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Testerman, Cabell Cornelius 1882-1920 Cem_ fag_StevenCorley

20230602GHLn-
Photo of Cabell Cornelius Testerman
added by Andrea Coleman
Pictures of markers
Added by Steven Corley

CABLE C. TESTERMAN
1882-1920

Highway Historical Marker
MG2, WV Dept of Culture & history
MATEWAN MASSACRE
In 1920 area miners went on strike to gain recognition of UMWA. On May 19 of the same year, twelve Baldwin-Felts Agency guards came from Bluefield to evict the miners from company houses. As guards left town, they argued with town police chief Sid Hatfield and Mayor Testerman. Shooting of undetermined origins resulted in the deaths of two coal miners, seven agents, and the mayor. None of 19 men indicted were convicted.

Cabell Cornelius Testerman
BIRTH 18 Apr 1882
Flat Ridge, Grayson County, Virginia, USA
DEATH 19 May 1920 (aged 38)
Matewan, Mingo County, West Virginia, USA
BURIALBuskirk Cemetery
Buskirk, Pike County, Kentucky, USA
MEMORIAL ID 102838611 ·
PHOTOS 3
FLOWERS 14

On the day of the fight, a group of the Baldwin-Felts enforcers arrived to evict families living at the mountain coal camp, just outside of Matewan. The sheriff and his deputy, Fred Burgraff, sensed trouble and met the Baldwin-Felts detectives at the train station. News of the evictions soon spread around the town. When Sid Hatfield approached Mr. Felts, Mr. Felts served a warrant on Sid Hatfield, which had been issued by Squire R. M. Stafford, a Justice of the Peace of Magnolia District, Mingo County, West Virginia, for the arrest of Sid Hatfield, Bas Ball, Tony Webb and others, which warrant was directed to Albert C. Felts for execution. The warrant turned out to be fraudulent. Burgraff's son reports that the detectives had sub-machine guns with them in their suitcases. Sid Hatfield, Fred Burgraff, and Mayor Cabell Testerman met with the detectives on the porch of the Chambers Hardware Store. It is still unknown whether it was Hatfield or the leading detective, Albert Felts, that shot Mayor Testerman first, though what followed was Sid Hatfield shooting Albert Felts. Later Thomas Felts (brother of Albert and Lee Felts who died in the battle) and the Baldwin-Felts spy Charles Lively spread rumors that Sid shot Mayor Testerman because he had feelings for his wife. The rumors were never confirmed, although he did marry her after Mayor Testerman's death. After the detective and mayor fell wounded, Sid kept firing, but Felts escaped. He took shelter in the Matewan Post Office, and Hatfield eventually found him there and shot him. When the shooting finally stopped, the townspeople came out, many wounded. There were casualties on both sides. Seven Baldwin-Felts Detectives were killed, including brothers Albert and Lee Felts. One more detective had been wounded. Two miners were killed, Bob Mullins, who had just been fired for joining the union, and Tot Tinsley, an unarmed bystander. The wounded mayor was dying, and four other bystanders had been wounded.

Family Members
Parents Jeston Jesse Testerman 1835-1895
Thursa Jane Livesay Testerman 1845-1919
Spouses Donna Almeda Anderson 1885-1970 (m. 1900)
Lula Minton Watson 1877-1948 (m. 1904)
Jesse Lee Maynard Hatfield 1892-1980 (m. 1914)
Siblings Milam B Testerman 1869-1937
Matilda Martha Testerman Haga 1871-1954
James Testerman 1873-1939
Troy Marshall Testerman 1875-1939
George Washington Testerman 1879-1970
Celia Jane Testerman Rutherford 1887-1912
Half Siblings
Lafayette Guy Testerman 1854-1931
Calvin Columbus Testerman 1855-1936
Amanda Martell Testerman Parks 1858-1935
Melvina Victoria Testerman Parks 1859-1930
Abraham B. Testerman 1861-1912
John B Testerman 1863-1935
Peter Riley Testerman 1865-1939
Children Jackson Testerman 1915-2001

Flowers • 14
Left by Bryan on 15 May 2020
God bless you dear sir.
Left by oldiebutgoodie on 1 Aug 2017

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