Randolph "Randall" McCoy, Sr., (CSA)

Additional Curator's Notes

This Randolph McCoy has a close cousin, also named Randolph McCoy, also born in Kentucky, who is only a few years younger in age. The younger Randolph married Elizabeth Sessums. They have children with similar names and dates of birth to the older Randolph. Please be very careful when merging. Check the mothers' names and compare dates before deciding to merge.

Maria Edmonds-Zediker, Volunteer Curator, June 16, 2019

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Randolph McCoy, also known as Randall or Randol McCoy, was the son of Daniel McCoy and wife Margaret Taylor. He was born October 30, 1825, in Pike County, Kentucky. He spent most of his life near the Tug River, a tributary of the Big Sandy River. He is best known for being the leader of the McCoy side of the notorious Hatfield-McCoy feud

Randolph served in the 45th Virginia Infantry Battalion, Confederate Army during the opening years of the war and was a POW from July 8, 1863, to June 16, 1865. He was captured in Pike County, held first at Camp Chase, Ohio, and then transferred to Camp Douglas, Illinois. He returned to Pike County, Kentucky, after the war.

Randolph married his first cousin, Sarah "Sally" McCoy (1829 - c. 1890), daughter of Samuel McCoy (1782-1855) and Elizabeth Davis, on December 9, 1849, in Pike County, Kentucky. They had 17 children together, five of whom died as a result of the ongoing Hatfield-McCoy feud.

Randolph McCoy died on March 28, 1914, in Pike County, Kentucky. He had been living with his grandson because of senility. He had fallen into a cooking fire and sustained major burns that eventually caused his death. He was buried in Dils Cemetery, Pike County, Kentucky, beside his wife.

It should be noted that his grandson James completed the information for Randolph's death certificate, where he incorrectly stated his grandfather was born in West Virginia. West Virginia did not exist in 1824. His family was well-established in Kentucky at the time of Randolph's birth.

Children of Randolph McCoy and wife Sarah "Sally" McCoy:

• Josephine McCoy, daughter (1848–?), still alive for 1860 census
• James "Jim" McCoy, son (1849–1929), married Malissa Jackson
• Floyd McCoy, son (1853–1928), married Mary Radiford
• Tolbert McCoy, son (1854–1882), killed during the feud, executed by the Hatfields for murdering Ellison Hatfield, Sr;
• Lilburn McCoy, son (1855–?), still alive for 1860 census
• Samuel McCoy II, son (1856–1921), married Martha Jackson;
• Infant daughter McCoy, birth registered in 1857 with no name. It is presumed she died soon after birth.
• Alifair McCoy, daughter (1858–1888), killed during the New Year's Day massacre at the McCoy farm. She was shot while trying to escape a burning building.
• Roseanna McCoy, daughter (1859–1889), died during the feud, of illness. She had an affair with Johnse Hatfield, with whom they had a daughter, Sarah Elizabeth. She was disowned by both the McCoy and Hatfield families. Johnse Hatfield later married Nancy McCoy, a cousin of Roseanna. The baby died at age 1, Rosanna died about a year after.
• Calvin McCoy, son (1862–1888), killed during the New Year's Day massacre, murdered by Johnson "Johnse" Hatfield during the assault on the McCoy farm;
• Pharmer McCoy, son (1863–1882), killed during the feud, executed by the Hatfields for murdering Ellison Hatfield, Sr;
• Randolph "Bud" McCoy, son (1864–1882), killed during the feud, executed by the Hatfields for murdering Ellison Hatfield, Sr;
• Kay McCoy, daughter (1865–?),
• Trinvilla "Trinnie" McCoy, daughter (1868–?), married William Thompson
• William "Bill" McCoy, son (1869–?), died after the feud;
• Adelaide McCoy, daughter (1870–?), died after the feud;
• Fannie McCoy, daughter (1873–1943), died after the feud;
• Mary Katherine McCoy, daughter (1875–?), died after the feud;

Samuel McCoy (1782-1855) and Daniel McCoy (1790–1885) were sons of "Old" William McCoy (April 1751 - 1822) and according to 111 Y-DNA results, likely nephews of Richard McCoy (abt. 1752 - 1792) of New River area, Montgomery County, Virginia.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randolph_McCoy - has a good description of the feud but the section on his children was not well researched. Census records would have shown the author his errors.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatfields_and_McCoys
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7422518 - Bio by: William Bjornstad

Group Family Record

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/AF/family_group_record.asp?f...

What was the fate of Old Randall and Devil Anse? Old Randall died of burns from a fire in the home of his nephew on March 28, 1914. He was 88. Devil Anse would live another 7 years after Old Randall's death. He died on January 6, 1921 of pneumonia at the age of 80. To this day his funeral ranks as the largest attended funeral in Logan County, West Virginia. His grave at the right has now been dedicated as a National Monument.

Randolph "Old Randal"' death certificate # 8462 (KY) gives his place of birth as WV. Informant - James McCoy. The accident in which he was badly burned ocurred on January 7, 1914.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatfields_and_McCoys

Find A Grave Memorial # 7422518.

