General Articles.
By Dwight Williamson “It is my land and my corn—why can’t I do with my crop whatever I please?” For years— before, during and after Prohibition— mountain people asked that question of its government, virtually to no avail. With the Appalachian mountain region always lending itself admirably to the making of moonshine, and Devil Anse […]
Death of the Hatfield brothers Read More »
By Dwight Williamson With Halloween just around the corner, I am reminded of times past when danger lurked on nearly every roadway in Logan County during this time of year. Thank goodness, everybody now seems to have their cell phones and other gadgets to keep themselves occupied, and perhaps that helps to keep people out
Halloween escapades of the “Porch Sitters” Read More »
By Dwight Williamson The years from 1920 through 1932 should be of great historical significance to Logan Countians and the names of Chafin and Hatfield figure prominently during this time period when political control of the county meant everything to its leaders. The Prohibition era, which lasted from 1920 until 1933, caused more problems than
The end of the Hatfield political dominance Read More »
By Dwight Williamson A stringent look into the history of Logan County will reveal that from 1924 until 1932 two of Devil Anse Hatfield’s sons pretty much ruled the county, but it should be pointed out that the “dynamic duo” really was just following up on the practices of their predecessor, Sheriff Don Chafin, who
A stringent look into the history of Logan County Read More »
By Dwight Williamson At one time or another, most Logan Countians have walked right by a piece of history that was placed in downtown Logan to forever honor perhaps the county’s most historical figure—Princess Aracoma. The memorial, which stands on the northeast corner of the Logan County courthouse across the street from McCormick’s Department store,
Finding Princess Aracoma Read More »
By Dwight Williamson Originally placed at the Logan Courthouse in 1928, the Doughboy monument was moved to Midelburg Island in 1964. World War I was titled as a “World War” for good reason, as it was indeed a war involving many nations, costing millions of lives and included many West Virginians who were quick to
Monumental efforts gave us our ‘Doughboy’ Read More »
By Dwight Williamson This was originally published in the Logan Banner on July 30, 2014 and is republished here with the author’s permission and our special thanks. A Logan Banner story which appeared April 23 of this year concerning the historic cemetery located on High Street in Logan featured the grave site of one of
Spiritually reuniting Logan’s pioneer couple Read More »
By Dwight Williamson Thousands of men have since about 1900 risked their lives bringing coal from the mountainous hollows of Logan County. There have been hundreds of coal mine related deaths and thousands of injuries, including broken backs and lost limbs — all for the sake of producing coal. Now, with coal mining much safer,
“Boots” was anything but a normal coal miner Read More »
By Dwight Williamson Although during the Civil War Logan Countians were predominantly southern sympathizers, there were those persons of the area who actually believed in the northern cause and enlisted with the northern forces. The names of people like James A. Nighbert, John William Stratton, Henry Clay Ragland, and certainly, Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield, are
The Civil War in Logan County Read More »
By Dwight Williamson There have been many notable figures who have made their homes in what is now Logan County. One such person that few people are aware of is a man who came from his native Philadelphia in 1852 to settle along the Guyandotte River to what was then sparsely settled western Virginia in
English credited with discovering coal in Logan Co. Read More »