The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-09-30
THE LONG FEUDS
Of Breathitt County, Kentucky, and
Their Numerous Fatalities.
A DARK AND BLOODY STORY
The Hargis, Ccckrell, Bonnetts, ana
Other Blood Thirsty Families
Number Their Dead by
the Scores.

Number Their DeaG Dy
the Scores.
Breathitt county, Kentucky, is in
the eastern end of the State: about
midway between the Ohio river and
the southern boundary and to tie
southwestward Of a spur Of the Cum
berland mountains that reaches up
from tee southeast and, having per-
formed the useful purpose OF dividing
Breathitt county from Wolfe and
Magotin counties on the north, con-
tinues through Lee and Estill coun-
ties on the west.
1t is the real thing in mountain
country, and it's population, some
where about 1000, is well scattered.
Jackson, it's capital or court house
town, was, until the railroad pierced
the country, as isolated as any of the
remote hill towns, like Manchester,
Clay county, not far away.
The people are very like all the bill
people Of Kentucky, hospitable to the
stranger, if he is not revenue officer;
contented to live without schools, II
they must be depended uton to pro-
vide them; not worried because the
women wear one piece frocks and sun
bonnets and rub snuff into their gums,
like their mothers before them: will
ing to be interested in the outside
world, but nos anxious to get into 1t:
with a native standard Of morality
that is not just that Of the blue grass
lands below the foothills, and so strong
in their likes and dislikes that the
men will fight to the death for a
friend or pursue foe with a relent-
lessness that will not wear out.
The casual visitor who should drop
into Jackson or any Of the other small
er settlements OF the county would
live there for months before he would
lose the impression that it was
only a peaceful village, with a railway
connection direct to Frankfort OF
Louisville bringing the two places
within days ride Of the mountain
town.
If the visitor wants to know about
Jackson's reputation as the capital OF
the Hargis-Sewall Cockrell feud, he
will be surprised to find that the peo.
pie are not only not averse to discLsS'
iug it, but actually willing, if not
anxious, to 20 into all details of the
contention that IS described as having
begun when William Sewall OF Jack,
son married Virginia Britton Of
Virginia in 1852.
OF this marriage there were two
sons, Thomas J. and William, and
two daughters, one OF whom was
married to Hiram Jett. Curtis Jetl
was child Of this marriage. When
William Sewall died, his widow was
welded to John S. Hargis. There
was a big family OF Hargises: Henry
A., James, John G., Benjamin and
Ebert; and If there were any daugh'
ters they are not talked about. The
mother Of these sons was tie grand
mother Of the Curtis Jett who is now
in State prison.
The interests Of the Sewall brothers
and the Hargis brothers, sous OF The
same mother, became Identical for the
bitter purposes that presently arrayec
the family against another family
According to the local accounts, the
troubles between the Hargis and Cock
rell families between boys, Thomas j.
Sewall and Buck Coombs played TO-
gether. They quarreled. Sewall shot
Combs. He was not killed, but bis
shooting dio the business.
A latent spirit Of dislike, possibly
tinged with Jealousy and rivalry fol
leadership in mountain society, burst
into flame. Coombs was the nephew
Of Tom Cockrell. Cockrell loudly pro,
claimed that the injury to his family
must be atoned by the blood of the
Hargises. That was many years ago.
and in the course Of the Intervening
years the effort to make the menace
good, and the determination OF the
other side to be even with the Cock.
rel!s, have led to some slaughter. The
score shows greater activity by the
Hargises, but the Cockrell shooting
has been the more accurate and fatal.
It was not a constant, open fight.
On the surface. Breathitt county was
not always turbulent region. From
time to time, sometimes by accident
and again by design, not infrequently
from the security of ambush, Cock
rell would slay a Hargis or HarglS a
Cockrell. The record, as made up at
Jackson recently, showed the account
to stand as follows:
THE SEWALL-HARGIS SCORE.
Buck Coombs, wounded by T. J.
Sewall.
Judge Cardwell, wounded by T. J.
Sewall.
Thomas Dunbar, killed by T. j.
Sewall.
Jerry South, wounded by William
Sewall.
Fillmore Brown, wounded by Viii,
liam Sewall.
Henry Barnett, killed by Elbert
Hargis.
Sally Hayes, killed by John G
Hargis.
Chrales Everett, wounded by Ber
HargiS.
Samuel Lentzford. wounded by Ber
Hargis.
Tom Cockrell, wounded by Ber
HargiS.
Hanrv Smith shot, nv Comfy Judge