Folk Figure. He was the patriarch of the McCoy clan involved in the infamous American Hatfield-McCoy feud that occurred in eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia for almost 30 years. He was born the 4th of 13 children in the Tug River Valley, Kentucky. He served in the Confederate Army during the early years of the American Civil War and was a prisoner of war from 1863 to 1865. In the late 1870s the Hatfield family patriarch, Devil Anse Hatfield, was involved in a land dispute with Perry Cline, whose siblings had married members of the McCoy family, over a 5,000 acre tract of land that both held title to. Hatfield eventually brought a civil suit against Cline and Hatfield won in what was seen by the McCoys as a Hatfield friendly court. In the fall of 1878 Randolph McCoy brought charges against Floyd Hatfield for stealing one of his hogs. This allegation was a very serious offense at the time, as hogs were extremely valuable to the farming economy. Due to the statements made by Bill Staton, who was related to both families, the case was decided in favor of the Hatfields. The ruling further inflamed the feud, as he viewed the outcome as unfair. Later, brothers Sam and Paris McCoy were accused, tried, and acquitted of the death of Staton when the judge ruled Staton's death an act of self-defense by the McCoy brothers. The peak of the feuding occurred when three of his sons killed Ellison Hatfield, brother of Devil Anse, on election day in 1882. Devil Anse retaliated for the killing of his brother by killing his Randolph's sons Tolbert, Pharmer and Randolph Jr. McCoy near present day Matewan, West Virginia. On New Year's Day 1888 his house was burned to the ground and numerous family members were slain by the Hatfields, including two of Randolph's children, son Calvin and daughter, Alifair. His wife Sally was badly injured when she attempted to comfort Alifair, suffering several broken ribs and skull fractures. He and his remaining family members were able to escape to the woods and during the ordeal, his children suffered frostbite as they fled unprepared for the cold weather. Shortly after the massacre, Kentucky deputy Frank Phillips and a posse of McCoys chased down Jim Vance and Cap Hatfield, killing Vance. Phillips' posse rounded up nine Hatfield family members and supporters and incarcerated them. The feuding and warfare brought in political leaders of Kentucky and West Virginia. The Governor of West Virginia, E. Willis Wilson, accused Kentucky of violating the extradition process and appealed the matter to the US Supreme Court. Kentucky Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner sent his Adjutant General to Pike County to investigate the situation. In May 1889 the US Supreme Court decided against West Virginia (Mahon v. Justice) and the nine Hatfields would be tried in Pikeville. Private detectives hunted down many Hatfields, though Devil Anse was never tried nor jailed. In 1890 Ellison Mounts was executed in Kentucky for his part in the McCoy killings and the feud began to wind down with Mounts' execution. He then moved his family to Pikeville, Kentucky, where operated a ferry and lived out the remainder of his life in bitterness and grieving and died there at the age of 88 after catching fire from a cook stove. On June 14, 2003, the McCoy descendants partnered with Reo Hatfield of Waynesboro, Virginia, to author an official truce between the families. The idea was symbolic, in order to show that Americans could bury their differences and unite in times of crisis. The Hatfield-McCoy feud has been the subject of a number of books and films, most recently the television miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys" (2012). (bio by: William Bjornstad)

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7422518
American Folk Figure. He was the patriarch of the McCoy clan involved in the infamous American Hatfield-McCoy feud that occurred in eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia for almost 30 years. He was born the 4th of 13 children in the Tug River Valley, Kentucky. He served in the Confederate Army during the early years of the American Civil War and was a prisoner of war from 1863 to 1865. In the late 1870s the Hatfield family patriarch, Devil Anse Hatfield, was involved in a land dispute with Perry Cline, whose siblings had married members of the McCoy family, over a 5,000 acre tract of land that both held title to. Hatfield eventually brought a civil suit against Cline and Hatfield won in what was seen by the McCoys as a Hatfield friendly court. In the fall of 1878 Randolph McCoy brought charges against Floyd Hatfield for stealing one of his hogs. This allegation was a very serious offense at the time, as hogs were extremely valuable to the farming economy. Due to the statements made by Bill Staton, who was related to both families, the case was decided in favor of the Hatfields. The ruling further inflamed the feud, as he viewed the outcome as unfair. Later, brothers Sam and Paris McCoy were accused, tried, and acquitted of the death of Staton when the judge ruled Staton's death an act of self-defense by the McCoy brothers. The peak of the feuding occurred when three of his sons killed Ellison Hatfield, brother of Devil Anse, on election day in 1882. Devil Anse retaliated for the killing of his brother by killing his Randolph's sons Tolbert, Pharmer and Randolph Jr. McCoy near present day Matewan, West Virginia. On New Year's Day 1888 his house was burned to the ground and numerous family members were slain by the Hatfields, including two of Randolph's children, son Calvin and daughter, Alifair. His wife Sally was badly injured when she attempted to comfort Alifair, suffering several broken ribs and skull fractures. He and his remaining family members were able to escape to the woods and during the ordeal, his children suffered frostbite as they fled unprepared for the cold weather. Shortly after the massacre, Kentucky deputy Frank Phillips and a posse of McCoys chased down Jim Vance and Cap Hatfield, killing Vance. Phillips' posse rounded up nine Hatfield family members and supporters and incarcerated them. The feuding and warfare brought in political leaders of Kentucky and West Virginia. The Governor of West Virginia, E. Willis Wilson, accused Kentucky of violating the extradition process and appealed the matter to the US Supreme Court. Kentucky Governor Simon Bolivar Buckner sent his Adjutant General to Pike County to investigate the situation. In May 1889 the US Supreme Court decided against West Virginia (Mahon v. Justice) and the nine Hatfields would be tried in Pikeville. Private detectives hunted down many Hatfields, though Devil Anse was never tried nor jailed. In 1890 Ellison Mounts was executed in Kentucky for his part in the McCoy killings and the feud began to wind down with Mounts' execution. He then moved his family to Pikeville, Kentucky, where operated a ferry and lived out the remainder of his life in bitterness and grieving and died there at the age of 88 after catching fire from a cook stove. On June 14, 2003, the McCoy descendants partnered with Reo Hatfield of Waynesboro, Virginia, to author an official truce between the families. The idea was symbolic, in order to show that Americans could bury their differences and unite in times of crisis. The Hatfield-McCoy feud has been the subject of a number of books and films, most recently the television miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys" (2012).* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 18 2024, 20:14:33 UTC