Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-18
The First West Va. Legislature.
/ HOUSE OF DELEGATES,
Sketches Personal. Political and BIZ
ographical.

ographlcaL r--r
EPHRAIM BEE, from DOddridge.
Ephraim Bee, the member from Doddridge
was born December 26, 1902, and is there
fore ia his sixty-irst year. He is q native
of what is now Marion county; and wal
born in house no longer standing, or
1 what is now known as the "Reynear Hal
farm. ".immedi ttely opposite Benton's Ferry
on the Tygsrts Valley river. His father
bHilt the first boat ever used at that terry
His parents were from Salem county, New
Jersey, and returned thither when Ephraim
| was about two years old and remained for
about thirteen years. They then returned
i to Virginia and located in Preston county,
and his father died there, leaving widow
1 aud twelve children. Ephraim was bound
J out to blacksmith to learn the trade, aud
| got along SO fast that in three years he left
his boss to get along the best he could, and
| went to Elk creek in Harrison county and
worked while at "Jackson's Forge" be-
! longing to Judge jackson of Clarkshurg.-
From there he shortly after went to Prun-
1 tytown, in Taylor county, and there bought
a set of blacksmith's tools on credit and re-
moved to Doddridge county to a place call
| ed Middle Island, situated on the creek OF
that name. Soon afterward he married,
still before the age of twenty.
For thirty years (from the time OF
going to the trade) Mr.. Bee worked at
the forge, and as there can be no higher
praise than to say that man excels in his
| calling, it is proper to sAy that Mr Bee was
an excellent blacksmith, the best in all his
region of country, and was patrOniZed ffUm
| far and near. During twenty years of this
-Aiaae, he-kePs n 7fEOuso VI PuUItc entertain
ment or "taverr," and for several years
was engaged in Observation-Disclosures black
smith, tavern keeper, and merchant, at the
same time. He was besides mail coutrac-
tor tor many years, and a magistrate. In
1852 he abandoned blacksmithing aud
moved upon the farm where he now lives.
Latlerly has been jobbing in lands and
owns many thousand of acres of wild lands
in that region. ~EEclt
Mr. Bee opposed the secession of Virginia
from the time it was first talked of; and
was the first man on the waters of Hughes
river, in the spring of 'Gl, before the pas
sage of the ordinance, to raise the stars
aud stripes over his house. He also be-
gan the organization of the first home
guard company raised in his county, and
has been member of it ever since. He
of course voted against the ordinance of
secession, and exerted his influence in the
same direction. He also voted for a divi-
sion of the State 10 October. '6l--for the
1
the amended constitution.
Politically, he was always a democrat,
IN to the repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise by the Kansas Nebraska bill. The
first, second, aud third votes he ever gave
were for Gen. jackson. The Kansas Ne.
braska business put him out with the
/ democratic party, and he voted In '56 for
Fillmore, and in 60 for Bell and Everett
Has always until recently been a strongly
pro- slavery man, but never owned but one
slave. When the rebeuio broke out he
deprecated the agitation Of that question
but as soon as he discovered that slavery
was at the bottom of the rebellion and
. was forcing a bloody war on the country,
his convictions underwent q complete
}. change He voted for the constitution
!. with the emancipation amendment in it
: favored the Presidents proclamation las
September; and wants every Southern
State in rebellion to be brought back as
lfree States, and to let slavery alone in the
border States to be managed as they se'
LIT. He would be glad it 10. day Virginit
lwere free soil from the Allegheny to thu
u ride.water, aud if West Virginia had no
d negro ia it. He is even ia favor of arm
, ing the negroes, and making them bell
whip the rebels into subsection. Wouldnt
give twenty-five cents for hundred o
tue OSsS uSBTOSSi AC SNSA saw $50 N--'-N'
altogether may be set down as Prett.
stroUg anti slavery man at this time. H'
= is so strong Union man that be told th
people when electiOneering last spring tha
he was for sustaining tie government II /
took every man ia the country to do II
and the government had te be carried o.
by the womeu and children.
= Mr.. Bee is not connected with any Chris
i tian denomination, though be was at q
ss early age u member Of the Seventh de-
r. Baptist Church He has been Marie
ls twice and has fourteen children living.
His claim TO seat in the House is con
" " tested by Mr.. j. H. Diss Debar. The MAJ
ter is undergoing examination by the con
mittee on elections, &c. The prObabiliti.
are that Mr.. Bee will be allowed to retail
his seat.
la person Mr.. Bee is about Eve feet te
or eleven inches in stature, aud Of larl
/ muscular frame. Slaves smooth and Wea
l his hair, which is light eolored, aud sligh
ly tiuged with grey, cut very short; ey
light blue, and face rather striking but n
handsome. In conversation talks iuces
n antly and with peculiar tone OF volt
which runs up an octave about the midd
of each sentence leaving upon the hear
an impression of grief. Has al inexhRus
ble fund of humor and Anecdote for &
= places aud occasions. and is therefore t
2. centre Of every circle he happens 70 get !
to. Is quite as widely known in Weste
~ Virginia as many men who have spent th
- lives in public station. Is the founder, a
Eht was for a number of years the "Grand