• Home
• Hobo Signs
• History
• Lore
• Links
• Contact

 

In 1978 five friends would travel, hitch and bum rides to get to the computer room of a local college to get on "the net".
That was the beginning of the secret society.  

Hobos

Hoboes have been around since the dawn of time but the term hobo didn't come into play until the mid 1800's. One theory is that the term Hobo was derived
from either homeward bound soldiers or from the migrant vagabonds carrying hoes to the next farming job, hoe-boys.
History shows that Hoboes traveled to find work, tramps traveled but didn't work and bums neither traveled or worked.

 

Hobo Unions, Clubs and Associations

Not a lot of information details the confluence of the hobos. A couple of the more documented are the Tourist Union #63 forming in 1899
and the International Itinerant Migratory Workers Union formed in 1908.

 

Hobo Newspapers, Magazines, Etc.

• The order of Benighted Hobos of America - Wisconsin - circa 1898
• The Hobo Club - San Francisco - 1899
• Tourist Union #63 - Charles F. Noe - 1899
• Hobo Club - Capt. William H. Baker - New York - 1899
• Hobo Club - Columbia University - 1904
• Hobo Club - University of Missouri - 1904
• Phoney Union Cards - circa 1904
• IWW Industrial Workers of the World - June 27, 1905
• Brotherhood Welfare Association - James Eads How - circa 1905
• International Itinerant Migratory Workers Union - Hoboes of America - Jeff Davis - 1908
• Hobo Club - Washington D.C.
• Hobo Club - Vermont
• Hobo Club - Missoula, MT - 1917 - 1922
• New York branch of Hobo Union - 1922
• Secret Society of Itinerant Hoboes - Montana - circa 1922
• Secret Society of Internet Hobos - JayHobo - 1978
• National Hobo Association - "Sante Fe Bo" - 1987
• Numerous Street Newspapers - late 1800's forward
• The Hobo News - James Eads How - May 1st, 1911
• Hobo Times (newsletter) - "Sante Fe Bo" - 1987
• Hobo Times (magazine) - "Sante Fe Bo" & Buzz Potter - 1990
• Bo Tales (Hobo Nickel newsletter) - Original Hobo Nickel Society

 

