Tale of The Devil - The Biography of Devil Anse Hatfield

KEEPSAKE HANDSOME HARDBOUND! You've watched the miniseries. Now own a piece of the feud. This historical volume—a keepsake hardbound edition—was used as source material, along with other important works, in the 2012 HISTORY channel documentary, "America’s Greatest Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys,” directed by Mark Cowen and narrated by Kevin Costner.

This keepsake edition has additional photos, maps, and family tree graphics.

This book represents the first biography of Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield, penned by great-grandson Dr. Coleman C. Hatfield and noted Mountain State historian Robert Y. Spence. Tale of the Devil is the epic story of Hatfield family patriarch Anse Hatfield and covers his varied service in the Civil War, including his time as captain of the Logan Wildcats. It features in-depth coverage of the feud years, as well as the era after the gunfire ceased. In recognition of this undertaking and his exhaustive investigation of the subject matter, Dr. Coleman C. Hatfield was named Tamarack Author of the Year in 2004. This book has also been recognized throughout the nation by book reviewers and historians—as well as governors and dignitaries—for its exceptional content and meticulous research. Previously retailing at $29.95, this handsome hardback keepsake edition is now $24.95.

"Now the story, the real account, of my great-grandfather, Devil Anse Hatfield, can be told—without exaggeration or fable," Dr. Coleman C. Hatfield once stated in a 2003 interview. "My father, C.A. Hatfield, the son of Cap Hatfield, spent the majority of his adult life researching Hatfield and McCoy feud history. Besides being a Logan attorney, he was a gifted writer and researcher in his own right. He kept meticulous journals and audiotapes throughout his life about his historical findings before passing away in 1970. In addition to his research, Dad remembered and recounted many of the stories and tall tales that he personally heard Devil Anse and his wife, Louvicey, tell the grandchildren.

"Unfortunately, my father never got to see his dream, that of publishing his own scholarly account of Hatfield and McCoy history, fulfilled ... The Tale Of The Devil, reflects my father's findings, my own lifelong research of Hatfield facts, and the exhaustive work of journalist and historian Robert Y. Spence. It was quite an undertaking and the 320 pages represent many years of investigation and hard work."

REVIEWS:

As you've most certainly heard, a truce was signed on June 14th, 2003 at the Hatfield & McCoy Festival at Pikeville, KY, that received worldwide attention. As the ink was drying on the symbolic document, which announced the end to Appalachia's most infamous and violent family upheaval, the great-grandson of Anderson Devil Anse Hatfield, released additional evidence and historical facts surrounding the notorious family fuss. There is excitement around the Mountain State, and across the nation, among lovers of Appalachian folklore and American history alike. This long-awaited hardbound volume about the fascinating life of one of West Virginia s most colorful figures, Anderson Devil Anse Hatfield, the patriarch of the famed feuding Hatfield family, is the first of its kind. Because this manuscript gleans much of its information from Dr. Hatfield s father, C.A. Hatfield, and his exhaustive manuscripts, journals, and audiotapes, which were compiled and collected over a lifetime, the story is fresh and entertaining to read and offers insider info, which has never before been published. The book features an index, bibliography, endnotes, and thirty pages of rare family photographs. As surprising as it might sound, there has never been a biography of Anderson Devil Anse Hatfield. We believe this is an important scholarly offering for history bookshelves, being that it is authored by the grandson and great-grandson of Devil Anse Hatfield. If you enjoy American history, it just doesn't get any better than this title, The Tale of the Devil.

--Williamson Daily News, Williamson, WV

This collaborative effort of Coleman C. Hatfield and Robert Y. Spence, The Tale Of The Devil, is the factual biography of Devil Anse Hatfield, and the role he played in the infamous and brutal Hatfield and McCoy feud. Coleman Hatfield is Devil Anse Hatfield's direct descendant and brings a special and personal expertise to this project. The Tale Of The Devil candidly examines this figure's early life, the origins of the Hatfield and McCoy feud, its brutal toll, denouement, and ultimate conclusion -- as well as the impact it has had on subsequent generations of Hatfields and McCoys. A profound, sometimes dark, yet often insightful life story, The Tale Of The Devil is a very highly recommended addition to American History and Biography collections.

--Midwest Book Review

There is exciting news for all lovers of local folklore and American history alike. The fascinating tale of the life of one of West Virginia's most colorful figures, the patriarch of the famed feuding Hatfields, is available to the public. The Tale of the Devil is the story of the legendary Devil Anse Hatfield, beginning with his childhood in frontier Appalachia, describing his Civil War days as a Confederate soldier, painting a richly detailed background into just who this man was and from where he came. Then it gives a captivating and enlightening bird's-eye view of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, the killings, and the post-feud years when the shooting subsided. Because this manuscript gleans much of its information from grandson Coleman A. Hatfield's exhaustive manuscripts, journals, and audiotapes, which were compiled and collected over a lifetime, the story is fresh and entertaining to read and offers additional insider information, which has never before been published. Finally, the book features an index, bibliography, endnotes, and thirty pages of photographs many rare, including one particular photo of Devil Anse never before published, taken when he was about 35-years-old. The authors have sorted through the fables and exaggerations, studied Hatfield family accounts and documented history, and created a noteworthy biography. The story of Anderson Hatfield is appropriately told through a direct descendant. Likewise, the co-author, Robert Spence, is a resident of Logan County, and distantly related to Devil Anse, as well.

--The Logan Banner, Logan, WV