Morehead, KY

The Tolliver Family Association dedicated a monument, featuring the names of those killed during the Rowan County War, also known as the Tolliver-Martin Feud, at the old passenger depot (Chamber of Commerce Office) on Railroad Street. Taking place from 1884-1887, the bloody conflict earned Rowan County a reputation for violence that was international in its scope. Beginning with an election day riot on the Courthouse lawn, the Feud claimed a steady stream of victims for nearly three years, ending at last in a two hour shootout on Railroad Street involving at least sixty gunman, that added four names to the dead list. Remarkably, only one murder resulted in a successful prosecution. County officials, themselves partisan, made only a token effort to staunch the bloodshed. The Feud’s most lasting legacy was a school so small it opened its doors on its first day to only one student, then doubled its enrollment the second day. Over the years it grew in scope and influence, until today it literally reaches out to the stars. Yes, Morehead State University traces its roots directly back to those dark and violent times, when it was founded in an effort to educate and civilize a people mired in conflict. If any of your ancestors were surnamed Day, Stewart, Young, Hargis, Alderson,Goodan, Bowling, Keeton, Wilson, McKenzie, Nickel, Trumbo, Humphrey, Martin, Tolliver or Logan or any of a host of others, they may have found themselves in the thick of this conflict. The idea for the monument originated with Tolliver family descendant and feud researcher J. D. Reeder. Its placement near an official Kentucky Historical Society Highway Marker commemorating events in the Rowan County War will provide a permanent record of the names of those who died and serve to educate future generations about this important event in local history.

Names on the monument are: 1884 Solomon Bradley, John G. Hughes, Floyd Tolliver, John P. Martin; 1885 Ben Rayburn, John Marlow, Stewart Bumgardner, Stewart Caudill; 1886 Whit Pelfrey, John C. Day, William O. Logan; 1887 H. M. (Mason) Keeton, John B. Logan, William H. Logan, Hiram Cooper, Craig Tolliver, Jacob F. (Jay) Tolliver, Jr., John R. (Budd) Tolliver, Wylie V. Tolliver, John N. Witcher.

Family members from the families of Bradley, Martin, Tolliver, Logan, and Cooper attended the dedication.

If you would like to help us pay for the monument, please send a check to Dr. J. D. Reeder, 230 Lyons Ave., Morehead, KY 40351.

Byron Crawford wrote a nice article in the Courier-Journal about the dedication Sunday, Oct. 28, 2007.

Janie Strunk, great-great granddaughter of John Martin stands between Jim and Harry Tolliver, great grandsons of Craig Tolliver. It was John Martin who killed Craig’s brother, Floyd, and Craig and his friends who killed John Martin. After the dedication, time was spent sharing stories. Janie was quoted as saying, “Everybody was just sharing hugs.” It was an emotional time, a time for healing.