Indeed, these natives appeared ready to use their formidable weapons against the Dumbellican Brothers. Likes: 0. Historian Lois Rather suggests that the order originally came from the Southern states before being carried to California during the Gold Rush. This has become the motto of this historical drinking society. And that is where the unbelievable history of E Clampus Vitus might end, if it were not for the fact that this episode releases just before April 1st and is an April Fools Day joke! Dave sustained some serious injuries at a Clamper doins at Hollister Hills in September and as well as not being able to work for three months, he has amassed $40,000.00 in medical bills. If you are in or close to Hollister stop by Johnnys and talk to my son Allen on a Wed., Thur., Fri. or Saturday night. Members commonly dress in a red shirt, black hat and Levi's jeans. ECV flourished, in part, as the result of the miners' reaction to the "established" organizations such as the Masons and Odd Fellows. We had buckets of fun too. And this may be even closer to the E Clampus Vitus of the Gold Rush Miners. At that time most of northern California was full of little mining towns and camps whose populations shifted constantly. One enthusiast named Joseph Zumwalt, however, brought the order with him from Missouri to California during the Gold Rush or so they say. Everyone pitched in from the bands that played, to the kitchen help, and many donated cash to cover the costs of food or just kick in towards the cause. Clampers raised money to help widows and orphans, and were quick to respond when fire or flood destroyed towns and left people homeless. your hand? His was a moral martyrdom, for he did not lose his life. Stop in and see whats cookin today. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. He can hook you up. 3 of the San Francisco Call of January 23, 1896: "The lodge proposed that he stay over with his company until to-night (Weds. 8 has made this their offishul waterin hole, it reads. After this historic Vituscan mission to China, it appears the traditions of E Clampus Vitus, as they called it, flourished for generations. One night, the Empress relieved herself into a chamberpot and fell in. This site is also dedicated to all ECV members and is associated with fun, frolic, libations and California history. I appreciated that so much. The initiations are secret and vary greatly in execution and severity. In addition to his crew, he brought three hundred fertile slave girls, with the intention of peopling Gumshaniana with their descendants. Members call themselves "Clampers." America is full of memorials for epic battles and soaring monuments and somber cradles of famous historical figures. Sir Francis Drake's 1579 Plate of Brasse was left at Point Reyes, claiming California for England. The organization's name is in Dog Latin, and has no known meaning; even the spelling is disputed, sometimes appearing as "Clampus," "Clampsus," or "Clampsis." This was the beginning and the foundation of the modern day Clampers, although today, as I understand it, it is more of a plain old drinking society that enjoys to play pranks. [3], Bee felt that an organization was needed that was less exclusive than the other organizations of the day, such as the Masons, Elks and Odd Fellows. By this reckoning, the word Clampus derives from the Greek kleptos, to steal, because after receiving the knowledge by eating of the tree in the Garden of Eden, Adam smuggled out the secrets of the order so that he could pass them down to all mankind. The No matter what one makes of the meaning of the orders name, it cannot be denied that its central figure was Saint Vitus, after whom Sydenhams chorea, or St. Vituss Dance was named, that malady being one suspect for explaining the notorious Dancing Plague I have discussed in the past. VTG California FRATERNAL 3 1/2" Button~"E. CLAMPUS VITUS"~Jim Savage 1852 'SB'~ $24.99 + $3.75 shipping. Free delivery for many products! Graybeards and members of Estanislao Chapter 58, E Clampus Vitus or Grand Initiation rites are sometimes spur-of-the-moment, such as forcing a blindfolded candidate to be lifted into the air by a block and tackle. The Clampers' Book of Balladry or Hewgagiana, Credo Quia Absurdum: Being a Compilation of Historic Documents & Trivia Pertinent to a Full Understanding of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus, The Story Of E Clampus Vitus (Then and Now 1852-1966), The enigmatical book of Vitus, in which is included the marvelous histori es & astounding prophecies of the clampatriarch, the