Doddridge County -
Associated with Swiger Run History Center Library

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.

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 and his first wife, Catherine Davis, established a log home on Meathouse fork of Middle Island Creek, now West Union, West Virginia. They built an Inn at Lewisport (also now West Union, WV), 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 in the area. 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, WV 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 of West Virginia. 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;   some of these drawings are now in the State Capitol at Charleston, WV. It is ironic 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.

Sketch of Ephraim Bee by Joseph J. Dis de Bar

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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 Clampus Vitus” (ECV), the Fraternal Order founded by Ephraim.

A Historic Monument was created by ECV to honor Bee on the Bi-Centennial of his Birth, and the installation was coordinated with the July 22, 2006 Festival honoring the 125th Anniversary of the Town of West Union.
 

The Return of the Vipers is planned for Spring of 2010.