Ellison "Cotton Top" Hatfield

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Ellison "Cotton Top" Hatfield's Geni Profile

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Ellison "Cotton Top" Hatfield (Mounts)

Also Known As: "alleged illigitimate son"
Birthdate:
Birthplace: Logan County, West Virginia, United States
Death: February 18, 1890 (25)
Pikeville, Pike County, Kentucky, United States (Hung for the murder of Alifair McCoy)
Place of Burial: Pikeville, Pike County, Kentucky, United States
Immediate Family:

Son of Ellison Hatfield and Harriet Mounts
Husband of Rebecca Hatfield/ Mount
Brother of George Mounts
Half brother of Valentine Hatfield; Louis Wetzel Hatfield; Floyd Hatfield; Elliott Hatfield; Easter Hatfield and 10 others

Managed by: Charles Douglass Brown
Last Updated:

About Ellison "Cotton Top" Hatfield

"It is generally felt that Ellison was the illegitimate son of Ellison Hatfield." Medically he was an albino.

He was executed for his part in the killings of two of the McCoy's children. The case went all the way to the Supreme court in the case, known as Mahon v. Justice.



Illegitimate son of Ellison Hatfield and Harriet Hatfield, 1st cousins. Took the name Mounts when Harriet married Daniel Mounts in 1867. Described as dimwitted and possibly an albino, Ellison was a participant in the New Year's Eve massacre that occurred in 1888 when a group of Hatfields and their supporters attempted to murder Randolph McCoy. During the gun battle Randolph escaped, but his daughter Alifair and son Calvin were killed, and his wife Sarah severely beaten. Ellison was charged with murder and confessed, but after being convicted and sentenced to hang he tried to change his plea, stating he had only done so in expectation of leniency. During the trial testimony was given by one of the McCoy victims that Cap Hatfield was the actual murderer. There were also rumors that Ellison had been pressured and bribed to confess with the promise he would be rescued.

On 2/18/1890, he was hung in Kentucky's last public execution and buried in an unmarked grave within sight of the gallows. His last words were reportedly "They made me do it. The Hatfields made me do it".

On 12/25/1882, Ellison married Rebecca Justice, daughter of Jaob Justice and Elizabeth Ferrell - no record of any children. ~
Kentucky's last public execution was in Owensboro, in 1936.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104268010/ellison-hatfield-mounts

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Ellison "Cotton Top" Hatfield's Timeline

1864
August 1864
Logan County, West Virginia, United States
1890
February 18, 1890
Age 25
Pikeville, Pike County, Kentucky, United States
1890
Age 25
Dils Cemetery, Pikeville, Pike County, Kentucky, United States