What was the cause of the Hatfield-McCoy feud?

Answer 1

The Hatfield-McCoy blood feud is often dated 1863 to 1891 (exact dates depend on your definition of "feud", and may vary a little). There are various theories about exactly why it started. Perhaps nobody will ever know _for_sure_ (unless somebody has a time machine:-). Possibilities include:

1. The feud started when RandolphMcCoy and Anderson Hatfield fought side by side in the civil war. The initial reason they disagreed is because Anderson deserted his whole army company, including Randolph (perhaps because he'd had enough of soldiering, perhaps because he figured the South was a "lost cause" and saw no sense in dying for it, perhaps because it was too much for him to handle). Randolph was later captured and imprisoned, ahd had a very hard time. After McCoy got home to the mountains (possibly a "broken man" or possibly even a partially crazy one because of his prison experiences), Hatfield had tried to resume the friendship, but McCoy treated Hatfield disagreeably and even angrily. This in turn soon made Hatfield angry, thus starting the feud.

At least that's what was shown in the miniseries drama/documentary "Hatfields & McCoys" on the History Channel in 2012. Although plausible and good drama, there's little independent evidence this is _exactly_ what happened.

2. The feud was really more about economics than about family/clan loyalty. As timber and later coal interests came to the region, the economy changed dramatically. Randall McCoy's attempt to go into the timber business failed badly. Devil Anse Hatfield on the other hand became comfortably "wealthy".

3. Many people in the feud suffered from hereditary undiagnosed tumors on their adrenal glands. The tumors caused significant mood swings, leading to rash behavior, which both started and perpetuated the feud.

4. There was apparently some lingering Civil War partisanship, perhaps even a significant amount. Most people in the area -both most McCoys and most Hatfields- fought on the side of the South ...but not everybody. Tensions between families and even within families remained high. Also, Devil Anse Hatfield was the leader of a shadowy rather violent organization called the "Logan's Wildcats" that continued to support "Southern" causes long after the Civil War ended. It seems to have been involved in the feud in a significant way.

5. Most backcountry people were somewhat excluded from and quite suspicious of all government power. It was pretty easy for someone to conclude the "other side" got what it did only because the other State Government (West Virginia vs. Kentucky) had taken sides unfairly.

6. The initial deaths may have just been a string of very unfortunately timed "accidents" (i.e. "bad luck"). The resulting ongoing tit-for-tat responses became a "feud". (To restate this in rather more blunt words: it's possible there really wasn't _any_ fundamental reason behind the feud.)

Answer 2

Well they started just for confidence ........ i think .......... i was trying to find out that answer to. Don't pressure me I'm only 11.