Elias (Bad 'Lias) Hatfield

Notes:

Elias "Bad 'Lias" is mentioned once in the book The Hatfields & the McCoys by Otis K. Rice. He is mentioned in relation to the events surrounding the election of 1882 on Blackberry Creek, Pike Co., KY as follows:

"When the polls opened at the Blackberry Creek precinct on Monday, August 7, 1882, at the home of Jerry Hatfield, the West Virginia Hatfields appeared, as was their custom. Among them were Elias and Ellison, brothers of Devil Anse. Also present was another Elias, "Bad 'Lias," the brother of Deacon Anderson Hatfield. "Bad Lias," a hard drinker and a contentious man, lived about two miles up Blackberry Creek. Early in the day, after the whiskey had begun to flow, Tolbert McCoy, the son of Randolph, accused "Bad Lias" of owing a small sum of money, about $1.75, for a fiddle, but Hatfield angrily protested that he had paid Tolbert about three years previously.

"With a fight in the making, Tolbert's younger brothers, nineteen-year-old Pharmer and fifteen-year-old Randolph, Jr., backed up his accusation. Deacon Anse, however, broke up the argument. As the day wore on, trouble flared anew, but the constable, Matthew Hatfield, was able to reduce the weapons from guns to fists..."

Later in the day hostilities continued resulting in the fight that mortally wounded Ellison Hatfield, a brother of Devil Anse. After Ellison died from his wounds a few days later, the three McCoy brothers were then killed by the Hatfield's escalating the feud between the two families.

Buried:
Grave location and tombstone photo:
www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=hatfield&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=19&GScnty=1086&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GSsr=41&GRid=111478428&df=all&

Elias married Eliza Jane Chaffin 17 Feb 1877, Logan Co. WV. Eliza (daughter of Nathaniel (Nathan) Chaffin and Matilda Varney) was born 08 May 1858, Logan Co. VA/WV; died 13 Jan 1926, Pike Co. KY; was buried , Blue Springs Cemetery, Pike Co. KY. [Group Sheet]