Credo in absurdum according to St. Vitus, the one true & [Leather Bound], An hour's walk through Yerba Buena : the town that existed for eleven years seven months and five days then became San Francisco 1957 [Leather Bound]. When its quiet at the museum, he spends the afternoons reading up on local history. I have felt like a helping hand all my life. Christmas Party and White Elephant Gift Exchange, Five Things You May Not Know About Clampers. He lifted the leg of his jean shorts and shrugged as he revealed the absence of any scar to support the story and Koens nickname. In Mono County, a Clampers plaque honors the Legend of June Lake Slot Machines: illegal machines said to have been tossed in the lake in the 1940s and sought by cold-water divers. Sat & Sun 9 am 2 am, This year the local motorcycle community is coming together to give visiting riders lots to do in the Hollister area , When it comes to the Hollister Rally, Johnnys is the textbook definition of needs no introduction and many folks come , Despite being located in a small, rural town, Hollister Powersports is one of the largest motorsports dealers in Northern and , Hollister Rally Resurrected Birthplace of the American Biker! Thereafter, the miners gladly patronized these newcomers to their town, so it was essentially an initiation into the community. The point of this story is that Clampers are an integral part of the Johnnys family. HISTORY and Ritual of E CLAMPUS VITUS. Mural depicting Califia, fictional Amazonian queen for whome California was named, via Wikimedia Commons. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete. The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus the fraternal organization dedicated to the study ECV historical plaques are found on many buildings around California. His first civics lesson? It is the only party that we ladies are invited to attend. : the smooth sloping surface on the upper posterior part of the body of the sphenoid bone supporting the pons and the basilar artery. These Clampas gave some of the ancient signs of their order, which the friars recognized. The unusual anatomy of these Clampas indicates that Lo-Hung-Whang survived Hop Mees mutiny and managed to father children, or perhaps was kept as a sex slave himself as he had previously kept Hop Mee, for the peculiar trait that gave him his crude sobriquet was observed by the Frollicking Friars in the naked Clampas who charged at them. LOL, I assume you meant join. One among these women, Lo-Hung-Whangs own concubine, Hop Mee, proved to be stronger and more clever than the men anticipated, though. Im glad they helped out your cousin. The Clampers paid tribute to the areas skiing history and the Alturas Snowshoe Club that organized the tournament with a monument that read, Dope is King! a reference to the homemade wax that skiers applied to their 12-foot-long wooden skis. Afterward, he spoke only in signs, and his followers sought his canonization as a saint. The Proctors continue to meet annually with the Grand Council for the transaction of business and an . Koen has been a Clamper for 17 years and has served as the Chapter 5978 Humbug. Mr. E CLAMPUS VITUS. Thanks for the comment. Perhaps nowhere are the Clampers more revered than in the Sierra Nevada, where they flourished in the small towns and prospector camps during the Gold Rush. There were the Sons of 76, the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows, and the Order of the Star Spangled Banner, that nativist fraternity that I devoted a patron-exclusive episode to discussing, and even the Freemasons had made a comeback after the Anti-Masonic movement of decades earlier had reduced their numbers. Vitus was used to describe Parkinsons disease, which they called Saint Vitus Dance. The Frollicking Friars did much to spread their order, for its said they expanded on the notion of widowhood, applying the Staff of Relief even to women who they said had been widowed by their husbands neglect, and therefore they frequently were obliged to flee from one place to the next. XVIII: Henness Pass (ECV-711), An E Clampus Vitus Hoax Goes Awry: Sir Francis Drake's 1579 Plate of Brasse, David Holmes Chandler, Dr. Robert J. , James M. Spitze, Stephen Zovickian, What was your name in the States? Wheat was no stranger to fraternal societies himself, being a member of San Franciscos Bohemian Club, whose annual retreat for the rich and powerful at Bohemian Grove serves as popular fodder for many conspiracy theorists. I am a future puke as we speak. Chairman Moe of the Salt of the Scum of the Earth models an upright yet casual ECV look of red and black. Building from the knowledge of this Clampatriarch, as they called him, the New Dispensation of E Clampus Vitus began, and its fantastical history could finally be written. Allen was nineteen at the time and came to Hollister from San Jose, where he was living, for weekend visits. CEO of ECV Chapter .75 and founder of the Elephant Temperance Society exhibits a prime example of ECV regalia. But there is no evidence that the rough and tough miners of 19th-century California touted any such colorful beliefs about the origins of their little club. Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved. God bless, Cat. The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus (ECV) is a fraternal organization dedicated to the study and preservation of the heritage of the American West, especially the history of the Mother Lode and gold mining regions of the area. The Sons of Malta, a fraternal society given to pranks and parody initiation rites, has been cited as an influence, even though the Sons of Malta do not seem to have existed until 1854 (though ECV may have inspired the Sons of Malta, as there were many disappointed by the California gold rush who returned East). Taking place at Bolado Park, a great venue featuring Bike Camping, , Hollister is the Birthplace of the American Biker! The first time the men informed us that they would be out of town for the weekend, some of the women were bothered that their husbands wanted to leave them for two days. [volume] (Nevada City, Calif.) 1851-18? The nickname "Clampers" is still used, as is the motto "Credo . Despite St. Vituss death, the order survived as a monastic tradition carried on by the Vituscan brothers. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. E Clampus Vitus originally began as a parody of mystical lodges, such as the Masons, Elks, and the Odd Fellows, which Clampers thought to be much too serious with their arcane rituals and fancy dress. Life was good as prominent business owners in a small town. The prime requisites to becoming a Clamper are a good sense of humor, an interest in Western history, an open mind, and a cast iron stomach. There is some evidence to support that Grant was a member. Others, however, trace the beginning of the order all the way back to the beginning of time and creation, naming Adam as the Clamprogrenitor, as it were. Big Bruce Robbins, a county worker and three-time Humbug from Quincy, said most people around here feel comfortable hanging around bars. These Native Americans brandished their own staffs, but these would bring the friars no relief. She arranged for the eunuchs guarding the other girls to be drugged, and once free, the former slave women took control of the vessel, throwing any who resisted them to the sharks. Upon Sherman's retirement in 1853, his replacement at the Benicia Arsenal was Lt. Ulysses S. Grant, who spent 30 days in the Arsenal Guardhouse for being drunk on duty and firing his cannons at the Martinez shoreline. Saint Vitus, from the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493, via Wikimedia Commons. may I always appreciate a little bit of the "ridiculous"; may I always be a two-fisted Clamper when the bottle pass's my way, Id like to share en except frommy book Miracles and Grace in an Unlikely Place Memoir of a Christian Biker Bar Owner with you that tells the story of Johnnys and our connection to the Clampers. Members claim that the organization was brought from the Ch'ing Dynasty in China to the United States in 1845 in Lewisport, Virginia, now West Union, West Virginia, when inn 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.". Winos daughter Terrie Dawn with Snowman in front of the newly unveiled monument. 10. From his perch at the Plumas Club, a dive bar that serves as his chapters de facto headquarters, Ron Right-On Oxley swirled a vodka and cranberry juice and tried to sum up his often misunderstood group. Vintage ECV E CLAMPUS VITUS CANDLELIGHT April 13, 6007 BUTTON Pinback. Upon finally landing at Gum Shan, somewhere near modern day Mendocino, Hop Mee decided that she would be the empress of this new land, and it is said that she is the true Amazonian warrior woman whose legend inspired the fictional character Calafia, after whom California is named. It will be on Sunday, August 30th, at 2pm. On serpentine Main Street, with mining equipment from 1911 sitting out front, sits the Frank C. Reilly Museum, a two-story Clampers repository named after a local saloon owner who was Chapter 5978s first Humbug. The church likely came to this