The Hatfield–McCoy feud (1863–91) involved two families of the West Virginia–Kentucky back country along the Tug Fork, off the Big Sandy River. The Hatfields of West Virginia were led by William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield while the McCoys of Kentucky were under the leadership of Randolph "Ole Ran'l" McCoy. Those involved in the feud were descended from Ephraim Hatfield (born c. 1765) and William McCoy (born c. 1750). The feud has entered the American folklore lexicon as a metaphor for any bitterly feuding rival parties. More than a century later, the story of the feud has become a modern metaphor for the perils of family honor, justice and vengeance
Family originsWilliam McCoy, the patriarch of the McCoys, was born in Ireland around 1750 and emigrated to Doe Hill, Virginia.[1][2] The McCoys, led by Randolph "Ole Ran'l" McCoy (grandson of William), lived mostly on the Kentucky side of Tug Fork (a tributary of the Big Sandy River), and the Hatfields, led by William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield (son of Ephraim Hatfield and Nancy Vance), lived mostly on the West Virginia side. Both families were part of the first wave of pioneers to settle the Tug Valley (also called the Grand Horse Valley). The majority of the Hatfields living in Mingo County (in what would eventually become West Virginia) fought for the Confederacy in the American Civil War. The majority of the McCoys living in Pike County, Kentucky fought for the Union Army. The first real violence in the feud was the murder of a returning Union soldier Asa Harmon McCoy. He was killed by a group of ex-Confederates Homeguard called the "Logan Wildcats". Devil Anse Hatfield was a suspect at first, but was later confirmed to have been sick at home at the time of the murder. It was widely believed that his uncle, Jim Vance, a member of the Wildcats, committed the murder.[3]
The Hatfield clan in 1897.The Hatfields were more affluent than the McCoys and were well-connected politically. Devil Anse Hatfield's timbering operation was a source of wealth for his family, but he employed many non-Hatfields, and even hired Albert McCoy, Lorenzo Dow McCoy, and Selkirk McCoy.
The feudAsa Harmon McCoy was murdered on January 7, 1865. Jim Vance, the uncle of Devil Anse Hatfield, despised Harmon because he had joined the Union Army during the American Civil War. Harmon was discharged from the army early because of a broken leg. He returned home to a warning from Vance that Harmon could expect a visit from Devil Anse's Wildcats. Frightened by gunshots as he drew water from his well, Harmon hid in a nearby cave, supplied with food and necessities each day by his slave, Pete; but the Wildcats followed Pete's tracks in the snow, discovered Harmon and shot him fatally.
At first, Devil Anse Hatfield was the prime suspect. Later, after it was determined that the Wildcats' leader had been confined to his bed, suspicion of guilt focused squarely on Vance; but in an era when Harmon's military service was an act of disloyalty, even Harmon's own family believed that he had brought his murder upon himself. Eventually the case withered and no suspect was brought to trial.
The second recorded instance of violence in the feud occurred thirteen years later, in 1878, after a dispute about the ownership of a hog: Floyd Hatfield had it but Randolph McCoy said it was his.[4] The pig was only in the fight because some of the Hatfields believed that since the pig was on their land, it was theirs. Some of the McCoys objected, saying that the "notches" (markings) on the pig's ears were McCoy marks, not Hatfield marks. The matter was taken to the local Justice of the Peace, and the McCoys lost because of the testimony of Bill Staton, a relative of both families. Presiding over the case was Anderson "Preacher Anse" Hatfield.[5] In June 1880, Staton was killed by two McCoy brothers, Sam and Paris, who were later acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.
A section of the floodwall along the Tug Fork in Matewan, West Virginia, constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, depicts the Hatfield–McCoy feud.The feud escalated after Roseanna McCoy began a relationship (courtship) with Johnson "Johnse" Hatfield (Devil Anse's son), leaving her family to live with the Hatfields in West Virginia. Roseanna eventually returned to the McCoys, but when the couple tried to resume their relationship, Johnse Hatfield was arrested by the McCoys on outstanding Kentucky bootlegging warrants. He was freed from McCoy custody only when Roseanna made a desperate midnight ride to alert Devil Anse Hatfield, who organized a rescue party. The Hatfield party surrounded the McCoys and took Johnse back to West Virginia before he could be transported to the county seat, Pikeville, Kentucky, for justice the next day.
