West Virginia and Regional History Center
1549 University Ave.P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown, WV 26506-6069
Business Number: 304-293-3536
wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.com
URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu
Jane LaBarbara
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Conditions Governing Access
No special access restriction applies.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Hatfield Family Papers, A&M 4490, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Scope and Contents
Papers and artifacts of the Hatfield family of southwest West Virginia, as compiled by their descendants. Best known for the
Hatfield and McCoy feud during the late 19th century, this collection is connected to Devil "Anse" Hatfield, his wife Louvisa
Hatfield, and four of their 13 children: Elias, Tennyson ("Tennis"), Joseph Davis ("J.D."), and Detroit ("Troy"). The most
common types of materials found in the collection are newspaper clippings, correspondence, photographs, and later academic
writings on the Hatfield and McCoy feud. To complement the archival material, biographical and online print outs have been
included in the collection by the donor. When possible, we have kept the original order of photographs, newspaper clippings,
and correspondence. Most of the content is regarding the everyday life of the Hatfields and their extended family, including
the children's experiences working for the Pocahontas Coal Company, holiday and greeting cards, delinquent account notices,
and land deeds.
Record Series include
Series 1. Correspondence, 1894-2000, undated.
Series 2. Legal and Financial Documents, 1872- 1983, undated.
Series 3. Printed Material, 1897-2019, undated.
Series 4. Photographs, ca. 1900-1940, undated.
Series 5. Oversized Materials, 1824-1995, undated.
Series 6. Artifacts, 1928-2003, undated.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Hatfield family
- Hatfield, Devil Anse, 1839-1921
- Hatfield, Louvisa, 1842-1929
- Hatfield-McCoy Feud
Container List
Majority of content is correspondence between Anse and Louvisa Hatfield and their children. Most are from Elias, J.D., Troy, and Tennis Hatfield while they were away working at Pocahontas Coal Company. Content is mainly regarding family updates, although there are some symphathy letters regarding the deaths of Elias and Troy in 1911. Also included in the series is a folder of supplemental printouts regarding the history of the Hatfield and McCoy feud and Hatfield genealogy, along with a folder containing newspapers and newspaper clippings. More detailed information on correspondents is available on request or in the control folder.
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 1-22
Hatfield Correspondence1894-1925
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 23
Hatfield Correspondenceundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 24
Supplemental Information2000s
- Mixed Materials Box: 1 Folder: 25
Clippings1978-1999, undated
Includes grocery receipts, general store receipts, delinquent account notices, circuit court documents, checks, and land deeds related to Anse and Louvisa Hatfield. Notable documents are related to Louvisa Hatfield and J.C. Williamson, regarding land disagreements in Mingo county. Also included in this series is a 1983 Logan Banner article regarding Hatfield family history.
Includes various pamphlets on the Hatfield-McCoy feud, newspaper articles regarding the Hatfields and the Matewan massacre, West Virginia Goldenseal articles, and printed pages from a genealogy website. Notable contents include a 1920 Logan County Sheriff Election letter from Joe D. Hatfield and the 2003 signed Hatfield-McCoy peace treaty.
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 1
Pamphlets and Books1945-1974
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 2
Miscellaneous Articles1983-2003, undated
- Mixed Materials Box: 4 Folder: 3, 4
Clippings1897-2003, undated
- Graphic Materials Box: 4 Folder: 5 Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 1, 2.
Genealogy Materialsundated
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 3
Miscellaneous Hatfield Information2019
- Mixed Materials Box: 5 Folder: 4
"Peace Treaty" Documents and Postcards2003
Includes print photographs (and scans) from photograph albums of Hatfield family members (many with identification), greeting cards, and postcards. Subjects are mostly the children of Louvisa and Anse Hatfield. More detailed information on subjects of the photos is available on request or in the control folder.
Many of the photographs were orginally arranged in scrapbook style albums which were numbered by their creator. For preservation, the orginal page arrangments of the photographs were scanned, and the photographs were removed.
Includes a vintage cloth, newspapers, 1842 Parcel of Land document, and oversized photographs. Notable items include a 1924 "Vote for Tennis Hatfield" poster and an oversized image from Louvisa Hatfield's funeral.
Includes physical objects belonging to the Hatfield family, many of which belonged to Louvisa Hatfield. Notable artifacts include a vintage teapot and stand, a 1914 military morphine kit, and various trinkets.
- Realia Box: 5 Item: unfoldered
Red Letter Testament Bible1928
- Moving Images Box: 6 Item: unfoldered
VHS with recording of a Hatfield Family subject2003
- Realia Box: 7 Object: unfoldered
Military Morphine Field Kit1914
- Realia Box: 7 Item: unfoldered
Vintage Boxesundated
- Realia Box: 11 Item: unfoldered
Louvisa Hatfield Umbrellaundated