The origin of the Rowan County War, also known as the Martin-Tolliver Feud, can be traced back to the controversial election of Thomas F. Hargis as circuit judge in 1874 and the Underwood-Holbrook Feud which occurred from 1877 to 1879. The conflict between the Martins and Tollivers began in August of 1884 during a tightly contested race for Rowan County sheriff. What ensued was a series of brutal murders, deadly gun battles and three years of lawlessness in the county. The feud ended in June 22, 1887 when the Tollivers were surrounded at a hotel and tavern in Morehead by a posse of over one hundred men led by Boone Logan. After the gunfight, most of the members of the Tolliver faction were killed and peace was eventually restored to the county.
Submissions from 1887
Tolliverites Organizing to Burn Morehead , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (October 6, 1887)
Shirt of Craig Toliver on Exhibit , Monmouth Evening Gazette (October 8, 1887)
That Special Correspondent at Lexington , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (October 8, 1887)
Governor Buckner , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (October 18, 1887)
James Harris alias Pendlum Acquitted of the Charge of Conspiracy to Commit Murder , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (November 3, 1887)
George Walters , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (November 5, 1887)
Special Reports on the Rowan County Affairs: Legislative Document No. 23 , Sam E. Hill and Ernest MacPherson (November 22, 1887)
Craig Tolliver and His Faction , Semi-Weekly South Kentuckian (November 30, 1887)
Cottage and American Hotels Purchased , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (November 30, 1887)
Journal of the Regular Session of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky , State of Kentucky (December 1, 1887)
The Dead Tollivers: The Great Kentucky Vendetta Described , Atlanta Constitution (December 28, 1887)
Captain McPherson Indicted , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (December 28, 1887)
Temperance Movement at Morehead , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (December 30, 1887)
Submissions from 1888
Acts of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky , State of Kentucky (January 1, 1888)
Excepts from Various Newspapers , Unknown (January 1, 1888)
Scrapbook of Rowan County War Newspaper Clippings , Unknown (January 1, 1888)
The Blue Ribbon Brigade , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (January 2, 1888)
The Latest from Morehead , Richmond Climax (January 4, 1888)
The Tolliver War: Peace Reigns in Morehead, Ky., the Seat of the Feud in Which Twenty-two Men Were Slain , Warren County Democrat (January 5, 1888)
Reviving Rowan Troubles , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (January 5, 1888)
Judge Cole Explains his Position in Reference to the Troubles in Rowan County , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (January 10, 1888)
Rowan County , Hartford Weekly Herald (January 11, 1888)
Report of Sam E. Hill, Adjutant General, Concerning the Riotous Section of the State , Hartford Herald (January 11, 1888)
Frankfort, Jan. 4 - Senate , Big Sandy News (January 12, 1888)
The Following Amendment has been Passed , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (January 14, 1888)
Mass Meeting at Morehead , Unknown. (January 18, 1888)
The State's Law-Makers , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (January 20, 1888)
Rumors of War , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (January 26, 1888)
Rowan County Crimes , Big Sandy News (February 2, 1888)
An Ill-Governed Community , Chicago Tribune (February 10, 1888)
That Rowan Investigation , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (February 10, 1888)
A Bloody Record , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (February 16, 1888)
Rowan Affairs , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (February 18, 1888)
Taylor Young's Little Army , Unknown. (February 22, 1888)
Drawing to a Close , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (February 24, 1888)
The Rowan Investigation , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (February 25, 1888)
Rowan to be Abolished , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (February 28, 1888)
Craig Tolliver's Slayer Not Dead , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (March 14, 1888)
The Rowan Investigation , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (March 14, 1888)
Majority and Minority Reports and Testimony taken by the Rowan County Investigating Committee made to the General Assembly of Kentucky , State of Kentucky and John D. Woods (March 16, 1888)
Old Judge Cole , Unknown. (March 20, 1888)
Rowan County Doing Very Well , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (April 14, 1888)
Judge Cole , Semi-Weekly Interior Journal (April 17, 1888)