Despite what was seen as a betrayal of her family on his behalf, Johnse Hatfield thereafter abandoned the pregnant Roseanna, marrying instead her cousin, Nancy McCoy, in 1881.
The escalation continued in 1882 when Ellison Hatfield, brother of Devil Anse Hatfield, was killed by three of Roseanna McCoy's young brothers: Tolbert, Pharmer, and Bud. Ellison was stabbed 26 times and finished off with a shot during an election day fight that took place in Kentucky. The McCoy brothers were initially arrested by Hatfield constables and were being taken to Pikeville for trial. Devil Anse Hatfield organized a large group of followers and cut off the constables with McCoy prisoners in tow before they reached Pikeville. The brothers were taken by force to West Virginia to await the fate of mortally wounded Ellison Hatfield. When Ellison finally died from his injuries, the McCoy brothers were themselves murdered in turn as the vendetta escalated. They were tied to pawpaw bushes, where each was shot numerous times. Their bodies were described as "bullet-riddled".[6]
The feud reached its peak during the 1888 New Year's Night Massacre. Several members of the Hatfield gang surrounded the McCoy cabin and opened fire on the sleeping family. The cabin was set on fire in an effort to drive Randolph McCoy into the open. He escaped by making a break for it but two of his children were murdered and his wife was beaten and left for dead. The remaining members of the McCoy family moved to Pikeville to escape the West Virginia raiding parties.
Between 1880 and 1891, the feud claimed more than a dozen members of the two families, becoming headline news around the country, and compelling the governors of both Kentucky and West Virginia to call up their state militias to restore order.[citation needed] On one occasion, the Governor of West Virginia even threatened to have his militia invade Kentucky. In response, Kentucky Governor S. B. Buckner sent his Adjutant General to Pike County to investigate the situation. Besides nearly a dozen who died, at least 10 people were wounded.[7]
In 1888, Wall Hatfield and eight others were arrested by a posse led by Frank Phillips and brought to Kentucky to stand trial for the murder of Alifair McCoy, who was killed during the New Years Massacre.[8] She had been shot after exiting the burning house. Because of issues of due process and illegal extradition, the United States Supreme Court became involved (Mahon v. Justice, 127 U.S. 700 (1888)). The Supreme Court ruled 7–2 in favor of Kentucky, holding that even if a fugitive is returned from the asylum state illegally instead of through lawful extradition procedure, no federal law prevents him from being tried. Eventually the men were tried in Kentucky and all were found guilty. Seven received life imprisonment, while the eighth, Ellison "Cottontop" Mounts, was executed by hanging.[9] Thousands attended the hanging in Pikeville, Kentucky.
Valentine "Uncle Wall" Hatfield, the elder brother of Devil Anse, was overshadowed by Devil Anse's ambitions but was 1 of the 8 convicted to end the feud.[clarification needed] He died in prison of unknown causes. He petitioned his brothers to assist in his emancipation from jail, but none came for fear of being captured and brought to trial. He was buried in the prison cemetery, which has since been paved over.
William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield, the younger and more militant brother of Valentine Hatfield, led the clan in most of their combative endeavors.
Doc D Mahon, son-in-law of Valentine and brother of Pliant, was one of the eight convicted to end the feud.[clarification needed] He served 14 years in prison before returning home to live with his son, Melvin.
Pliant Mahon, son-in-law of Valentine and brother of Doc, was one of the eight convicted to end the feud.[clarification needed] He served 14 years in prison before returning home to rejoin his ex-wife, who had remarried but left her second husband to live with Pliant again.
Fighting between the families eased following the hanging of Mounts. Trials continued for years; the trial of Johnse Hatfield was the last of the feud trials in 1901.
