The Tutt–Everett War, also called the Marion County War, or the Tutt, King, Everett War, was a politically motivated
feud that took place in
Marion County,
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
between 1844 and 1850 during the politically charged era preceding 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 ...
.
Background
The feud involved the Tutt family, supporters of the
Whig Party, and the Everett family, adherents of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
. The Everetts had moved to
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
from
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 ...
, with John "Sim", Jesse and Bart Everett becoming some of the most influential men in the area. The Tutt family, from
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, was led by Hansford "Hamp" Tutt. They were influential in
Searcy County, Arkansas
Searcy County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,195. The county seat is Marshall. The county was formed December 13, 1838, from a portion of Marion County and named for Richard ...
, and were bitterly opposed to dividing Marion and Searcy counties. A third family, the Kings, also became involved, supporting the Tutts as Whig Party backers.
Violence first occurred during a political debate in
Yellville, Arkansas
Yellville is a city and county seat in Marion County, Arkansas, United States. Yellville is located in the Ozark Mountains along the banks of Crooked Creek, and neighbors the small town of Summit to the north. The population was 1,178 at the ...
, which degenerated into an all out brawl. The fighting peaked when Tutt supporter Alfred Burnes struck John Everett on the head with the blade of a
hoe. Many fled, thinking Everett had been killed. However, he survived, despite receiving a severe gash in his head. Over the following four years, heated arguments between the factions would often lead to fist fights and brawls.
Violence increases, 1848–50
On October 9, 1848, the first gunfight took place. It happened in downtown Yellville and left John Everett dead. Two days later, the Everetts retaliated, shooting dead "Old" William King and his son Lumis. Billy King (William's son) and a friend called "Cherokee Bob", escaped with non-fatal wounds. Thereafter the rival factions engaged in gunfights almost every month, sometimes resulting in injuries but with no recorded deaths. That year, Ewell Everett was elected
judge, and Tutt supporter George Adams became
constable, which heightened tensions. Jesse Everett and Everett supporter Jacob Stratton and moved to
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
by the end of the year.
On July 4, 1849, Marion County
Sheriff Jesse Mooney, who had a gained a tough reputation by killing or capturing several local
outlaws, organized a
posse
Posse is a shortened form of posse comitatus, a group of people summoned to assist law enforcement. The term is also used colloquially to mean a group of friends or associates.
Posse may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Posse'' (1975 ...
to stop the feud. The same day, the biggest gunfight of the feud took place. The Everetts had gathered in Yellville in a building across the street from the
saloon where the Tutt faction was known to be meeting.
Sheriff Mooney interceded and attempted to prevent violence. However, both sides ignored him and a gunfight broke out, with Sheriff Mooney and his posse caught in middle. The gunfight continued for hours. When their ammunition was finally exhausted, the Tutt and Everett men rushed into the street and continued the fight hand to hand with knives and clubs.
When it was over, Jack King, Bart Everett, Davis Tutt, Ben Tutt, and Lunsford Tutt all lay dead. John "Uncle Jacky" Hurst had been shot in the leg while jumping in front of Sheriff Mooney when Tutt supporter S.W. Ferrall fired at him. Others had been wounded. Dave Sinclair, the man suspected of killing John Everett, fled from Yellville. The Everett faction members trailed him and killed him the next day.
Jesse Everett, learning of his brother Bart's death, returned to Arkansas for revenge. Sheriff Mooney sent his son to
Little Rock
( The "Little Rock")
, government_type = Council-manager
, leader_title = Mayor
, leader_name = Frank Scott Jr.
, leader_party = D
, leader_title2 = Council
, leader_name2 ...
with an appeal for help from
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Thomas Drew. Thomas Mooney saw the governor, but he disappeared on his return trip home. Although his horse was found, his body was never recovered, nor were killers ever identified.
Governor Drew ordered the
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
to organize in neighboring
Carroll County, Arkansas
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,260. The county has two county seats, Berryville and Eureka Springs. Carroll County is Arkansas's 26th county, formed on November ...
. The militiamen relieved Sheriff Mooney and took control of Yellville. Mooney has often been criticized for not stopping the violence, but there is little he could have done by himself. It was even hard to find deputies, since so many men in the county were aligned with one or the other of the factions.
The Carroll County militia arrested several members of the Everett faction, but when the militiamen went home six weeks later, the Everetts broke into the jail and freed their friends.
Hansford "Hamp" Tutt was shot and murdered along the banks of Crooked Creek by a mysterious stranger named the "Dutchman" from Texas who was hired by Everett. Afterwards, "The Dutchman" was never seen or heard from again. Everett and another follower fled to Shreveport, La. Everett died soon after in a cholera epidemic. With Tutt and Everett now dead, the feud effectively ended.
Except for the
Flynn–Doran Feud of the 1880s, in
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is a resort city in the state of Arkansas and the county seat of Garland County. The city is located in the Ouachita Mountains among the U.S. Interior Highlands, and is set among several natural hot springs for which the city is n ...
, which preceded the
Hot Springs Gunfight of 1899, this is the best known feud in Arkansas. Davis Tutt, who was a child at the time and whose father played a major part in the feud, moved west following his service in the
Confederate Army. He was killed by
Wild Bill Hickok
James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, scout, lawman, gambler, showman, and actor, and for his involvement ...
on
July 21, 1865 in one of the more famous
Old West
The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
gunfights.
External links
Everett–Tutt Feud, ArkansasEncyclopedia of Arkansas, Everett–Tutt War
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tutt-Everett War
History of Arkansas
1849 in the United States
Range wars and feuds of the American Old West
Internal wars of the United States
Marion County, Arkansas