01 Sunday May 2022
Posted in Big Harts Creek
Tags
Appalachia, Big Harts Creek, genealogy, history, James Butcher, James Lawson, Josephus Workman, Logan County, Shannon Butcher, Smokehouse Fork, surveyor, Virginia, West Virginia, William A. Dingess
28 Thursday Apr 2022
Tags
A.A. Hamilton, A.A. Vance, A.J. Browning, Albert Gore, Allen Mounts, Anthony Adams, Appalachia, B.J. Hiner, Bert Bush, Bettie Stollings, Burl Adams, C.P. Donovan, Charley Stollings, Clay Workman, David C. Dingess, David Dingess, Don Chafin, Ed Chapman, Ed Eggers, Elias Thompson, Elizabeth Ellis, Everett Dingess, F.A. Sharp, Frank Hurst, G.W. Lax, Garland Adams, genealogy, George E. Thompson, George Justice, George Robinette, Georgia Dingess, Guy F. Gore, H.H. Farley, Harry S. Gay, history, J.E. Barlow, J.E. McCoy, J.O. Hill, J.S. Miller, J.W. Chambers, James Ellis, Joe Adams, Joe Blair, Joe Hall, Joe Scaggs, John Barker, John Chafin, John F. Dingess, John Harrison, John L. Butcher, Joseph A. Ellis, K.F. Mounts, Katie Mounts, L.E. Steele, L.G. Burns, L.H. Thompson, Lewis Butcher, Lewis Chafin, Logan County, Martha J. Stowe, Mat Jackson, Matilda Stollings, Millard Elkins, Milton Stowers, Monroe Bush, Moses Williamson, Nim Conley, Noah Steele, O.M. Conley, Paul Hardy, R.H. Ellis, R.J. Conley, Riley Damron, Robert Bland, sheriff, Sidney B. Lawson, Sol Adams, T.B. Stowe, Tennis Hatfield, Tom Butcher, U.B. Buskirk, Van Mullins, Vincent Dingess, W.E. White, W.F. Farley, W.I. Campbell, W.W. Conley, West Virginia, William Gore, William Hatfield, Willis Gore
The following list of Don Chafin’s deputies prior to the Battle of Blair Mountain is based on Record of Bonds C in the Logan County Clerk’s Office in Logan, WV:
Don Chafin was elected sheriff on November 5, 1912 and appeared on December 28, 1912 with his bondsman U.B. Buskirk for $40,000 (p. 215)
Name, Date of Appointment, Surety, Surety Amount, Page
Garland A. Adams…28 January 1913…J.W. Chambers…$5000…236
Joe Adams…14 October 1913…G.F. Gore, A. Dingess, David C. Dingess, Anthony Adams, Sol Adams, Sr., and Sol Adams, Jr….$5000…297
John Barker…5 February 1913…F.P. Hurst…$5000…241
J.E. Barlow…26 April 1913…S.B. Lawson…$5000…268
Joe Blair…28 December 1912…J.W. Chambers and Allen Mounts…$5000…224
Bert Bush…6 January 1913…Monroe Bush…$5000…230
John L. Butcher…28 December 1912…Lewis Butcher, J.W. Chambers, Albert Gore…$5000…221
J.A. Chafin…20 June 1913…J.W. Chambers and A.A. Vance…$5000…275
John Chafins…31 January 1913…H.H. Farley and A.J. Browning…$5000…240
Nim Conley…18 July 1913…Ed Chapman and W.W. Conley…$5000…281
R.J. Conley…25 March 1913…Albert Gore…$5000…252
Riley Damron…5 July 1913…Millard Elkins and J.E. McCoy…$5000…278
David Dingess…3 April 1913…J.W. Chambers and George Justice…$5000…254
Everett Dingess…10 November 1913…John F. Dingess and Burl Adams…$5000…304
Vincent Dingess…7 July 1913…Georgia Dingess, William Gore, and Albert Gore…$5000…279
Ed Eggers…21 April 1913…Paul Hardy…$5000…264
Joseph A. Ellis…30 January 1913…O.M. Conley…$5000…239
R.H. Ellis…undated…Elizabeth Ellis…$5000…233
H.H. Farley…29 January 1913…L.E. Steele…$5000…237
