Why Do I Do It?

Ugh, sometimes I frustrate myself.  So, Satuday I decided to watch the mini-series The Hatfields and McCoys on The History Channel.  Very good by the way, I would highly recommend watching it.  But the entire time I'm watching it, I'm wondering how close it is to the truth.  You know so many times when they make movies or mini-series about a subject the only thing that resembles the truth is the name of the characters.  Guess what I did?  I start researching info on the two families.  Why I did this, I don't know, but curosity killed the cat, and it killed my sleep too.

What I read was so sad, and there was so much hate.  Granted, the feud started just a little before the end of the Civil War, and hate was around in spades.  The feud lasted 30 years.  Can you imagine 30 years of hating your neighbor?  The whole thing could have been stopped several different times, but it just festered like a big ugly sore.


In my research I found timelines, family trees, and a blog by a Hatfield decendent:  Musings of an Appalachian Lady.  She has written the oral history her family has passed down by the 'old timers'.  It is an interesting read to say the least.  I have to say I was pleased to see that most of what was presented in the mini-series was accurate.  Because they had to squash 30 years into six hours, the timing of things can a little deceptive, they also played the Johnse Hatfield/Rose Anna McCoy affair as a love story when, according to Appalachian Lady, it is more of a cautionary tale.  (Johnse was a womanizer.)

The Hatfield Family

My mind was whirring so much from all the research and watching the mini-series I didn't fall asleep until about 3am.  Yuck.  Oh well, I'll catch up later.  The m-s is very well done, but just know it leans towards an R rating because of language and violence.  If you've ever wondered about the Hatfields and McCoys just a little bit, don't miss what the History Channel has produced.

Celebrating Life, love, and a little sleep!
~ashley