Perry Francis Cousins

When I was about 13, someone lent me a book (it was a very small book) about the Hatfield and the McCoy feud. It was a very bloody and gory story. I wanted to keep it but had to give it back as they brought it for my parents to read. The book said the feud started over a pig.  One of the McCoy pigs got loose and was in the middle of the river (closer to the West Virginia side) and a Hatfield rescue the pig.  McCoy wanted the pig back but Hatfield said he found it and he was keeping it. So began the feud.

A cousin in KY. sent me this story about the family being involved with the Hatfields when I went looking for
 Hatfields on line I found what looks like my grant uncle William H. Francis JR. with Devil Anse in a picture from the West Virginia  Archives.    
     
 William Perry Francis, three times remove Uncle William H. Jr., had two sons and a son-in-law involved with the feud. Other trouble for the families grew out of the 1882 election. When the polls opened on August 07, 1882, at the home of Jerry Hatfield, the West Virginia Hatfield appeared as was their custom. Among them was Ellison Hatfield, a brother of Devil Anse.  Tolbert McCoy accused one of the Hatfield (Bud Lias) of owing a small sun of money (1.75 ) for a fiddle. Ellison Hatfield denied owing the money, saying he had paid Tolbert about 3 years previously.  Tolbert's younger brothers Pharmor and Randolph Jr. backed up Tolbert's allegations and as the day wore on trouble flared anew,  the constable, Matthew Hatfield, was about to disarm the men but allowed the fight that had been brewing to take place with only fists as weapons.

Ellison Hatfield, who was drunk, made disparaging remarks to Tolbert, where upon Tolbert attacked him with a knife slashing away at his stomach. The two younger McCoys joined the affray and begun cutting away at Ellison.  Ellison grabbed a rock, at that instant Pharmer resorted to his pistol and shot Ellison in the back. 

While constable, Matthew Hatfield, and two Justices of the Peace took custody of the McCoy boys and were transporting them to Pikeville for jailing, Devil Anse and a large party of Hatfield followers (including John C. Francis and his brother-in-law Elijah Mounts) arrived and took charge of the McCoys.  They took the boys across the Tug River to an old abandoned school house where they were held until after the death of Ellison Hatfield  from 26 deep knife wounds and a bullet hole.

The McCoy s were taken back to Kentucky. There in a small depression not far from the riverbank, they stopped and bound the McCoys to some pawpaw bushes. Then within the space of a few seconds, the Hatfields fired some 50 rounds into the brothers. The boys were all buried in a single grave.  Elijah Mounts was indicted in their deaths.

John C. Francis, a Hatfield supporter and brother-in-law to Elijah Mounts, was served with a bench warrant for the state. Elijah Mounts was also called as a witness in the trial of Johnse Hatfield and others in the murder of two additional McCoy children.  Devil Anse called together all of his supporters, and it was agreed that Randolph McCoy and members of his family who might testify against them must be incriminated. Nine of the supporters, including two of Devil Anse sons, went to the McCoy house in the middle of the night and surrounded the house. One of the Hatfields called out for the McCoy s to come out and surrender as "prisoners of war. "  Calvin McCoy, age 25, heard the call and awakened his mother, father and sisters Josephine, Alafair, and Adelaide. The house was set afire and in an attempt to escape; Alafair opened the kitchen door and recognized Johnse Hatfield, although he was masked. Johnse told Elijah Mounts to shoot her which he did. Alafair mother's, Sarah, tried to reach her daughter, but one of the men hit her on the head with the butt of his gun. She continued to attempt to reach her daughter's body, but Johnse Hatfield used his revolver to beat Sarah over the head until she lay face down on the ground, senseless. These are only two of the incidents involving Elijah Mounts, He was a long time supporter of  the Hatfields and certainly was involved in other incidents.  Elijah Mounts went on trial in Pikeville, Ky, and was hanged in 1889.  Out of 20 men indicted 8 got life in prison, and  Elijah Mounts was the only one to get the death sentence. Two of the Francis boys were called upon to testify in court.

Frank Phillips, a very wealthy man in Pikeville, Kentucky took it upon himself to form a posse and go after the Hatfield clan. He was considered to be very dangerous.  He took a man to Bud's home to take him prisoner, but Bud killed the other man and Frank Phillips escaped through an open window. Eventually Bud moved back to his home on Peter Creek, but encountered other trouble and was sent to prison.

There is a story, that has been passed down by family, that one day John C.'s brother, William Riley Francis came to him and asked John if he would help settle an argument that had occurred between himself and John's brother-in-law Elijah Wolford. John C. (some people said) was a fair and accommodating man and said yes.  Elijah was with the Sheriff Department there in Pikeville. The end result was that John C. was stabbed to death by Elijah.

 Uncle William H., Jr.

                                                                    

Devil Anse Hatfield and the other man looks like William H., Jr.

Cousin John Calhoun
(William H. Jr. son)