Sid Hatfield
Encyclopedia
William Sidney "Sid" Hatfield (15 May 1893 – 01 Aug 1921), was Police Chief of Matewan
, West Virginia
during the Battle of Matewan
, a shootout that followed a series of evictions carried out by detectives from the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency.
Hatfield was born in Blackberry, Pike, Co., Kentucky, one of twelve children (of whom nine survived infancy) of Jacob Hatfield (1845 - 1923) and Rebecca Crabtree (b. circa 1856). His grandfather, Jeremiah Hatfield b. 1804, was a half brother to Valentine Hatfield (1789 - 1867), grandfather of William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield
, leader of the Hatfield family involved in the famous Hatfield-McCoy Feud
. According to the 1900 Census, two older brothers, Orison and Hereford, an older sister Chloe, and a younger sister and brother, Martha Alice and Freeland, were then still living at home with him and their parents.
Hatfield was a miner in his teens, and then worked as a blacksmith for several years. He received his nickname, "Smilin' Sid", because of the gold caps on several of his upper teeth. He seems to have had a reputation for hard living and fighting, and his appointment in 1919 to the post of Police Chief of Matewan, by the mayor, Cabell Cornelis Testerman (1882-1920), surprised some of the more 'respectable' townsfolk. However, he was a staunch supporter of the United Mine Workers of America, as was Testerman: together, they were instrumental in leading the mining community's resistance to the Baldwin-Felts operatives. They offered both men substantial bribes to allow them to station machine-guns in the town. Hatfield and Testerman refused. The Battle of Matewan was precipitated by the Baldwin-Felts agents' attempts to evict the families of unionised miners.
On 2 June 1920, in Huntington, he married Jessie Lee Maynard (1894-1976), the widowed second wife of Testerman, who had been mortally wounded in the battle. The speed of the marriage led to an attempt at arrest and accusations by Thomas Felts and the Baldwin-Felts spy, Charles Everett Lively, that he, not Albert Felts, had shot the Mayor because of his desire for Jessie. However, according to Jessie, her first husband, aware of the danger of their situation, had asked that his friend take care of her and their young son, Jackson, should he be killed.
The battle had given Hatfield a degree of celebrity. He appeared in a short film, Smilin' Sid, for the UMWA, and was photographed with other UMWA activists, including Mary Harris 'Mother' Jones. However, he was aware that his life was in danger from Felts, who sought vengeance for his brothers Albert and Lee. He was indicted on murder charges stemming from the Matewan shootout but was later acquitted by the jury. He was sent to stand trial with his friend and deputy, Edward Chambers, on conspiracy charges for another incident, in Welch
, West Virginia
. Both men arrived in Welch on 1 August, 1921, unarmed and accompanied by their wives. Several Baldwin-Felts men shot them on the McDowell County
Courthouse steps. Hit in the arm, and three or four times in the chest, Hatfield died instantly. Chambers was shot several more times, as his wife tried to defend him, and finished off with a bullet in the head by Charles Everett Lively. None of the Baldwin-Felts detectives was ever convicted of Hatfield's assassination: they claimed they had acted "in self-defence".
There was an outpouring of grief for the fallen local heroes at the funeral, which was attended by at least 3,000 people, and conducted with full honours from the Odd Fellows
, Knights of Pythias
and Redmen
(he was a member of all of these organisations). It was one of the more immediate causes of outrage that led to the Battle of Blair Mountain
.
Director John Sayles
' Academy Award-nominated 1987 film Matewan
starred David Strathairn
in the role of Hatfield.
A clip from West Virginia: A Film History mistakenly identifies him as Albert Sidney Hatfield, as well as claiming that he was not related to "Devil Anse" Hatfield. This may be because of rumours that he was illegitimate, and so possibly not of Hatfield descent.
Matewan, West Virginia
Matewan is a town in Mingo County, West Virginia, USA at the confluence of the Tug Fork River and Mate Creek. The population was 498 at the 2000 census...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
during the Battle of Matewan
Battle of Matewan
The Battle of Matewan was a shootout in the town of Matewan, West Virginia in Mingo County on May 19, 1920 between local miners and the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency....
, a shootout that followed a series of evictions carried out by detectives from the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency.
Hatfield was born in Blackberry, Pike, Co., Kentucky, one of twelve children (of whom nine survived infancy) of Jacob Hatfield (1845 - 1923) and Rebecca Crabtree (b. circa 1856). His grandfather, Jeremiah Hatfield b. 1804, was a half brother to Valentine Hatfield (1789 - 1867), grandfather of William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield
Devil Anse Hatfield
William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield was the patriarch of the Hatfield clan in the infamous Hatfield–McCoy feud which has since formed a part of American folklore. Devil Anse himself survived the feud, and agreed to end the feud in 1891.Hatfield was born in Logan, West Virginia, the son of...
, leader of the Hatfield family involved in the famous Hatfield-McCoy Feud
Hatfield-McCoy feud
The Hatfield–McCoy feud involved two families of the West Virginia–Kentucky back country along the Tug Fork, off the Big Sandy River. The Hatfields of West Virginia were led by William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield while the McCoys of Kentucky under the leadership of Randolph "Ole Ran'l" McCoy....
