Asa Bee and Rhoda Cox. Asa was a Revolutionary War soldier and Seventh Day Baptist Preacher.

He married (1) CATHARINE DAVIS June 19, 1823 in Salem, Harrison County, Western Virginia by Rev. John Davis, daughter of JOSEPH DAVIS and HANNAH SUTTON. She was born June 10, 1804 in Virginia, and died June 27, 1852 in Doddridge County, Western Virginia. They had 10 children who lived past childhood.

He married (2) MARY MELISSA 'POLLY" WELCH March 27, 1853 in Wirt County, Western Virginia, daughter of ISAIAH WELCH and RACHEL INGRAM. She was born December 02, 1823 in Harrison County, West Virginia, and died October 26, 1905 in Doddridge County, West Virginia. They had seven children who lived past childhood.

Ephraim’s family moved to Western Virginia when he was nineteen years old. He was a self made man, having but four months of schooling in all his life. Ephraim was the first Clerk of the Middle Island Seventh Day Baptist Church.

In 1828 Ephraim & Catherine established a log home on Meathouse fork of Middle Island Creek, now West Union, West Virginia. They built an Inn at Lewisport, below the Blockhouse on the Northwestern Turnpike. It became a very popular place for travelers and locals to meet, revive themselves and to re-provision supplies for their journeys. He operated the first Blacksmith shop. His farm, stables, tannery and a horseracing track were also added to increase the family income. Ephraim became involved in land speculation and owned some 40,000 acres of land.

When Doddridge County was being formed out of parts of Harrison & Ritchie Counties, Ephraim rallied to locate the County Seat at Lewisport. His brother-in law, Nathan Davis, Randolph and others, won the County Seat for West Union, across the Middle Island River.

At the age of 60, he was a Captain of the Doddridge County Militia, which protected the area from roving Confederate forces, horse thieves & outlaws.  He became a candidate for the First West Virginia Legislature in 1863, at Wheeling, the first Capitol. His opponent was Joseph H. Diss Debar, a talented French Alsatian who had settled in the area about 1843.   He was an artist who drew caricature sketches of Ephraim Bee and some of these are now in the State Capitol at Charleston, WV.   It is some irony that it was Mr. Diss Debar who one day proclaimed that Ephraim’s Inn, which was buzzing full of the Bee children, was a “Beehive”.   The name stuck.

Diss Debar was apparently elected and presented himself at Wheeling on June 20, 1863 to take his seat. Ephraim Bee also presented himself, filed his petition contesting the seat of Mr. Diss Debar. A committee of the house passed on the merits and the claims of each and after an impassioned speech by Ephraim, decided in favor of Mr. Bee. Bee then served in the First West Virginia Legislature of 1863.

Honorable Ephraim Bee of Doddridge County was returned to Wheeling to serve his beloved County for two more terms of office in 1866 & 1867.

Ephraim Bee was United States Postmaster for West Union and Grand Lama of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E. Clampus Vitus, a secret order for playing jokes, which he originated about 1845 and initiated all prominent people at Richmond, Virginia, when he was sent there on a political mission. He did the same in Wheeling when it became the Capitol of the new State of West Virginia.

Joseph Diss Debar was not entirely overlooked. Being an artist, he was commissioned to design the State Seal for The State of West Virginia, which is still being used without change.

After serving his terms of office Ephraim Bee retired from public life. He is buried under a beautiful monument at Cabin Run Cemetery, with his second wife, near where they lived.

The Epitaph;

"A precious one from us has gone, a voice so loved is stilled. A place is vacant in our home, that never can be filled"

"God in his wisdom has recalled the precious boon his love had given. Although the body molders here, his soul is safe in heaven."

"O Death, where is thy sting, O grave, where is thy Victory."

At the foot of Ephraim’s Monument is a small stone block inscribed with the letters “ECV”. This was placed by members of the “Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampsus Vitus”, the Fraternal Order founded by Ephraim.

A Historic Monument is planned to honor him on the Bi-Centennial of his Birth.

Children of EPHRAIM BEE and CATHARINE DAVIS are:

JOSIAH H. D.7 BEE, b. April 07, 1824

KEZIAH BEE, b. February 21, 1826.

AMOS BEE, b. February 28, 1828

STINNETT BEE, b. May 09, 1830

WICKLIFF BEE, b. May 25, 1832.