Deaths[1] 1865: Former Union soldier Asa Harman McCoy killed January 7, 1865, probably by the "Logan Wildcats" led by Jim Vance.[10]
[2] 1878: Bill Staton (nephew of Randolph McCoy – not shown on family tree) was killed in 1878 as revenge for testifying on behalf of Floyd Hatfield in his trial for stealing a McCoy hog.[11] Shot by Sam McCoy-nephew of Randolph McCoy Sr.[12]
[3] 1882: Ellison Hatfield is mortally wounded in a fight with Tolbert, Pharmer, and Randolph McCoy, Jr. on August 7, 1882, dying two days later on August 9.[13]
[4] 1882: Tolbert McCoy tied to pawpaw trees & killed as revenge for Ellison Hatfield's shooting/stabbing on August 9, 1882, the day Ellison died.
[4] 1882: Pharmer McCoy tied to pawpaw trees & killed as revenge for Ellison Hatfield's shooting/stabbing on August 9, 1882, the day Ellison died.
[4] 1882: Randolph McCoy Jr. tied to pawpaw trees & killed as revenge for Ellison Hatfield's shooting/stabbing on August 9, 1882, the day Ellison died.[14]
[5] 1886: "Jeff McCoy" killed in fall of 1886 following his murder of mail carrier Fred Wolford,[15] shot by "Cap" Hatfield[12]
[6] 1888: Alifair McCoy killed January 1, 1888 at Randolph's house by nine attackers led by Jim Vance. The attackers failed in their attempt to eliminate witnesses against them.
[6] 1888: Calvin McCoy killed January 1, 1888 at Randolph's house by nine attackers led by Jim Vance. The attackers failed in their attempt to eliminate witnesses against them.[16]
1888 January 7: Jim Vance killed by Frank Phillips[12]
1888 January 18: Bill Dempsey killed by Jeff McCoy and Frank Phillips[17]
1890: Ellison Mounts was hanged on February 18, 1890[18] for Alifair's murder.[9]
Numbers in square brackets are cross references to names on the family trees below.
Hatfields and McCoys in the modern eraIn 1979, the two families united for a special week's taping of the popular game show Family Feud, in which they played for a cash prize and a pig which was kept on stage during the games.[19] The Hatfield family won the contest 301- 227.[20]
Great-great-great grandsons of feud patriarch, Randolph McCoy, Bo McCoy of Waycross, Georgia, and his cousin, Ron McCoy of Durham, North Carolina, organized an historic joint family reunion of the Hatfield and McCoy families in 2000 which attained national attention. More than 5000 persons attended the reunion dubbed "The Reunion of the Millennium".[21]
On June 14, 2003, the McCoy cousins partnered with Reo Hatfield of Waynesboro, Virginia to author an official truce between the families. The idea was symbolic: to show that Americans could bury their differences and unite in times of crisis, most notably following the September 11 attacks.[22]
In 2002, Bo and Ron McCoy were plaintiffs in a legal case to acquire access to the McCoy Cemetery, which holds the graves of six family members, including five that were slain during the feud. The McCoys took on a private property owner, John Vance, who was restricting access to the cemetery. While the McCoys claimed victory in the suit, as of 2003 the cemetery was still not open to the general public.[23]
In the 2000s, a 500 mile (800 km) Hatfield–McCoy Trails All-terrain vehicle trails system, has been created around the theme of the Hatfield–McCoy Feud.[24]
Many tourists each year travel to parts of West Virginia and Kentucky to see the areas and historic relics which remain from the days of the feud. In 1999 a large project known as the "Hatfield and McCoy historic site restoration" was completed. This project was funded by a federal grant from the SBA. Many improvements to various feud sites were completed. A committee of local historians spent months researching reams of information to find out about the factual history of the events surrounding the feud. This research was compiled in an audio compact disc called the "Hatfield–McCoy Feud Driving Tour". The CD is a self-guided driving tour of the restored feud sites. It includes maps and pictures as well as the audio CD. (see external link below)
The Hillbilly Days festival in Pikeville, Kentucky, is a Shriners fundraiser that, according to rumor, was founded by one member from each of the two families.[25]
. According to the History channel, that makes it the No. 1 non-sports and non-news program ever on ad-supported cable.