W.F. Farley…28 December 1912…Robert Bland…$5000…223
Harry S. Gay, Jr….15 October 1913…S.B. Lawson…$5000…299
Albert Gore…28 December 1912…J.W. Chambers, G.F. Gore, Millard Elkins…$5000…222
Guy F. Gore…31 July 1913…Albert Gore and William Gore…$5000…286
Joe Hall…23 April 1913…C.P. Donovan, Paul Hardy…$5000…267
A.A. Hamilton…14 June 1913…A.A. Hamilton…$5000…273
Paul Hardy…20 February 1913…W.F. Farley…$5000…244
John Harrison…19 April 1913…J.S. Miller, M. Elkins, W.E. White, and James Ellis…$5000…262
Tennis Hatfield…14 June 1915…James Ellis and Lewis Chafin…$5000…396
William Hatfield…28 December 1912…J.S. Miller and George Justice…$5000…229
J.O. Hill…17 April 1913…Katie Mounts…$5000…261
B.J. Hiner…23 April 1913…C.P. Donovan and Paul Hardy…$5000…266
Mat Jackson…13 October 1913…Albert Gore, Van Mullins, G.F. Gore, and David C. Dingess…$5000…296
S.B. Lawson…12 April 1913…J.W. Chambers…$5000…256
G.W. Lax…21 April 1913…Paul Hardy…$5000…263
Allen Mounts…226
Cecil Mounts…11 June 1913…Allen Mounts…$5000…272
K.F. Mounts…28 December 1912…Allen Mounts…$5000…225
George Robinett…17 July 1913…George Justice…$5000…284
Joe Scaggs…231
F.A. Sharp…28 December 1912…W.F. Farley and L.G. Burns…$5000…217
L.E. Steele…29 January 1913…H.H. Farley…$5000…238
Noah Steele…6 September 1913…L.E. Steele, Jr….$5000…290
Charley Stollings…21 July 1913…Matilda Stollings, Tom Butcher, Bettie Stollings, W.I. Campbell, and Milton Stowers…$5000…283
T.B. Stowe…13 January 1913…Martha J. Stowe…$5000…234
Elias Thompson…16 April 1913…W.I. Campbell and K.F. Mounts…$5000…258
George E. Thompson…17 April 1913…A.F. Gore and Willis Gore…$5000…260
Moses Williamson…29 April 1913…L.H. Thompson…$5000…270
Clay Workman…28 December 1912…S.B. Lawson…$5000…228
This list will be updated soon to include more names.
28 Thursday Apr 2022
Posted in Hatfield-McCoy Feud, Pikeville
Tags
Appalachia, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, J. Lee Ferguson, Kentucky, Pike County, prosecuting attorney
22 Friday Apr 2022
Posted in Hatfield-McCoy Feud
Tags
America Goff, Appalachia, California, Collins Cemetery, Frozen Creek, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, Kansas, Kentucky, Leonard Roberts, Missouri, Orville McCoy, Pikeville College, Raccoon Creek, Rebecca Bailey, Sam McCoy, St. Louis
On July 24, 1990, scholar Rebecca Bailey interviewed Orville McCoy (b.1922) of Raccoon Creek, Kentucky. What follows here is an excerpt of Mr. McCoy’s memories of his grandfather “Squirrel Huntin'” Sam McCoy and his book.
RB: Okay. What kind of stories did you hear about the feud when you were growing up?
OM: Well, about such materials you’ll find in my book. I recorded just about everything I knew about it.
RB: Do you know how your grandfather came to write his manuscript?
OM: Yes, he wrote in the year, I believe it was, 1931 while he was in St. Louis, Missouri. We all also got that information recorded in the book.
RB: How come him to be in St. Louis? Do you know?
OM: Well, he went west in the year about nineteen and ten and I think he first went to California and then back to Kansas and…and then to St. Louis.
RB: Did he take his wife and children with him?
