William Anderson Hatfield. Johnson Hatfield's Grandfather was W.A.( Anse's) G Grandfather. They were only 2 years apart in age. I have the information on Johnson and his brothers. What I an looking for is service information on other Hatfield's related to Johnson (by Blood) and information on the Phillips. Johnson tried to distance himself and his family from the feud as did many. The McCoy and Hatfield families along with the Justices and others were all related as some of the first families to settle Va. some as far back as the 1700's. Joseph Hatfield 1739-1832 served in the Revolutionary War, Valentine Hatfield ( Johnson's Uncle and W.A's Grandfather) served in the war of 1812. Any information about the companies they served with will be appreciated ----- Original Message ----- From: "josie bass" <[email protected]> To: "Jan Hill" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2003 4:34 PM Subject: Re: [KYWBTSVETS] HATFIELD > hi, are they kin to the followig, josie > > The 'Devil' made him do it By Neale R. Clark/REGISTER-HERALD REPORTER > > Actor Steve Bush portrays "Devil Anse" Hatfield in Theatre West Virginia's > "Hatfields and McCoys." (Lew Whitener/The Register-Herald) > > Capt. William Anderson Hatfield (CSA, retired) is surprisingly soft-spoken > - "gentle-spoken," you might say - and not the giant of the mountains > legend has led him to grow to in the imagination; in fact, he's not quite 5-10. > > Randle McCoy referred to him as "6 feet of devil and 180 pounds of hell," > which seems appropriate given Hatfield's nickname of "Devil Anse." > > But Hatfield said the name wasn't given him because he is evil. > > "I reckon it's because of Devil's Backbone, Ky., the mountain where I held > off some Union troops that were coming in," he said, explaining he led his > Confederate squad in a diversionary tactic that allowed the South to move > troops from Tennessee to Virginia. > > It was during the Civil War, he reflected, that an incident occurred that > was in part related to the famous feud for which the names Hatfield and > McCoy continue to hold fascination. > > During a skirmish at Cripple Creek, Ky., Hatfield wounded Harmon McCoy, who > was Randle's brother. > > "But I was accused of murdering him after the war as a means of > retaliation. I didn't do it," Hatfield said softly. > > There also was the matter of a razor-back hog, ownership of which was > claimed by Randle McCoy, but Hatfield said it belonged to his cousin, Floyd. > > Two of the McCoy boys - Sam and Parris - shot and killed Hatfield friend > Bill Staton after a trial over the hog, at which time Devil Anse's brother > Ellison - a justice of the peace - sought out warrants in Pike County, Ky., > but they didn't hold up. > > Then, on Aug. 7, 1883, an election day, the bad blood that had been brewing > between the two families boiled over in an incident at Blackberry Creek. > > "Like it goes at election time, a lot of folk will have a few things to > drink," Anse reflected. "It's the time of year when we can get out and > talk, find out what's going on, because folks live a good distance apart." > > Tolbert McCoy, who evidently had been drinking, along with his brothers > Phamer and Randle McCoy Jr., age 15, "decided they was going to cut my > brother and cut him 26 times and then shot him once," Anse said quietly. > "Phamer McCoy was the one they accused of shooting him at the election site." > > The boys were caught by a constable who wanted to take them to Pike County. > > "But we said no. The crime wasn't committed in Kentucky. We wanted justice > in West Virginia." > > Thus the Hatfields took control of the boys and took them to a school house > on Mate Creek, just above Matewan. > > Ellison Hatfield lingered near death, and Sarah McCoy came to the > schoolhouse to plead for her sons, but to no avail. > > On Aug. 9, around 10:30 p.m., word came that Ellison had died, so the three > McCoys were led outside the school house. > > "They were tied to a paw paw tree, really in a sort of sinkhole area where > it laid down low," Anse said grimly. > > It becomes apparent that he is haunted by the memory of Randle Jr., just a > boy, and tells how he asked witnesses three times if the teen had been > involved in Ellison's stabbing. > > "Now, the boy did cry, and I asked if he stabbed him (Ellison), too, that > maybe he'd just been caught up in it, maybe he'd just been drinking ... but > there were witnesses who said he did (stab Ellison). ... You're still > responsible for what you do." > > Although Randle Jr. wept, Tolbert remained defiant to the end. > > "I told them, boys, if you've got a peace to make with your maker, you > better make it. And he (Tolbert) spit at me." > > The shooting began by 10 Hatfields and the results were incredibly grisly. > > "They were pretty much shot to pieces and the pieces were shot to pieces," > Anse recalled. "It's true they were all buried in one casket because that's > all that was left of the three." > > For years to come, there would be sporadic shootings, including a New > Year's Day 1888 confrontation at the McCoy homestead which left two people > dead and Randle McCoy's wife nearly dead, followed by a McCoy reprisal that > killed one Hatfield. > > The McCoys would offer $100 bounty for any Hatfield, dead or alive; the > bounty would rise to $1,000. > > In all, nine Hatfields and five McCoys would die. > > At the time, it was simple mountain justice based on the Old Testament law > of retaliation, an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, life for life. > > But Anse was "saved" when a fellow 45th Virginia veteran "turned me around, > got me to realize just who is this Lord." > > Now, he looks at the feud differently. > > "I'm sorry about all the killing, all the killing on both sides," Anse > said. "But I still say this, we never started it." > > When his sons Troy and Elias were shot in the back in a Boomer pool room - > officially the last deaths of the feud - Anse was contacted by a Boomer > pastor who told him he was glad to hear of Anse's conversion and so sorry > for the loss of his sons. > > "That was probably one of the lowest spots in my life," he said. "And I > began to realize that there has to be some sense of mercy somewhere." > E-mail: [email protected] > > ""Hatfields" wouldn't be complete without Devil Anse Hatfield, played by > Oak Hill actor Steve Bush. Bush has not only portrayed the Hatfield > patriarch since the 1980s - taking a couple years off when his daughter, > Stephanie, 13, and son David, 11, were born - but he's also studied the > historic Anse Hatfield, he said, speaking with several relatives of the man > whose life he portrays each year. > > "... being a reactionary, he didn't want to be known as a feuder," Bush > said. "But he felt like his hand had been called after his brother was > killed so brutally. > > "The Riverside Restaurant in Alderson was built by Devil Anse for his > granddaughter," the actor added. "There's quite a history throughout the > whole area." > http://www.register-herald.com/articles/2003/06/07/news/theatrewest8.txt > > "For veteran actor Steve Bush, reliance on the script was simply not > enough, so he has researched Anse and the feud pretty thoroughly. As a > result, he easily handles questions in character - a character disarmingly > different from what one might expect of a man of such legendary prominence. > > "Legend made him so much more than he was," Bush said. > > Bush joined the TWV outdoor dramas in 1980, moving into the role of Devil > Anse in 1984 and playing him continuously through 1988." Bush is employed > as a broadcasting engineer for WOAY-TV in Oak Hill. > http://www.register-herald.com/articles/2003/06/15/news/role16.txt > > > > > At 02:17 AM 7/1/2003 -0400, you wrote: > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: Jan Hill > >To: [email protected] > >Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 10:49 PM > > > > > >I am interested in any WTBS information about decedents of Joseph > >Hatfield 1739 - 1832 and Elizabeth Smith or Rachael Smith.Or The decedents > >of Jacob Phillips ( Son of Henry Phillips) 1803-1881 and Elizabeth Keesee > >1807-1882 > >My G.Grandfather was Johnson Hatfield ,1837-1926 he and his brothers > >George & Jeremiah were in the 39th Ky Co.E. US. George and Jeremiah both > >died at Peach Orchard, Ky in April and May 1863.It is possible two other > >brothers also enlisted with them. I have been told some of the family > >enlisted CSA. > > > >Janice H Hill > > > > > >==== KYWBTSVETS Mailing List ==== > >MESSAGE HINT: Take a moment to > >DELETE un-necessary information > >before replying to any message. > > >