In 1882, Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield's brother was murdered by three sons of Randolph McCoy. Within a matter of days, Devil Anse and his ad hoc militia executed the three McCoys.

At the center of the of the conflict were the two family patriarchs: William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield and Randolph McCoy. As legend has it, two neighboring families in the backwoods of ...