Tags
Appalachia, Blackberry Creek, Bud McCoy, county clerk, Doc Mayhorn, Elias Hatfield, Elijah Mounts, feuds, G.W. Pinson, Hatfield-McCoy Feud, history, Joe Davis, Kentucky, Pharmer McCoy, Pike County, Plyant Mahorn, Tolbert McCoy, Tug Fork, Wall Hatfield, West Virginia
The killing of Tolbert, Pharmer, and Bud McCoy by a Hatfield-led gang on August 8, 1882 represented one of the most sensational events of the Hatfield-McCoy Feud. What follows is Joe Davis’ deposition regarding the affair:
COMMONWEALTH VS DOC MAYHORN &C
Bill of Exceptions
FILED Sept. 1889
G.W. Pinson, Clk
The Commonwealth then introduced as a witness Jo Davis who Proves that he lives at the mouth of Blackberry Creek in Pike County Ky and was at home on the 9th day of August 1882. the mouth of Blackberry is about one mile above the mouth of Sulphur. knows Deft Plyant Mayhorn. saw him on Aug 9 1882 with with (sic) Wall and Elias Hatfield and Lige Mounts. Wall ask me if the little McCoy boy cut his brother. I told him he did and Wall said that was all right. it was all he wanted to know or something to that effect. They all turned and went back down the river. from the mouth Sulphur to mouth Mate Creek it is something over ½ mile. As soon as Wall and the others left him he turned and got in his skiff and sailed(?) across the river and went up first Bank(?) 8 or 10 steps and stopped and talked with Fanan(?) for about 3 or 4 minutes. walked on 10 or 12 steps to a fence. throwed his leg across it and heard guns or Pistols firing down the river. There is 3 fords in the river between Blackberry & Sulphur. Wall spoke to him in an ordinary tone of voice. Wall, Elias, Elijah Mounts and deft. Plyant Mayhorn wen(t) just opposite my house where Wall asked me about the little boy stabbing his brother. It was nearing dusk.
Written on left margin: In giving the distance from my house [corner torn] I have reference to the distance on the Ky shore [page torn]. It is nearer on the WVa side. I rowed the skiff ____ up the river about 25(0?) yds. Tug River is the boundary line between Ky & WVa and the river was low. I went down in the morning and saw the boys dead and the little one that Wall inquired about had the top of his head shot off.
For more information about this incident, follow these links:
http://explorekyhistory.ky.gov/items/show/785?tour=55&index=3
http://wvpublic.org/post/three-mccoys-killed-hatfields-kentucky-august-8-1882#stream/0
Brandon Ray Kirk 