1. The Hatfield-McCoy feud
Kentucky Studies

2. The two sides

3. The two sides The Hatfields The McCoys
Led by patriarch Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield
Lived in Logan County, Virginia (now West Virginia)
Devil Anse was not a church-going man, though much of his family was (he was finally baptized in 1911)
Owned a logging operation
Led by patriarch Randolph “Randall” or “Ol’ Ran’l” McCoy
Lived in Pike County, Kentucky
Religious
Raised Tobacco and pigs
The two families lived across the Tug Fork (a tributary of the Big Sandy) from each other

4. The beginnings of the feud
Devil Anse formed a guerilla group during the civil war called the “Logan Wildcats”
Asa Harmon McCoy, a cousin to Ran’l McCoy, fought for the Union and was ambushed and murdered on his way home
Many believed the “Wildcats” were to blame, though Devil Anse always denied it
Even if they were, Devil Anse was home sick at the time, so the group would have been led by Devil Anse’s uncle, Big Jim Vance

5. Origins of the Feud
13 years later, Ran’l McCoy saw a hog on the farm of Floyd Hatfield and said it was one of his that had run away
The notches on the pig’s ears were clearly McCoy’s doing according to Ran’l
According to Floyd, the hog was on his land, that made it his

6. Origins The case was brought to trial
The Justice of the Peace was Anderson “Preacher Anse” Hatfield
Hatfields won based on the testimony of Bill Staton, who was related to both families
Two McCoy brothers murdered Bill Staton fro revenge
It was later deemed self defense because Staton was drunk at the time

7. The Feud
Johnse Hatfield began a relationship with Roseanna McCoy Both children of patriarchs
McCoys arrested Johnse on bootlegging charges
Hatfields ride into Kentucky and take him back
Johnse then abandoned Roseanna and married her cousin, Nancy

8. The Feud
On election day 1882, Devil Anse’s brother, Ellison was attacked by 3 of Roseanna’s brothers
He was stabbed 26 times and shot once
He initially survived the attack
Constables arrested the three brothers and began transporting them to Pikeville for trial

9. The Feud Devil Anse organized a posse and intercepted the transport
They kidnapped the brothers and took them back across the West Virginia to await Ellison’s fate
Ellison eventually died from his wounds
The brothers were tied to Pawpaw bushes and executed

10. The New Years Night Massacre
January 1st 1888
Hatfield gunmen surrounded the house of Ran’l McCoy
Fired repeated volleys into the house
Lit the house on fire
Ol’ Ran’l escaped into the forest
Two McCoy children were murdered
McCoy’s wife, Sarah “Sally” McCoy was beaten and left for dead (she ultimately survived)

11. The effects
McCoy and his remaining family moved to Pikeville to escape the West Virginia raiding parties
More than a dozen members of the families were murdered during the feud
Both Governors had to call state militia in to try and keep the peace
The Governor of West Virginia even threatened to have his militia invade Kentucky

12. The effects
Kentucky Governor sent General Sam Hill and his troops to investigate
In the resulting battle, a dozen more men died and ten were wounded
In 1888 a posse led by Frank Phillips arrested nine Hatfields, including Wall Hatfield, Devil Anse’s brother and brought them back to Kentucky for trial

13. The Effects
They were to be tried for the murder of Alisair McCoy, one of the children who was murdered in the New Years Massacre
The U.S. Supreme Court got involved because of illegal extradition
The U.S.S.C ruled in favor of Kentucky, stating even though the men were arrested illegally, they could still stand trial

14. Aftermath
Wall Hatfield and all but one of the others sentenced to life
Ellison “Cottontop” Mounts, an illegitimate and developmentally challenged Hatfield was sentenced to hang
Thousands came to the hanging in Pikeville

15. Aftermath
June 14th, 2003 descendants of both families offered an official truce
More than sixty descendants signed the truce
June 14th declared Hatfield/McCoy reconciliation day in both Kentucky, and West Virginia
Many films, television shows, and books made about or mentioning the feud