EPHRAIM W. BEE, b. March 16, 1834

HOUSTON C. BEE, b. April 10, 1836

AUGUSTUS JOHN SMITH BEE, b. September 12, 1837

MARTHA LOUISE BEE, b. February 24, 1840

EDMOND SEHOS BEE, b. April 25, 1842

Children of EPHRAIM BEE and MARY WELCH are:

MARY ELIZABETH7 BEE, b. June 27, 1855, Doddridge County, Western Virginia; m. JAMES MALEY,

JONATHAN S.C. BEE, b. April 15, 1856

HANNAH BEE, b. April 06, 1857; m. LATHROP RUSSELL CHARTER GRAY

SUSAN A. BEE, b. January 17, 1859; m. MARK BRITTON

RACHEL JANE BEE, b. March 04, 1861 xvi.

(WEST) VIRGINIA BEE, b. January 01, 1863; m. BENJAMIN F. ZINN

Notes for (WEST) VIRGINIA BEE:

West Virginia Bee was born on the Same Day President Lincoln signed the Bill for the erection of the State of West Virginia. She was called "Gin Zinn"

TABITHA BEE, b. September 23, 1866; m. MARTIN ANKROM

He was a blacksmith and a farmer who owned about 40,000 acres of land, plus stables, a tannery and a horse racing track. He also ran an inn and served as postmaster and magistrate. At the age of 60, Ephraim Bee was a Captain of the Doddridge County Militia, which protected the area from roving Confederate forces, horse thieves and outlaws. Along with Luke Jaco, he was a key member of the Underground Railroad, helping to hide slaves in Jaco Cave on their flight for freedom.

http://www.doddridgecountyroots.com/tng/getperson.php?personID=I205...

"Ephraim Bee played a prominent role in the establishment and early history of Doddridge County and West Union. He was born in Salem, New Jersey, on December 26, 1802, and he died in Doddridge County at Cabin Run on October 23, 1888. His parents were Asa Bee and Rhoda Cox. His father was a Revolutionary War soldier and a Seventh Day Baptist preacher. His family moved to western Virginia when he was nineteen years old, staying briefly in Preston and Taylor Counties before settling in Salem, Harrison County.

Two years later, Ephraim married Catharine Davis in Salem. In 1828, they built a log home on Meathouse Fork of Middle Island Creek, now West Union. They also built an inn at Lewisport (now West Union) below the blockhouse on the Northwestern Turnpike. It became a very popular stop for travelers and locals alike. One of those travelers was Joseph H. Diss Debar, designer of the West Virginia State Seal. He wrote of the excellent quality of food, saying that he had a smoking hot dinner of boiled ham, greens, mashed potatoes, dried peach pie and store tea, all of a quality to be gratefully remembered. When he settled his bill and learned that the proprietor's name was Bee and observing the number of children playing about, he said that it had never before been his pleasure to dine in a "Bee Hive." For years afterwards, the inn was known by that name.

Ephraim and Catharine had ten children. When Catharine died in 1852, she was buried in the then-Lewisport section of West Union in the cemetery of the Seventh Day Baptist Church, of which she and Ephraim were members. That SDB cemetery is now part of what has become known as the Blockhouse Hill Cemetery. The following year Ephraim married Mary Melissa "Polly" Welch, who bore him seven more children. Their grave is at Cabin Run Cemetery, near Oxford Road in Doddridge County. Ephraim's descendants are still plentiful in Doddridge and surrounding counties.

Ephraim Bee was a blacksmith by trade. For 35 years, he had a blacksmith shop near the present-day railroad bridge in West Union, making everything from guns to cowbells to augurs. The first bridge across Middle Island Creek was of hewed logs with a center abutment of stones. In the great flood of 1835 it was washed away. In 1842 a contract was awarded to build a new covered bridge. Ephraim Bee at that time had a hotel and blacksmith shop on what is now known as Blockhouse Hill. He made all the bolts and bands for the bridge, which was completed in 1843 and stood for the next 107 years as one of the town's most prominent features, until destroyed in the Great Flood of 1950. Even now, its memory remains a source of pride to the local citizens.

In addition to his primary business, Ephraim also established a farm, stables, tannery and a horseracing track to enhance his income. He also served as postmaster and magistrate. A shrewd land speculator, he owned about 40,000 acres of land.