. According to the 1900 Census, two older brothers, Orison and Hereford, an older sister Chloe, and a younger sister and brother, Martha Alice and Freeland, were then still living at home with him and their parents.
Hatfield was a miner in his teens, and then worked as a blacksmith for several years. He received his nickname, "Smilin' Sid", because of the gold caps on several of his upper teeth. He seems to have had a reputation for hard living and fighting, and his appointment in 1919 to the post of Police Chief of Matewan, by the mayor, Cabell Cornelis Testerman (1882-1920), surprised some of the more 'respectable' townsfolk. However, he was a staunch supporter of the United Mine Workers of America, as was Testerman: together, they were instrumental in leading the mining community's resistance to the Baldwin-Felts operatives. They offered both men substantial bribes to allow them to station machine-guns in the town. Hatfield and Testerman refused. The Battle of Matewan was precipitated by the Baldwin-Felts agents' attempts to evict the families of unionised miners.
On 2 June 1920, in Huntington, he married Jessie Lee Maynard (1894-1976), the widowed second wife of Testerman, who had been mortally wounded in the battle. The speed of the marriage led to an attempt at arrest and accusations by Thomas Felts and the Baldwin-Felts spy, Charles Everett Lively, that he, not Albert Felts, had shot the Mayor because of his desire for Jessie. However, according to Jessie, her first husband, aware of the danger of their situation, had asked that his friend take care of her and their young son, Jackson, should he be killed.
The battle had given Hatfield a degree of celebrity. He appeared in a short film, Smilin' Sid, for the UMWA, and was photographed with other UMWA activists, including Mary Harris 'Mother' Jones. However, he was aware that his life was in danger from Felts, who sought vengeance for his brothers Albert and Lee. He was indicted on murder charges stemming from the Matewan shootout but was later acquitted by the jury. He was sent to stand trial with his friend and deputy, Edward Chambers, on conspiracy charges for another incident, in Welch
Welch, West Virginia
Welch is a city located in McDowell County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The population was 2,406 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1893, it is the county seat of McDowell County.-History:...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. Both men arrived in Welch on 1 August, 1921, unarmed and accompanied by their wives. Several Baldwin-Felts men shot them on the McDowell County
McDowell County, West Virginia
McDowell County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The land that became McDowell was originally part of Tazewell County, Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,113. Its county seat is Welch. McDowell county is the southern-most county in the state, geographically...
Courthouse steps. Hit in the arm, and three or four times in the chest, Hatfield died instantly. Chambers was shot several more times, as his wife tried to defend him, and finished off with a bullet in the head by Charles Everett Lively. None of the Baldwin-Felts detectives was ever convicted of Hatfield's assassination: they claimed they had acted "in self-defence".
There was an outpouring of grief for the fallen local heroes at the funeral, which was attended by at least 3,000 people, and conducted with full honours from the Odd Fellows
Odd Fellows
Odd Fellows is a name broadly referring to any of a large number of friendly societies, fraternal and service organizations and/or Lodges.-Societies using the name "Odd Fellows" or variations:...
, Knights of Pythias
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864.The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been...
and Redmen
Improved Order of Red Men
The Improved Order of Red Men traces its origin to certain secret patriotic societies founded before the American Revolution. They were established to promote Liberty and to defy the tyranny of the English Crown. Among the early groups were: The Sons of Liberty, the Sons of St...
(he was a member of all of these organisations). It was one of the more immediate causes of outrage that led to the Battle of Blair Mountain
Battle of Blair Mountain
The Battle of Blair Mountain was one of the largest civil uprisings in United States history and the largest armed insurrection since the American Civil War...
.
Director John Sayles
John Sayles
John Thomas Sayles is an American independent film director, screenwriter and author.-Early life:Sayles was born in Schenectady, New York, the son of Mary , a teacher, and Donald John Sayles, a school administrator. He was raised Catholic and took to labeling himself "a Catholic atheist"...
' Academy Award-nominated 1987 film Matewan
Matewan
Matewan is an American drama film written and directed by John Sayles, illustrating the events of a coal mine-workers' strike and attempt to unionize in 1920 in Matewan, a small town in the hills of West Virginia....
starred David Strathairn
David Strathairn
David Russell Strathairn is an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for portraying journalist Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck...
in the role of Hatfield.
A clip from West Virginia: A Film History mistakenly identifies him as Albert Sidney Hatfield, as well as claiming that he was not related to "Devil Anse" Hatfield. This may be because of rumours that he was illegitimate, and so possibly not of Hatfield descent.
Sources & Further Reading
- David Alan Corbin (ed.), Gun Thugs, Rednecks, and Radicals: A Documentary History of the West Virginia Mine Wars, PM Press, Oakland CA, 2011, ISBN-10: 1604864524
- Desmond Kilkeary, The Hatfields and the Baldwin-Felts
- John Newsinger, "Matewan: film and working class struggle", International Socialism, 66, Spring 1995
- Joe Roxby, '"Two Gun" Sid Hatfield'
- Lon Savage, Thunder in the Mountains: The West Virginia Mine War, 1920-21, University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, 1990, ISBN-10: 0822954265
- Battle of Matewan
- West Virginia Archives & History, On This Day in West Virginia History...: The Matewan Massacre
- Matewan at the Internet Movie Database