William STAPLETON #6704
17 MAY 1820 - 6 JUN 1910
AKA: Dixie Bill
BIRTH 17 MAY 1820, Scott, Virginia, USA
DEATH 6 JUN 1910, Trench, Elliott, Kentucky, USA
Historical Notes
REGULATOR UPRISING. After the Civil War, Kentucky became a place of
lawlessness with vigilantees roaming the land. The "Regulators" ruled. An
uprising began in Elliott Co in 1877 after outlaws burned part of Sandy
Hook - the county seat. Attacks on women were waged in 1879 and the
citizens of Elliott County decided to take care of the Regulators
themselves. "Judge Lynch" told the people that lawlessness would not be
tolerated. On the 20th of October 1879, 200 Regulators, armed completely,
dragged two supposed outlaws from the jail and hung them. This started a
time of terror against all lawbreakers in the area. Men who rode on
horseback and were masked road the countryside and drove the lawless out of
the area. By the spring of 1880 the movement widened to include the
counties of Morgan, Rowan, Carter, Boyd and Lawrence. Judge James E.
Stewart, 16th judicial district, although threatened with bodily harm,
stated that he was holding the line. He contacted Governor Luke P.
Blackburn, asking for state troops to assist. He promised clemency for the
Regulators who surrendered. On 28 May 1880, 200 Lawrence and Carter County
Regulators surrendered. By 1881, the Elliott and Morgan County Regulators
had disbanded.
"Dixie Bill" was a regulator. he was pardoned twice by the governor of Kentucky
lawlessness with vigilantees roaming the land. The "Regulators" ruled. An
uprising began in Elliott Co in 1877 after outlaws burned part of Sandy
Hook - the county seat. Attacks on women were waged in 1879 and the
citizens of Elliott County decided to take care of the Regulators
themselves. "Judge Lynch" told the people that lawlessness would not be
tolerated. On the 20th of October 1879, 200 Regulators, armed completely,
dragged two supposed outlaws from the jail and hung them. This started a
time of terror against all lawbreakers in the area. Men who rode on
horseback and were masked road the countryside and drove the lawless out of
the area. By the spring of 1880 the movement widened to include the
counties of Morgan, Rowan, Carter, Boyd and Lawrence. Judge James E.
Stewart, 16th judicial district, although threatened with bodily harm,
stated that he was holding the line. He contacted Governor Luke P.
Blackburn, asking for state troops to assist. He promised clemency for the
Regulators who surrendered. On 28 May 1880, 200 Lawrence and Carter County
Regulators surrendered. By 1881, the Elliott and Morgan County Regulators
had disbanded.
"Dixie Bill" was a regulator. he was pardoned twice by the governor of Kentucky