Today marks one hundred years since the death of famed West Virginia feudist, William Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield.
Anse was the family patriarch of the infamous Hatfield Family clan during the bloody feud with Kentucky McCoys.
The feud lasted for decades in the Tug Valley region and at times nearly brought the State of West Virginia and the Commonwealth of Kentucky to war.
Hatfield moved to Main Island Creek later in life and was even baptized in that creek.
He died of pneumonia on this day, 1921. His grave is marked by a life-sized statue sculpted in Italian marble.
The feud has been the subject of books, plays and even movies. “Devil Anse” has been portrayed on the screen by actors Kevin Costner and Jack Palance.
Today, the Hatfield McCoy Trail is a huge tourism attraction and covers over 800 miles of trail.