Hoboes in The News

1890 The Hobo Club. Oct 1890	I.B.W.A. Flyer	Hobo Kidney & Bladder Remedy
1897 Petition to curtail free lunches. Jan 1897 A hot game of ball... Aug 1897 Hobo crime - assault. Dec 1897	1898 Hobos and lead nickels. Jan 1898 Benighted Hobo Banquet. Mar 1898 Hobo lived in a cave. Dec 1898	1899 Hobo Club Function. Feb 1899 Hobo Club Banquet. Feb 1899 Hobo box car fire. Mar 1899 A Convention of Tramps. June 1899 Hobo Story A Hoax. June 1899 Few Tramps Attended. June 1899 Polite Hobo. June 1899 The King of the Hobo Ring. Nov 4, 1899 the Hobo Club. Dec 1899
1900 Every ferry on the Jersey shore. June 1900 Hobo Convention Britt, Iowa. July 1900 Tramps Bound for Iowa. Aug 1900 Tourist Union #63 Application. Aug 1900 Hoboes on the Rampage. Aug 1900	1901 On the road with Jackie in harvest time. Aug 1901 All Hoboes in Mourning for Their Dead Chief. Nov 1901 More About Captain William Baker. Nov 1901	1902 Fast Train - President Roosevelt. Nov 1902 Hobo Corsets. Dec 1902
1903 Hobo Joke. Feb 1903 Hobo Stoned Passenger Train. Aug 1903 Battle between Harvest Hands... Aug 1903	1904 College Men Organize Hobo Club. Mar 1904 College Has Hobo Club. July 1904 Herald of New Hobo Reaches Louisville. Aug 1904 Hobo Phoney Union Cards. Nov 1904	1905 Tramps Murder an Aged Miner. Jan 1905 Hobos set fire to tannery. Feb 1905 The Hobo King. Feb 14, 1905 Chase Hoboes Out of the City. July 1905 Cheap Hobo Hotel. Aug 1905 Industrial Union Constitution - I.W.W.- Oct 1905 - On File
1906 Fake San Francisco surfers. May 1906 Hobo Comic. Jun 1906 New Method of Stealing a Ride. Jun 1906	1907 Fewer Tramps Now Riding Bumpers. Sept 1907	1908 Plenty of Hoboes. May 1908 Preacher Rescues Booze From Fire. Oct 1908
1909 Calling the Tramps' Bluff. Feb 1909 America's Hobo Army. Apr 1909 Something New and Classy in Hobo Graft. May 1909 Hobo Honesty. Aug 1909 Was a Leader of the Hobo Four Hundred. Sept 1909 Billy's Mug Saloon - Seattle. Oct 1909	1910 Tramps Get Lash at Melville. Feb 1910 Home For Lady Hoboes. Apr 1910 Hoboing for Adventure. Jun 1910	1911 The Hobo News to be Issued. April 1911 The Hobo News. April 1911 Millionaire Hobo Tired. May 1911 Scores One on Conductor. June 1911 Counterfeit Nickels. Aug 1911 Hobo Harvest. Aug 1911 Hoboes Are Given Work. Sept 1911
1912 San Diego Has Hoboes In Control. April 1912 Spring is surely here... April 1912 "A No.1," King of Hoboes Killed. Oct 9, 1912 "A No.1," King of Hoboes Killed. Oct 16, 1912 Hoboes Lured To New Northwest. Oct 1912 Droves of Hobos. Nov 1912 Hoboes Meet At New Orleans. Dec 1912	1913 Saloons Close. Jan 1913 Hoboes Open Convention - New Orleans. Jan 1913 Leader of Hoboes thinks he has the prize job. Jan 1913 Hobo Convention in New Orleans. Feb 1913 Howe Thrown Out by Hoboes Convention. Feb 1913 Hoboes Throw Out How. Feb 1913 Making Idle Threats. Feb 1913 Hobo King. Mar 6, 1913 Mayor Behrman Honorary Member of Hoboes Union. March 1913 Hobo King reaches capital. May 31, 1913 Hoboes Have Jungle Feed... June 1913 At a Hobo Rally. July 1913 Mrs. McBride to Lecture. Aug 1913 Hobo King Jeff Davis makes a plea to Seattle City Council. Dec 30	1914 A Hobo Hotel. Jan 1914 Millionaire Hobo Plans Army Review. April 1914 Hoe - Bo. June 1914 Hobo Delegate to Convention. July 1914
1915 Hoboes on War. Jan 1915 Sea Hobo is New Columbus Title. Feb 1915 This Is Th' Life - King Hobo. Feb 21,1915 What is a Jitney! Feb 1915 ... City's Pitiful Women Hoboes. March 1915 Tramps Raise Vegetables. April 1915 Award Hoboes Rural Retreat. May 1915 The Frisco Train. July 1915 Hoboes Renounce. July 1915 Mulligan Stew. Sept 1915 J Eads How is a Hobo; Also a Millionaire. Sept 1915 Auto Hoboes Latest Things... Oct 1915 Hobo Joke. Nov 1915 No Hotel for Hobos. Dec 1915	1916 Knights of Rails Accept Unique Invitation. Oct 1916 Leaders of I.W.W. and Possee Engage in Battle at Everett. Nov 1916 No Hotel for Hobos. Dec 1916	1917 University Men Who Will Travel. Jan 1917 An Old Acquaintance. June 1917 Hobo Has New Foe. Aug 1917
1918 Hobo King Sells Bonds. Dec 12, 1918	1919 Hobo College is Opened. Jun 1919 Seattle Woman Hoboes to New York. Aug 1919 King of Hoboes Quits. Oct 1919 King of Hoboes. Nov 1919 King of Hoboes. Nov 1919	1920 Hobo is in Bad. March 1920 Extinct Hobo. March 1920 Hoboes Demand More Lenient Laws. March 1920 Hobo Club of Newport Holds Extra Session. Oct 1920 Hobo Bodies at War. Dec 1920 War Begun On Hoboes. Dec 1920
1921 Hoboes Attend New York Church. Jan 1921 Auto Trucks Now Hobo. Feb 1921 Interesting Speaker is Hobo King. May 5,1921 Hobo Waste. July 1921 Millionaire Hobo Back With Soviet Message. Nov 1921	1922 Hoboed To Get Pointers. Jan 1922 Hobo Students Ride The Rods. Jan 1922 Varsity Hobo Club Banned by Edict of President Clapp. Apr 1922 Founder Of College For Hoboes Marries. July 1922 A Pension for Hoboes. Aug 1922 Hobo King unmasked. Sept 28, 1922 NY Branch of Hoboes Union Formed. Oct 1922 Millionaires Form New Hobo Colony. Oct 1922 Tramps Prepare for Winter. Oct 1922 A New Kind of Hobo. Nov 1922 Hobo King in New Role. Nov 1922 Hungry Hobo In Automobile... Dec 1922	1923 Woman Heads Hobo Club. Dec 1923
1924 Hobo King Quits. Apr 4, 1924	1925	1926
Other U.S. hold three for counterfeiting. Nov 1932

 

SSoIH... Secret Society of Internet Hobos

SSoIH began back in 1978 when five friends discovered "the net". They would take any method available to get across town to the computer room of a local college.
This included bikes, skateboards, bumming rides, intercity transit buses and the final leg of the journey, a college shuttle van that ran on donations.
The SSoIH name had two options back in the day. The H in the name was either going to be Hackers or Hobos.
At the time, hackers described a group of computer enthusiasts and programmers. Hobos won out due to the ethical codes of hobos and the group felt
that the I for Internet explained enough as it was. The SSoIH name also payed homage to another hobo society of yesteryear.

 

SSoIH's list of Hobo Lingo, terms and definition.