The following story was printed in the Williamson Daily News,
Sunday, August 22, 1999. It had previously been printed in The
Charleston Gazette, January 10, 1921.

"IN THE BEGINNING. . .

SAYING GOODBYE TO A LEGEND
The funeral of William Anderson 'Devil Anse' Hatfield

At the funeral of Devil Anse Hatfield, there were many stories in
local papers about what happened but this from the Charleston Gazette
of January 10, 1921, is an excerpt about a special baptism that day.

At the grave "Cap" Hatfield told "Uncle Dike" Garrett that he had made
his peace with God and was ready to be baptized whenever the minister
said "I will baptize you boy," said the old preacher, "in the very
hole where I baptized your pappy." "Cap" Hatfield raised his hands
above his head and declared that he was done with malice and with
fighting and that if any man wanted his life or his blood he would not
resist.

The casket, covered with flowers, was borne around the mountainside by
twelve strong men.

Rev. Green McNeely companion preacher to "Uncle Dike" Garrett who
calls him his son in the gospel, spoke a few simple words, not of the
dead man, but of the lesson of death, and loosing flowers upon the
coffin, now incased in a steel vault, pronounced the words "Earth to
earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust."

Present at this scene were the eleven surviving children of "Devil
Anse," almost all of his forty grandchildren and several great
grandchildren. There are about seventy-five direct descendants.

The farewell of the widow was taken at the home.

At seventy-five she was unable to follow around the mountain after the
body of the man with whom she had lived for sixty-one years.

Prayer at the grave was offered by W.A. Robinson, who was a
Confederate soldier in the company commanded by Captain Anderson
Hatfield.

The Island Creek train which bore the funeral contingent from Logan
waited at Stirrat, the nearest point to the Hatfield home, until its
passengers returned.

The word had gone forth that a patriot had fallen, and in response
there was a gathering of the clans. From all directions came men,
women and children until thousands were assembled in a spot chosen
originally because of inaccessibility in an accessible land.

The day was raw and ugly, rain and snow falling alternately while the
damp air pierced to the bone.

The crowd followed and stood in the rain during the services.

Like those of the house they were unusual as compared with such
services outside the mountains.

Sid Thompson and his young choir sang song after song, old time chants
that fell strongly upon the ear of lowlanders.

The old preacher exhorted those about him that they too must shortly
go and there was a scene when the family and near relatives gathered
to say goodbye to the dead.

The casket was opened and an umbrella was held up to keep the rain out
of the casket while they said farewell.

The body was laid to rest in the family graveyard beside those of Troy
and Elias, the two sons whose tragic deaths in Fayette County a few
years before occasioned the only break in the family circle before the
passing of the partiarch.