Free Republic

160 years ago this month, William Anderson Jr. (Cap) was born to the infamous clan leader William Anderson (Devil Anse) Hatfield in Logan county West Virginia. The second son to Devil Anse and Levisa Hatfield, he was clearly one of, if not THEE most ruthless of the family in his early years. He eventually became a man of god and changed his ways as he became older as many do. But the wake of damage left was real. We revisit the homesite and grave of him and his close family. The only video of its kind in existence to date.

The most infamous feud in American folklore, the long-running battle between the Hatfields and McCoys, may be partly explained by a rare, inherited disease that can lead to hair-trigger rage and violent outbursts. Dozens of McCoy descendants apparently have the disease, which causes high blood pressure, racing hearts, severe headaches and too much adrenaline and other "fight or flight" stress hormones. No one blames the whole feud on this, but doctors say it could help explain some of the clan's notorious behavior. "This condition can certainly make anybody short-tempered, and if they are prone because of their personality, it can...

The dispute between the neighbors started seven years ago, but no one can say precisely when it spiraled out of control. The families have blamed their counterparts on the other side of the pine-studded property line for everything from near-miss car accidents to being followed while on errands and videotaped while doing yard work. Profanities and obscene gestures have been exchanged, as have a plethora of lawsuits and criminal complaints, requiring more than 100 visits to the street by Howard County police. And, of course, there are the lawn chairs. Once arrayed like white plastic sentries on the border between...