I've been doing a bit of research about the Pagans Motorcycle Club; trying to figure out their origens. All over the internet folks claim they were started by Lou Dobkin in 1959 in Prince Georges County, but I don't agree with this.
In Wikipedia comments, Lou Dobkin's wife (or someone who claims to be) says he was born in 1943 and the club was started in 1963. Another commenter claim the club originated in Vienna. There is some other evidence about their origins. The first mention of the Pagans is from a Washingon Post article in 1965 about Ray Cockerille getting in a dustup at a Centreville dance hall and Cockerille was from Vienna. Another Post article from 1966 claims they were based in White Oak, MD (in Montgomery County). In other articles I've read from the mid sixties, they seem to have a heavy Virginia membership. I believe they started in 1963 in Virginia and the belief that they started in PG is because the first run-ins with police was at the races in Upper Marlboro.
Update: John Hall's book about The Pagans asserts they started in Fruitland, MD, which is south of Salisbury. I think that is highly unlikely.
There was a pagan compound located on Brock Bridge Road between South Laurel and Maryland City - Prince Georges County, Maryland - from at least 1970 and probably some time before. The PG connection is noted in one of Sonny Barger's memoirs, although that could just be recitation of the above.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Paul Ferry? Met him in federal prison, nice guy kinda shirt off your back. Tell him I said Hello......
ReplyDeleteHave you ever talked to ex-members of the Pagans? The one guy I talked to, who showed me his colors (patches removed of course, because he got beat out of the Pagans) said they were located in PG County, but he didn't join until more like 1962
ReplyDelete