No More Bloodshed, No More Factional Fights, but All Quiet and Serene , Kentucky Leader (Lexington) (May 24, 1888)
Not Guilty , Unknown (June 1, 1888)
Governor Pardons Tolliver Murderers , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (June 23, 1888)
Rowan County Circuit Court Ordinary Docket (August 1888) , Rowan County (Ky.) Circuit Court (August 1, 1888)
Tollivers Buying Arms , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (September 11, 1888)
The Daily Republican of Ironton Claims , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (September 11, 1888)
On Election Day in Morehead , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (November 12, 1888)
Hiram Pigman Hurt , Louisville Courier-Journal (November 27, 1888)
Craig Tolliver's Slayer , Louisville Courier-Journal (November 28, 1888)
Hiram Pigman Dead , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (November 29, 1888)
Hiram Pigman , Semi-Weekly Interior Journal (November 30, 1888)
Cal Tolliver - Conley dispute , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (December 8, 1888)
Submissions from 1889
Deadly Feud Ended in Marriage , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (October 21, 1889)
Love Ends an Old Feud , Chicago Tribune (October 21, 1889)
The Toliver-Martin Feud , Semi-Weekly Interior Journal (October 22, 1889)
Mrs. Craig Tolliver , Semi-Weekly Interior Journal (October 25, 1889)
That Story about Frank Tolliver , Semi-Weekly Interior Journal (November 1, 1889)
Frank Tolliver Marriage , Semi-Weekly Interior Journal (November 1, 1889)
Submissions from 1890
Fighting for Free Whiskey , New York Times (April 5, 1890)
Submissions from 1892
Tolliver and Howard Factions , Louisville Courier-Journal (October 25, 1892)
Battle at Hogtown , Louisville Courier-Journal (October 25, 1892)
Tolliver and Howard Factions , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (October 26, 1892)
Tolliver-Howard Feud , Maysville Public Ledger (October 26, 1892)
Rowan County War Renewed , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (October 27, 1892)
Wyley Tolliver Dead , Louisville Courier-Journal (October 27, 1892)
Tolliver-Howard Tragedy , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (November 4, 1892)
Submissions from 1893
"Burk" Mannin's Trial , Semi-Weekly Interior Journal (March 28, 1893)
While Serving as a Member of the State Guard , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (May 17, 1893)
Submissions from 1894
A Life Sentence , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (March 3, 1894)
Submissions from 1895
Colonel Z. T. Young Dead , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (February 15, 1895)
Death of Col. Young , Mount Sterling Advocate (February 19, 1895)
Died Alone: Sudden End of Judge Z. T. Young at Mt. Sterling , Hazel Green Herald (February 21, 1895)
Used a Dirk , Hazel Green Herald (April 11, 1895)
Submissions from 1896
Judge W. D. Minnick , Mount Sterling Advocate (May 5, 1896)
Skipped: Mrs. James Goins of Frankfort Leaves her Home to Live with Al Bowling , Mount Sterling Advocate (September 22, 1896)
Submissions from 1898
In a Little Hillside Graveyard , Mount Sterling Advocate (January 4, 1898)
Submissions from 1899
Probably a Suicide , Maysville Public Ledger (July 31, 1899)
William Tolliver , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (July 31, 1899)
Cate Tolliver shot Alex Josselson , Hazel Green Herald (November 15, 1899)
Fatal Difficulty Over a Woman , Mount Vernon Signal (December 1, 1899)
Submissions from 1900
Three Prisoners , Bourbon News (February 2, 1900)
Submissions from 1901
4th of July Fight , Spout Springs Times (July 1, 1901)
Serious Fourth of July Fights at Morehead , Louisville Courier-Journal (July 5, 1901)
Tragedies at Morehead , Maysville Public Ledger (July 7, 1901)
Shoots His Wife-Then Kills A Man , Louisville Courier-Journal (August 20, 1901)
Submissions from 1902
Lee Toliver was Shot , Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin (January 25, 1902)
Convicted , Mount Sterling Advocate (November 5, 1902)
Rowan County Items , Mount Sterling Advocate (November 12, 1902)
Elliott County Man to Prison for Life , Mount Sterling Advocate (November 26, 1902)
Submissions from 1903
Judge Hargis Dead , Owingsville Outlook (August 6, 1903)
Submissions from 1904
Must Serve His Term , Mount Sterling Advocate (June 22, 1904)
Submissions from 1907
Assassination: Attempted Near Morehead - Captured by Aids of Blood Hounds , Mount Sterling Advocate (May 22, 1907)
Girl's Terrible Story , Berea Citizen (May 30, 1907)
Submissions from 1908
Will Young Sues Newspaper , Bourbon News (March 24, 1908)
Submissions from 1909
Southern Mountaineers our Contemporaneous Ancestors , New York Herald. (March 14, 1909)
Feud Murder not Regarded as Crime , Fort Worth Record & Register (April 4, 1909)
Submissions from 1910
The Rowan County War , Edward T. Moran and Cora Wilson Stewart (January 1, 1910)