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The Lure Of The Hobos Life And The Spirit Of Freedom
Hobo Beginning Of Hobos
After the Civil War, thousands of soldiers became a familiar sight from coast to coast. Many lost their homes, families, and jobs were hard to find. The country was still reeling from the casualties of the war. Many thought hobos to be lazy or simply bums. But research shows they had a strong work ethic and codes. They are the cast-offs of the Civil War.
Because of the hobos after the Civil War, they were the ones building the railroads, roads, sewer work, and all kinds of agricultural work.
Difference of a hobo vs tramp:
- Hobo is a migratory worker, always looking for work, with codes
- Tramp travels but won't work if it can be avoided
- Bum doesn't travel and doesn't work
A Famous Hobo, Leon Ray Livingston
Leon was born in 1872 and was a famous hobo and author who wrote several books about the lives of hobos. He became friends with author Jack London, renowned for his books on the American West and its people. Jack's book, From Coast To Coast, became the basis for the movie Emperor Of The North Pole, which starred Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine.
Leon misbehaved at school at age 11, which is not unusual for boys. His teacher sent him home with a note to be signed by his father, but Leon never showed his father the note. The following day, he saw his teacher heading to his house.
Leon grabbed his 22-gauge shotgun and the cash he had saved, left his house, and never returned. He spent the next 18 years boasting of traveling 50,000 miles and only paying $7.61 on fares at one time.
He began writing about his travels and self-published about 18 novels. He always carried a scrapbook with newspaper articles and personalized letters from Thomas Edison,Theodore Roosevelt, and William H. Taft.
By 1914, he was ready to settle down. He married Mary Trohoske in Erie, Pennsylvania, and found work at the electric and steel companies at $36. a week. Leon was a gentleman who never drank, swore, or smoked.
Leon was also fluent in three languages: French, which his father taught him; German, which his mother taught him; and English. He died in 1914 in Pennsylvania and is buried in Laurel Hills Cemetery, Erie, Pennsylvania.
Leon was known as 'The Rambler" but more famous as A-No.1.
Hobo Signs
Hobos protected each other and devised codes and signs indicating which places to avoid, who provided food or work, and which roads were safe to travel on.
To earn some money, many hobos began altering the Indian Head nickels. One of the famous carvers was Bertram "Bert' Wiegand. These hobo nickels are very collectible and rare. One of his hobo nickels was of his friend Elizabeth, who gained a record price at Heritage Auction for $31,800.
Candance DeMarco Kagin bought a collection of 218 hobo nickels for $170,000.
The Hobo Annual Convention
Each August in Britt, Iowa, thousands arrive by all means in RVs, motorcycles, cars, and trains. Parades, music, bonfires, and dancing are here to preserve the history of hobos and the spirit of freedom, hoping to find something better down the line.
A cemetery with many hobos buried there holds services that remember them. It is in Evergreen Cemetery, Britt, Iowa.
Also, in Britt, there is a museum full of memorabilia of the hobos.
Further Reading
Sources Used
https://www.smithsonianmag.org
https://www.atlasobscrua.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
https://www.quora.com
https://britthobotoday.com
