Randolph "Randall" or "Ole Ran'l" McCoy (October 30, 1825 – March 28, 1914)
was the
patriarch
The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...
of the McCoy clan involved in the infamous American
Hatfield–McCoy feud
The Hatfield–McCoy feud, also described by journalists as the Hatfield–McCoy conflict, involved two rural American families of the West Virginia–Kentucky area along the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River in the years 1863–1891. The Hatfi ...
. He was born the fourth of thirteen children to Daniel McCoy (1790–1885) and Margaret Taylor McCoy (1800–1868) and lived mostly on the
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
side of
Tug Fork
The Tug Fork is a tributary of the Big Sandy River, long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 13, 2011 in southwestern West Virginia, southwestern Virginia, and eastern ...
, a tributary of the
Big Sandy River.
During the almost thirty-year feud with the Hatfield clan under their patriarch
Devil Anse Hatfield
William Anderson Hatfield (September 9, 1839 – January 6, 1921), better known as Devil Anse , was the patriarch of the Hatfield clan during the infamous Hatfield–McCoy feud which has since formed part of American folklore. Anse survived t ...
, Randolph would lose five of his children to the violence.
Marriage, family, and children
Randolph McCoy (1825–1914) married his first cousin, Sarah "Sally" McCoy (1829 – c. 1890), daughter of Samuel McCoy (1782–1855) and Elizabeth Davis, on December 9, 1849, in Pike County, Kentucky. They were of
Scottish descent and had 17 children together. Their children were:
* Josephine McCoy, daughter (1848–), (US 1870 Census lists Josephine alive at age 23);
* James "Jim" McCoy, son (1849–1929), died after the feud;
* Floyd McCoy, son (1853–1928), died after the feud;
* Tolbert McCoy, son (1854–1882), killed during the feud, executed by the Hatfields for murdering Ellison Hatfield, Sr;
* Lilburn McCoy, son (1855–1855), died at a young age;
* Samuel McCoy II, son (1856–1921), died after the feud;
* Alifair McCoy, daughter (1858–1888), killed during the feud, murdered by "Cotton Top" Ellison Hatfield, Jr, during an assault on the McCoy farm;
* Roseanna McCoy, daughter (1859–1888), died during the feud, illness;
* Calvin McCoy, son (1862–1888), killed during the feud, murdered by Johnson "Johnse" Hatfield during an assault on the McCoy farm;
* Pharmer McCoy, son (1863–1882), killed during the feud, executed by the Hatfields for murdering Ellison Hatfield, Sr;
* Randolph "Bud" McCoy, son (1864–1882), killed during the feud, executed by the Hatfields for murdering Ellison Hatfield, Sr;
* Kay McCoy, daughter (1865–?), died after the feud;
* William "Bill" McCoy, son (1868–?), died after the feud;
* Trinvilla "Trinnie" McCoy, daughter (1868–?), died after the feud;
* Adelaide McCoy, daughter (1870–?), died after the feud;
* Fannie McCoy, daughter (1873–1943), died after the feud;
* Mary Katherine McCoy, daughter (1875–?), died after the feud;
Their most prominent child was Roseanna McCoy, most known for her relationship with Johnse Hatfield, with whom she had a daughter, Sarah Elizabeth (named for her Grandmother and Great-Grandmother). Johnse Hatfield later married Nancy McCoy, a cousin of Roseanna.
Samuel McCoy (1782–1855) and Daniel McCoy (1790–1885) were sons of "Old" William McCoy (April 1751 – 1822) and according to 111 Y-DNA results, likely nephews of Richard McCoy (abt. 1752 – 1792) of New River area, Montgomery County, Virginia.
Samuel McCoy's sons included:
*John McCoy (b. abt. 1806), married Margaret "Peggy" Burress (b. abt. 1815);
*Asa Harmon McCoy (1809–1884), married Eleanor "Nellie" Burress (1808-abt. 1879), whose son Selkirk McCoy (1833–1908) married Louisa Maynard; and
*William McCoy (b. abt. 1811), married Mary A. Burress (b. abt. 1821), whose daughter Elizabeth McCoy (b. abt. 1838) married Ephram Hatfield.
As noted above, Samuel McCoy's daughter Sarah "Sally" McCoy (1829–1890) married Randolph McCoy (1825–1914), son of her uncle Daniel McCoy.
