Ephraim Bee

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

Bee is credited as the founder (1845) of E Clampus Vitus, a mostly facetious fraternal organization now dedicated to the preservation of western lore.

In his later years Bee was also a successful land speculator, acquiring around 40,000 acres (160 km²) in West Virginia.

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."

Bee's grandson, Clair Bee (1896–1983), was a college basketball coach for Long Island University and, ultimately, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.