At the age of 60, Ephraim Bee was a Captain of the Doddridge County Militia, which protected the area from roving Confederate forces, horse thieves and outlaws. Along with Luke Jaco, he was a key member of the Underground Railroad, helping to hide slaves in Jaco Cave on their flight for freedom. http://www.urrfreepress.com/index_files/2009_Survey_Report.pdf

In 1863, with the formation of the new state of West Virginia, Ephraim was elected to represent Doddridge County in the legislature at Wheeling, the first capital. When a daughter was born to him on January 1st of that year, the same day that President Lincoln announced the statehood proclamation, Ephraim proudly named her West Virginia Bee. He was re-elected to two more terms and was thus instrumental in the formulation of the new state's first laws.

Another contest that Ephraim won was being named the Ugliest Man in the State of West Virginia. For that victory, he was awarded a beautiful pocket knife. However, he was forced to relinquish it a few years later when the State found a man whom it deemed to be even uglier.

According to H. H. Hardesty's History of Doddridge County, "To the people of Central West Virginia, Ephraim Bee was a personage combining the qualities of a shrewd wit and love of fun, with a keen eye for value in a horse-trade or a deal in land. To the younger generation he has become something of a legend, so great and widespread was his fame." Ephraim had a reputation as a great story teller and practical joker. Hardesty wrote: "Lincoln & Bee had more in common than a sense of humor. They were both long, lean and lanky and with faces that could not be termed handsome by their dearest and closest friends. They were saved from ugliness by a sense of humor and softened, kindly eyes that lit up and redeemed an otherwise unprepossessing appearance."

"Along this line of having fun, Ephraim established a secret order of his own, called E. Clampus Vitus and with a ritual similar to existing orders. His goal was to produce a grin where only a grouch had flourished. This order had quite a success, too lengthy to describe here. It was started at West Union perhaps as early as 1850. By 1853 it was being introduced to other towns and had won a very considerable following of zealous members." A report of the activities was recorded in the Weston Herald for Nov. 28, 1953. ECV has grown to become an active fraternal organization throughout the nation.

A news item in the West Union Record in 1885 stated that "Honorable Ephraim Bee, one of the first settlers in this area & now an old & respected citizen of this county, is dangerously ill at his home on Cabin Run." He died on October 23, 1888 at age 86, and was buried at Cabin Run Cemetery."

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wvdoddri/who/bee.htm

http://www.ecv58.com/ephraim1.html

http://www.mountaincharlie1850.org/west_virginia_ecv.html

http://www.uniondemocrat.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=24057

http://www.yerbabuena1.com/bee/

http://www.geocities.com/estanislao58/ephraim1.html

http://www.geocities.com/pjbee26150/EphriamBeeStory.html

http://www.ephraimsclampingvipers.com/

https://sites.google.com/site/researchingfamilies/story-of-ephraim-bee

http://www.wvculture.org/history/sesquicentennial/biobeeephraim.html

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5740988

Ephraim Bee December 26, 1802-October 23, 1888

Parents: Asa Bee 1756-1826 and Rhoda Cox d. 1840

Wives:

1. Catherine Davis 1804-1852
2. Mary Welch 1823-

Children with Catherine:

1. Josiah 1824
2. Keziah 1826
3. Amos 1828
4. Stinnet 1830
5. Wickliff 1832
6. Ephraim W. 1834
7. Houston C.1836
8. Augustus John Smith 1837
9. Martha Louisa 1840
10. Edmund Sehos 1842

Children with Mary:

1. Mary Elizabeth 1855
2. Johnathan S.C. 1856
3. Hannah 1857
4. Susan A. 1859
5. Rachel Jane 1861
6. West Virginia 1863
7. Tabitha 1866

   ---

   
   

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5740988

GEDCOM Source

@R-1567799659@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=39460040&pid...

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5740988/ephraim-bee

Children Photo Josiah H. Bee 1824–1876

Photo Kiziah Bee Prim 1826–1893

Amos Bee 1828–1904

Stinnett Bee 1830–1923

Photo Wickliff Bee 1832–1917

Photo Ephraim W. Bee 1834–1915

Photo Houston C. Bee 1836–1836

Photo Augustus John Smith Bee 1837–1885

Martha Louise Bee Smith 1840–1908

Photo Edmon Sehos Bee 1842–1844

Photo John Snyder Carlile Bee 1856–1934

Hannah Bee Gray Waldo 1857–1945

Photo West Virginia Bee Zinn 1863–1953

Tabitha Bee Ankrom 1866–1950