The 3 Burress women were daughters of Micajah Burress (1775–1850) and a Rachel McCoy, who married on 15 October 1795 in Montgomery County, Virginia. This Rachel was either the daughter of Richard McCoy (abt. 1752 – 1792) and Susanna Moore (1755–1830) of New River area, Montgomery County, Virginia, or she was another Rachel McCoy. Another daughter of Richard McCoy and Susanna Moore, Nancy McCoy (b. abt. 1782), married Thomas Jefferson McColley (1780–1842) in Montgomery County, Virginia on 7 June 1803. "Old" William McCoy's daughter Nancy has erroneously been linked as married to Thomas Jefferson McColley. It is believed William Harmon McCoy, son of Richard McCoy and brother of Nancy McCoy (m. Thomas Jefferson McColley) is the "William" that signed Nancy's marriage bond since her father Richard, predeceased her marriage to McColley. The fact that "Old" William's daughter Nancy McCoy (b. abt. 1784-d. bef. 1823) married Thomas McColley is disproven is documented in the 1842 Will of Thomas Jefferson McColley who lists his "living" wife Nancy. Nancy McCoy, daughter of "Old" William died in 1823.
Richard McCoy and Susanna Moore of New River area, Virginia, also had a son William Harmon McCoy (1780–1855). Richard's son William was the first of known record to have the name "Harmon" which subsequently was given to 2 of "Old" William's grandsons: Asa Harmon McCoy (1809–1884), son of Samuel McCoy and to Asa Harmon McCoy (1828–1865), son of Daniel – both Samuel and Daniel were sons of "Old" William McCoy.
Perry Cline and wife Elizabeth Riffe were parents of Sarah Ann Cline (1785–1865) born in Montgomery County, Virginia, and Jacob "Rich Jake" Cline (1790–1858), also born in Montgomery County, Virginia. Sarah Cline alleged that she had a child out of wedlock in 1803 with George H. McCoy (1784–1870), son of Richard McCoy and Susanna Moore of New River area Montgomery County, Virginia. George H. McCoy married Martha "Patsy" A. Kirk about 1805.
"Rich Jake" Cline and Nancy Fuller were parents of:
*Perry A. Cline (1849–1891), who married Martha Adkins; and
*Martha "Patty" Cline (1828–1907), who married Asa Harmon McCoy, son of Daniel McCoy.
Feud
![Matewan West Virginia floodwall](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Matewan_West_Virginia_floodwall.jpg)
During the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, the feud leaders from both families were staunchly pro-Confederate, and Randolph himself served in the
45th Virginia Infantry Battalion Confederate Army during the opening years of the war and was a POW from 1863 to 1865.
He later returned to Kentucky. However, Randolph's younger brother, Asa Harmon McCoy, enlisted in the Union Army as "Asa H McCay" in Co E of the 45th Kentucky Infantry USA.
He was discharged from the Union Army on December 24, 1864, after suffering a broken leg, and returned home. Soon after his return, Jim Vance, uncle of Devil Anse Hatfield, and a member of the "Logan Wildcats" militia put Asa Harmon on notice that they (the Wildcats) would soon be paying him, "a visit." Asa Harmon McCoy tried to escape by hiding out in a local cave, but was tracked to his hideout and killed. No charges were ever filed but it was widely known that Vance and members of Hatfield's Wildcats were directly responsible for his death.
In the late 1870s, Devil Anse Hatfield was involved in a land dispute with Randolph McCoy's cousin, Perry Cline, over a 5,000-acre tract of land that both held title to. Hatfield eventually brought a civil suit against Cline. Hatfield won in what was seen by the McCoys as a Hatfield-friendly court.
In the fall of 1878, Randolph "Randall" McCoy brought charges against Floyd Hatfield for stealing one of his hogs. This allegation was a very serious offense at the time, as hogs were extremely valuable to the farming economy. Due to the statements made by Bill Staton, who was related to both families, the case was decided in favor of the Hatfields. The ruling further inflamed the feud, as Randolph McCoy viewed the outcome as unfair. Later, brothers Sam and Paris McCoy were accused, tried, and acquitted of the death of Staton when the judge ruled Staton's death an act of self-defense by the McCoy brothers.
Randall's daughter Roseanna McCoy romanced "Johnse" Hatfield and later became pregnant with Johnse's child. Upon learning of the affair, Randolph became extremely upset and disowned her. Roseanna, unwanted by both families, moved in with her uncle Uriah and "Aunt Betty" Elizabeth (Rutherford) McCoy. Johnse later married Roseanna's cousin, Nancy McCoy. Roseanna's baby died before her first birthday and the abandoned Roseanna died at the age of 29.