conclusion based on the behavior of his followers, the Dumbellican Brotherhood, who received the nickname the Frollicking Friars due to their licentious behavior. In a kind of running theme, the Clampers seem to celebrate a fair number of places overtaken, biblical-like, by water. forget the stout-hearted men who settled a great Western wilderness, and the heritage we have today; may I never fail to Free shipping for many products! "Clamper" meetings were held in the Hall of Comparative Ovations, generally the back room of a saloon. E Clampus Vitus was the result. They could pass it out, but they couldnt take it., Persecution by Emperor Diocletian, via WikiArt.org. Copyright 1998 - 2020, Site created and designed by One happy hour while visiting with our mayor, Seth Irishwho later became Tommys best friendTommy discovered that Seth was a Clamper. E Clampus Vitus Initiatory Ritual Introduction Here followeth the true, authentic and clampotent Order and Ritual of Initiation, the sole and solitary Ceremonial and Liturgy of THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ORDER OF E CLAMPUS VITUS, carefully compiled, ostentatiously elaborated and prayerfully purged of both In determining when the society of E Clampus Vitus began and who started it, it is necessary to consider its name. by. Chapters are permitted to modify their structure to meet the needs and desires of their membership. Mckinley, Jesse. Posts: 24,418. While the math on the aforementioned membership does not quite seem to work, unless every chapter has initiated thousands of members, nevertheless the chief occupation of the Clampers, aside from merrymaking, does seem to indicate that they are widespread. I informed him weeks in advance that he was going to be the designated driver for all of the Widders. Clamper meetings were held in the back rooms of saloons and its said that Mark Twain wrote the book based on a story he heard at one of those meetings. In his letter, Heliodoricus describes a long and arduous journey of four years that he took with nine fellow Vituscan missionaries all the way to the Far East. I have been a long time time friend to many Clampers. Out of the hundred or so attendees at the event, about half dressed in period clothing, and our lively group from Hollister stood out in the crowd. When we embraced the ECV we added an entire new dimension to life at Johnnys. RESPONSIBILITY for this web site. SEND FEEDBACK?! Allen, always feeling it his duty to look out for ladies, possibly because he grew up with a single mom, had no problem with my plan. I am sorry to say that none of this is real history! Most ECV chapters hold what they call a Widders Ball once a year. After the Civil War, it was discovered that Jaco Cave was a holding area for the runaway slaves. Tommy and I were over the moon that the citys elite wanted to hang out at our bar and grill. Zumwalt organized an ECV lodge in Mokelumne Hill in 1851, when Mokelumne Hill Lodge No. However, once Lodge 10 was established in 1936, members pointed out that it was illogical for such a rowdy organization to be so neat in its numbering scheme, and so some creativity was developed in the numbering. According to Clampers lore, their first California lodge was established in Mokelumne Hill in 1851. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. At the ECV's peak, around 1870, so many miners were members that mining camps might shut down during ECV celebrations (some mining towns had two chapters). What, exactly, does E Clampus Vitus mean? In La Porte, the Clampers often clean up, and put up a fence around, the pine cone-strewn cemetery, where wooden and marble headstones date to the 19th century and where Frank C. Reilly is buried. We embraced the ECV we added an entire new dimension to life at Johnnys to help widows and,... Plate of Brasse was left at Point Reyes, claiming California for England and. Originally came from the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493, via WikiArt.org was living, for did! Hang out at our bar and grill a few minutes for this to. A great venue featuring Bike Camping,, Hollister is the Birthplace of the Salt the... Red shirt, black hat and Levi 's jeans applied to their 12-foot-long skis. That he was going to be the designated driver for all of the newly unveiled monument we use cookies ensure. Three-Time Humbug from Quincy, said most people around here feel comfortable hanging around bars waterin,!, it was discovered that Jaco Cave was a holding area for the next time i comment back room a. 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