OM: Yes. He took his whole family except my dad. He was the only one stayed here at Racoon.
RB: Was he the oldest? Is that why he stayed?
OM: No, he wasn’t the oldest. Yeah. I guess he was the oldest. He was the only child by him and his first wife, America Goff.
RB: Did she die or did they divorce?
OM: Well, yeah. She died young.
RB: How old was your father when his father left to go out west?
OM: That would be pretty hard for me to figure, I don’t bet. You could go to my book and deduct and subtract a little there and come up with an answer.
RB: He was probably a young man, though, because he had twelve children by the time you were born so he was probably a young man and married.
OM: Yeah. I’d say he should have been around thirty, something like that.
RB: Did your father remember any of the events of the feud or hear about them?
OM: No, he couldn’t remember any of the incidents, I don’t think except what was told to him.
RB: Alright. Do you have much contact with any of your McCoy cousins?
OM: Oh, yeah. I correspond with them. I got some in Kansas. Joshua Tree, California, and Tacoma, Washington, Remington, Washington, Pennsylvania.
RB: We were talking off tape. You said that a lot of McCoys didn’t stay in this area.
OM: No, they was quite a few of them went out west.
RB: Did they go looking for work or…?
OM: I guess they was seeking adventure.
RB: How did you come to have the manuscript that “Squirrel Huntin'” Sam wrote?
OM: Well, I obtained it from Sam when he was out here to pay us a visit in 1937.
RB: What kind of person was he?
OM: Oh, he was quite a tall man. About six foot or better.
RB: What do you remember about him?
OM: Well, when he visited us, he came out here to visit us about three times in the thirties. First come in ’36. ’38. Maybe ’39. He died in ’40. They shipped him back here.
RB: Do you know where he’s buried?
OM: Yeah.
RB: Where’s he buried?
OM: He’s buried in Collins Cemetery in the head of Frozen Creek.
RB: Okay. Were you always interested as a child in in your family history?
OM: Well, not in the early years. I always held on to that book though and preserved it. I guess I was around fifty-eight years when I let them publish it.
RB: Would you tell me on tape again who published it for you?
OM: Dr. Leonard Roberts of Pikeville College.
RB: Why was he interested in it? Do you know?
OM: Dr. Roberts?
RB: Un-huh.
OM: Well, he was working for the college and that’s how he… Well, it benefited the college, you know, doing Appalachian study centers, they called it. He published books and so on for them.
21 Thursday Apr 2022
Tags
Appalachia, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, justice of the peace, Kentucky, Logan County, Pike County, Sam McCoy, Tolbert Hatfield, Wall Hatfield, West Virginia
Posted by Brandon Ray Kirk | Filed under Hatfield-McCoy Feud
20 Wednesday Apr 2022
Posted in Logan
Tags
Appalachia, banks, First National Bank, George T. Swain, History of the City of Logan, Logan, West Virginia
20 Wednesday Apr 2022
Tags
37th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Appalachia, civil war, Confederate Army, Edward Siber, history, Isaac Morgan, James R. Perry, John DeJarnett, L.D. Chambers, Logan, Logan County, Thomas Buchanan, Union Army, West Virginia
From Law Orders Book A 1873-1878 in the Logan County (West Virginia) Circuit Clerk’s office comes this entry regarding the destruction of the Logan County Courthouse in 1862:
On the 14th day of June 1878, came the following persons viz: John Dejarnett, Thomas Buchanan (except as to Investigation of the Regiment), Dr. Hinchman, who being duly sworn in open Court depose and say: That they know the fact that the Court House of Logan County West Virginia after being temporarily occupied by the 34th Ohio Regt of Federal troops commanded by Col. Seiber, was set fire to and burned up, in the month of Nov. 1862. The said Court House had not been occupied at any time by the Confederate troops, but was used alone for the administration of Justice and for the custody and preservation of the Records of the Several Courts of the said County of Logan. The building was Constructed of bricks and wood, and was a substantial, durable and convenient Exterior, and was worth at the least at the time of its destruction not less than four thousand dollars and belonged exclusively to the said County of Logan, which County has ever since been within the jurisdiction of West Virginia. The destruction of said building was a wanton and inexcusable act of the said Regt. and in no manner contributed to the prosecution of the war in behalf of the Federal Government.