The peak of the feuding occurred when three of Randolph's sons (Roseanna's brothers) killed Ellison Hatfield, brother of Devil Anse, on election day in 1882. Devil Anse retaliated for the killing of his brother by executing, without trial, Tolbert (b. 1854), Pharmer (b. 1863) and Randolph Jr. (b. 1864), three sons of Randolph McCoy near present-day
Matewan, West Virginia
Matewan () is a town in Mingo County, West Virginia, United States at the confluence of the Tug Fork River and Mate Creek. The population was 499 at the 2010 census. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Pocahontas District passes through the town. It ...
.
On January 1, 1888, "Cap" Hatfield and Jim Vance led several members of the Hatfield family to attack the McCoy cabin. Randolph's house was burned to the ground and numerous family members were slain by the Hatfields, including two of Randolph's children. His son Calvin was killed in the shootout as was his daughter, Alifair, who was shot to death as she tried to flee the burning house. Randolph's wife Sally was badly injured when she attempted to comfort Alifair, suffering several
broken ribs and
skull fractures. She survived the beating but was disabled for the rest of her life. With his house burning, Randolph and his remaining family members were able to escape to the woods; unfortunately, his children, unprepared for the elements, suffered
frostbite
Frostbite is a skin injury that occurs when exposed to extreme low temperatures, causing the freezing of the skin or other tissues, commonly affecting the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin areas. Most often, frostbite occurs in the han ...
. He moved his family to
Pikeville, Kentucky, where he lived out the remainder of his life in bitterness and grieving. He operated a
ferry
A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...
in Pikeville for some time, and the home he lived in still stands at the intersection of Main Street and Scott Avenue. By the end of the feud, he had lost seven of his children and his wife.
Shortly after the New Year's massacre, Kentucky deputy Frank Phillips and a posse of McCoys chased down Jim Vance and Cap Hatfield, killing Vance. Phillips' posse rounded up nine Hatfield family members and supporters and hauled them off to jail.
Death
Randolph McCoy died at the age of 88 after he was severely burned from a cooking fire. He is buried in the Dils Cemetery in Pikeville, next to his wife who died in the 1890s.
Conclusion
![Bigsandyrivermap](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Bigsandyrivermap.png)
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 Year's Massacre.
The feuding and warfare brought in political leaders of Kentucky and West Virginia. The governor of West Virginia,
E. Willis Wilson, accused Kentucky of violating the extradition process and appealed the matter to the
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
. Kentucky Governor
Simon Bolivar Buckner
Simon Bolivar Buckner ( ; April 1, 1823 – January 8, 1914) was an American soldier, Confederate combatant, and politician. He fought in the United States Army in the Mexican–American War. He later fought in the Confederate States Army ...
sent his
Adjutant General
An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer.
France
In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...
to Pike County to investigate the situation. In May 1889, the Supreme Court decided against West Virginia ''(Mahon v. Justice)''; the nine Hatfields would be tried in Pikeville. Private detectives hunted down many Hatfields, though Devil Anse was never tried nor jailed. In 1890, Ellison Mounts was executed in Kentucky for his part in the McCoy killings. He was one of the men captured along with Mahon. The feud started to wind down with Mounts' execution.
On June 14, 2003, the McCoy cousins partnered with Reo Hatfield of
Waynesboro, Virginia
Waynesboro (formerly Flack) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is a principal city of the Staunton-Waynesboro Metropolitan Statistical Area. Waynesboro is located in the Shenandoah Valley and is surrounded by Augusta Cou ...
, to author an official
truce
A ceasefire (also known as a truce or armistice), also spelled cease fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be between state act ...
between the families. The idea was symbolic: to show that Americans could bury their differences and unite in times of crisis.
References
External links
*The Story of the McCoys: The Facts, The Feud, The Fury! By Barry McCoy Author/Hatfield McCoy Feud Historian.
*
Civil War Album, The Hatfield-McCoy Feud Pike County, KentuckyHatfield - McCoy Feud Driving Tour informationListen online – The Story of the Hatfields and McCoys – The American Storyteller Radio JournalWest Virginia Division of Culture and History
from ''Blue Ridge Country'', March/April 1996.
Report from the Adjutant General of Kentucky, 1888 to the Kentucky Senate
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCoy, Randolph
People from Pike County, Kentucky
People of the American Civil War
Confederate States Army soldiers
People of Kentucky in the American Civil War
American Civil War prisoners of war
Confederate States Army personnel
American people of Scottish descent
American bootleggers
Bushwhackers
Accidental deaths in Kentucky
Deaths from fire in the United States
Burials in Kentucky
1825 births
1914 deaths