Mr. Tom E Dotson

I was born on Blackberry Creek, in Pike County, Kentucky, where most of the feud events transpired. I grew up there and graduated from Belfry High School in 1958. I then earned a B.S. in Economics from the University of Kentucky, and a Masters in Labor History from Cornell University.

I am descended from both Hatfields and McCoys, and have been a life-long "History nut;" I have researched the history of Tug Valley since my teen years.

I have now lived long enough to be unique among living writers of books on the feud, in that I grew up among several people on Blackberry Creek who remembered the 1880's. I delivered The Williamson Daily News to several of those living witnesses from 1952-55, and talked about feud events with them often.

I began to research the public records pertaining to feud events while a student at the University of Kentucky, in 1959. That research continues today.

There are two ways to approach the Hatfield and McCoy feud. One can look at it as a series of real historical events, in which case it is a subject for continuing study and research; or, one can look at it as a "story," in which case all one has to do is learn the story, and, as the basic story has not changed since the New York newspaper reporters wrote it in 1888, further effort is not required.

I prefer the historical approach, because there is no greater thrill than to find a jewel of real historical evidence that I have not seen before. There is almost never a week that passes without me learning something new about the history of my ancestors in the Tug Valley, and the thrill is always there when it happens.

The historical inaccuracies in Kevin Costner's hit 2012 TV series motivated me to collect a lifetime of notes and write a book on the feud. The books that followed in the wake of the movie caused me to expand the book.

In my previous life, I was the founder and CEO of Dotson Wheel Corporation, of Saltville Virginia (now Titan Wheel of Virginia).

Now retired in Florida, I read and write. My first book is: "The Hatfield & McCoy Feud after Kevin Costner: Rescuing History."

I blog at: http://hatfield-mccoytruth.com/

My second book is entitled: "The Missing McCoys"