Henry Drury Hatfield (September 15, 1875 – October 23, 1962) was an American

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

from

Logan County, West Virginia Logan County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,567. Its county seat is Logan. Logan County comprises the Logan, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Charle ...

. He served a term as the 14th Governor of the state, in addition to one term in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

. Hatfield was nephew to

Devil Anse Hatfield William Anderson Hatfield (September 9, 1839 – January 6, 1921), better known as Devil Anse , was the patriarch of the Hatfield clan during the infamous Hatfield–McCoy feud which has since formed part of American folklore. Anse survived t ...

, leader of the Hatfield clan. Hatfield was born in

Logan County Logan County is the name of ten current counties and one former county in the United States: * Logan County, Arkansas * Logan County, Colorado * Logan County, Idaho (1889–1895) * Logan County, Illinois * Logan County, Kansas * Logan County, ...

(present-day

Mingo County, West Virginia Mingo County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,568. Its county seat and largest city is Williamson. Created in 1895, Mingo is West Virginia's newest county, named for the historic Iro ...

) on September 15, 1875. He graduated from Franklin College in

New Athens, Ohio New Athens () is a village in Harrison County, Ohio, United States. The population was 320 at the 2010 census. History New Athens was platted in 1817. A post office has been in operation at New Athens since 1818. Geography New Athens is located ...

. He later obtained medical degrees from what is now known as the

University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public research university in Louisville, Kentucky. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one o ...

and later from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

. In 1895, he married South Carolina "Carrie" Bronson."West Virginia's First Ladies," West Virginia Division of Culture and History, June 2007. He was appointed as surgeon for the Norfolk and Western Railway (1895–1913) and surgeon in chief of ''State Hospital #1'' in

Welch, West Virginia Welch is a city located in McDowell County in the State of West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,590 at the 2020 census, however the 2021 census estimate put the population at 1,914, due to the McDowell Prison complex in the north ...

(1899–1913). He entered local politics first as commissioner of district roads of McDowell County (1900–1905), eventually becoming a member of the State senate (1908–1912), and serving as president of the senate in 1911. He was elected as

Governor of West Virginia A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

in 1912 when the southern coalfields were embroiled in the deadly Paint Creek–Cabin Creek strike. His predecessor, William E. Glasscock, had imposed martial law and imprisoned many striking miners. Hatfield began his term by pardoning

Mother Jones Mary G. Harris Jones (1837 (baptized) – November 30, 1930), known as Mother Jones from 1897 onwards, was an Irish-born American schoolteacher and dressmaker who became a prominent union organizer, community organizer, and activist. She h ...

and the miners who had been imprisoned by military courts, and then moving to negotiate a compromise to end the strike. He appointed a board of arbitration, and he himself chaired the board. The settlement presented to coal operators by Hatfield and the

UMWA The United Mine Workers of America (UMW or UMWA) is a North American labor union best known for representing coal miners. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing workers and public employees in the Unite ...

was staunchly opposed by local Socialists. In response, Hatfield deployed soldiers to force miners to agree to the compromise and ordered presses at Socialist newspapers in Huntington and Charleston destroyed.David A. Corbin, "Betrayal in the West Virginia Coal Fields: Eugene V. Debs and the Socialist Party of America, 1912-1914," March 1978. Following the expiration of his term in 1917, he entered the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

as a major in the

Medical Corps A medical corps is generally a military branch or officer corps responsible for medical care for serving military personnel. Such officers are typically military physicians. List of medical corps The following organizations are examples of medica ...

, serving as chief of the Surgical Service at Base Hospital No. 36 in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

. He was discharged in 1919 and returned to West Virginia. In 1928, he was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican, and served from March 4, 1929 to January 3, 1935. He was defeated in a bid for reelection in 1934. After leaving the Senate, Hatfield settled in Huntington, West Virginia and established a private medical practice, where he worked until his death in 1962.

References

External links

Biography of Henry D. Hatfielde-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hatfield, Henry D. 1875 births 1962 deaths People from Mingo County, West Virginia Methodists from West Virginia Republican Party governors of West Virginia Politicians from Huntington, West Virginia People from Welch, West Virginia University of Louisville School of Medicine alumni Republican Party United States senators from West Virginia Military personnel from West Virginia Physicians from West Virginia Hatfield family American surgeons United States Army Medical Corps officers United States Army personnel of World War I New York University Grossman School of Medicine alumni 20th-century American politicians Presidents of the West Virginia State Senate Republican Party West Virginia state senators