Rowan County War
Encyclopedia
The Rowan County War, located in Rowan County, Kentucky
, centered in Morehead, Kentucky
, was a feud that took place between 1884 and 1887. In total, 20 people died and 16 were wounded.
After the feud, Martin began illegal distillery operations. Being a Republican, he became a political rival of Democrat Floyd Tolliver, also formerly of the Underwood Faction, and on an Election Day in August 1884, after a misunderstanding, Tolliver wounded Martin while killing Solomon Bradley, a friend of Martin's. Just before the matter was to be settled in court in December 1884, Tolliver and Martin met each other while drinking and Martin fired his pistol while still in his coat pocket, killing Tolliver. Tolliver's last words, addressed to some friends, were "Remember what you swore to do; you said you would kill him; Keep your word."
jail, in Winchester, Kentucky
, due to fears for his safety. This led Tolliver's brother, Craig Tolliver, to kill two cousins of D.B. Logan, an ally of Martin. Tolliver supporters soon gained control over the county.
Martin was eventually killed after supporters of Tolliver forged a request to transfer Martin back to Morehead, and shot him after boarding the train. Martin's wife was in another car of the same train, and felt dread after hearing shots fired. Rushing to the scene, she saw her husband dying. Martin lived long enough to travel back to Morehead, where he walked to the Powers Hotel, where he died the next day. Quickly sides were chosen, with Democratic families supporting Craig Tolliver, and Republican families supporting Martin's family.
Craig Tolliver became the town marshal of Morehead, and assumed control of Morehead due to intimidation. The sheriff of Rowan County, Republican Cook Humphrey, sided with Martin's father, Dr. Ben Martin. By July 1885, nine out of ten men within the county had taken one side or the other in the new conflict.
Feud violence continued for three years, concluding in the summer of 1887 when a faction led by Hiram and Logan Pigman surrounded and shot Craig Tolliver. Three others died in a final shoot-out that sixty men participated in for two hours.
. At one point, a state report done by General Sam Hill recommended to the governor of Kentucky that Rowan County be dissolved due to the violence. After a legislative investigation by the Kentucky State Assembly concluded, the townfolk were mortified of their reputation throughout the state. They acted by creating the Morehead Normal School. Years later, after funding that Morehead's new State Senator Allie Young acquired, the Normal School became Morehead State University
. The incidents are chronicled in a ballad
titled, alternately, "The Rowan County Crew" and "The Rowan County Feud."
A reconciliation between the Martin and Tolliver families occurred with the marriage of Grace Martin (daughter of Gils Martin) and Frank Tolliver (brother of Craig Tolliver) in 1889.
Rowan County, Kentucky
Rowan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 23,333. Its county seat is Morehead. The county was created in 1856 from adjacent counties originally part of Mason county, and named for John Rowan, who represented Kentucky in the U.S...
, centered in Morehead, Kentucky
Morehead, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 6,845 people, households, and families residing in the city. The population density was 726.2 people per square mile. There were 2,356 housing units at an average density of 253.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 93.2% White, 3.2% African...
, was a feud that took place between 1884 and 1887. In total, 20 people died and 16 were wounded.
Background
The war has its roots in the Underwood-Holbrook Feud, in which John Martin was a lesser member of the Underwood side, and all male Underwoods died in a conflict that took 30 lives. Martin had worked as a clerk for the county, and owned a store in Morehead. In 1877 his gambling caused him to lose his store, and charges of falsifying county records cost him his clerk job in an election in 1878. After this he rented land from George Underwood, which led him to support the Underwood in the Underwood-Holbrook Feud.After the feud, Martin began illegal distillery operations. Being a Republican, he became a political rival of Democrat Floyd Tolliver, also formerly of the Underwood Faction, and on an Election Day in August 1884, after a misunderstanding, Tolliver wounded Martin while killing Solomon Bradley, a friend of Martin's. Just before the matter was to be settled in court in December 1884, Tolliver and Martin met each other while drinking and Martin fired his pistol while still in his coat pocket, killing Tolliver. Tolliver's last words, addressed to some friends, were "Remember what you swore to do; you said you would kill him; Keep your word."
War
Martin was promptly jailed, and then taken to the Clark County, KentuckyClark County, Kentucky
Clark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1793. The population was 35,613 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Winchester, Kentucky...
jail, in Winchester, Kentucky
Winchester, Kentucky
Winchester is a city in and the county seat of Clark County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,724 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, due to fears for his safety. This led Tolliver's brother, Craig Tolliver, to kill two cousins of D.B. Logan, an ally of Martin. Tolliver supporters soon gained control over the county.
Martin was eventually killed after supporters of Tolliver forged a request to transfer Martin back to Morehead, and shot him after boarding the train. Martin's wife was in another car of the same train, and felt dread after hearing shots fired. Rushing to the scene, she saw her husband dying. Martin lived long enough to travel back to Morehead, where he walked to the Powers Hotel, where he died the next day. Quickly sides were chosen, with Democratic families supporting Craig Tolliver, and Republican families supporting Martin's family.
Craig Tolliver became the town marshal of Morehead, and assumed control of Morehead due to intimidation. The sheriff of Rowan County, Republican Cook Humphrey, sided with Martin's father, Dr. Ben Martin. By July 1885, nine out of ten men within the county had taken one side or the other in the new conflict.
Feud violence continued for three years, concluding in the summer of 1887 when a faction led by Hiram and Logan Pigman surrounded and shot Craig Tolliver. Three others died in a final shoot-out that sixty men participated in for two hours.
Aftermath
Three times the state militia was called to quell the violence, including the noted Louisville LegionLouisville Legion
The 5th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment, unofficially known as the Louisville Legion was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:...
. At one point, a state report done by General Sam Hill recommended to the governor of Kentucky that Rowan County be dissolved due to the violence. After a legislative investigation by the Kentucky State Assembly concluded, the townfolk were mortified of their reputation throughout the state. They acted by creating the Morehead Normal School. Years later, after funding that Morehead's new State Senator Allie Young acquired, the Normal School became Morehead State University
Morehead State University
Morehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S...
. The incidents are chronicled in a ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
titled, alternately, "The Rowan County Crew" and "The Rowan County Feud."
A reconciliation between the Martin and Tolliver families occurred with the marriage of Grace Martin (daughter of Gils Martin) and Frank Tolliver (brother of Craig Tolliver) in 1889.