At a County Court continued and held for the County of Logan State of West Virginia on the 14th day of June 1878. Present Isaac Morgan, President, and James R. Perry and L.D. Chambers, Justices, the Court with the view of obtaining Compensation for the destruction of said Court House from the Government of the United States, caused the gentlemen above named to be examined on Oath in open Court, and ordered the substance of the facts above stated by them to be spread upon the Records of this Court, and the Court further caused to be certified that the above named citizens of said County of Logan and that their Statements are entitled to full faith and credit and further that they are in no wise interested in this application except in common with other citizens of the County and Tax payers thereof.
Source: Law Orders Book A 1873-1878, p. 713-714. Note: The entry contains a few errors, such as the date of the courthouse’s destruction, the spelling of Col. Edward Siber’s name, and the correct name of the unit (37th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment).
17 Thursday Feb 2022
Tags
23 Tuesday Nov 2021
Posted in Big Sandy Valley, Hatfield-McCoy Feud
Tags
Appalachia, Bob Hatfield, Cap Hatfield, Charles Gillespie, Christmas, Court of Appeals, crime, Daniel Whitt, Devil Anse Hatfield, Elias Hatfield, Elliot Hatfield, feuds, Frankfort, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, Henry Mitchell, history, Jim McCoy, Jim Vance, Johnse Hatfield, Kentucky, Pike County, Pocahontas, Randolph McCoy, Tom Chambers, Tom Mitchell, true crime
Daniel Whitt’s testimony in the Johnse Hatfield murder trial provides one version of the Hatfield raid upon Randolph McCoy’s home on January 1, 1888:
Q. “Do you know Randolph McCoy?”
A. “Yes sir.”
Q. “Do you know Cap Hatfield?”
A. “Yes sir.”
Q. “Do you know Robert Hatfield, Ellison Mounts, Elliot Hatfield, Charles Gillespie, Thomas Mitchell, and Anderson Hatfield?”
A. “Yes sir.”
Q. “Do you remember of the old man McCoy’s house being burned?”
A. “Yes sir, I heard of it.”
Q. “Where were you a short time before that occurred?”
A. “Three days before Christmas I was in the neighborhood of the Hatfield’s.”
Q. “Who was with you?”
A. “Ance Hatfield, Jim Vance, Johnson Hatfield, Cap Hatfield, Charles Gillespie, and Tom Mitchell, I believe about all of the bunch.”
Q. “What were you doing together and how long had you been together?”
A. “About three days and nights.”
Q. “Were all of you armed?”
A. “Yes sir.”
Q. “What were you doing armed and together?”
A. “Just traveling in the woods most of the time.”
Q. “What did you sleep on?”
A. “We carried our quilts with us.”
Q. “Who was your captain?”
A. “Jim Vance.”
Q. “What was the purpose of your getting together?”
A. “They claimed the purpose was to get out of the way of the Kentucky authorities.”
Q. “What else did they claim?”
A. “When I left them we came to Henry Mitchell’s to get dinner. They wouldn’t let me hear what they had to talk about. Cap asked me if I was going to Kentucky with them. Said they were going to Kentucky to kill Randolph and Jim McCoy and settle the racket. He asked me if I was going with them and I said that I was not. He said that I would go or I would go to hell. I said that I would go to hell. Elias came and took me off. We slept in a shuck pen. When he got to sleep I ran away and went to Pocahontas and was there when this occurred.”
Q. “Was Johnson present when Cap was talking?”
A. “He was in the yard close enough to hear, and he came up to me when Cap was talking and took Cap out and had a talk with him.”
Source: Bill of exceptions at the office of the Clerk of the Court of Appeals in Kentucky, Frankfort, KY.
23 Tuesday Nov 2021
Tags
Appalachia, architecture, history, Joe Rimkus, Logan, Logan County, radio station, West Virginia, WVOW
Posted by Brandon Ray Kirk | Filed under Logan
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