Henry Drury Hatfield (September 15, 1875 – October 23, 1962) was an American politician. He served a term as the 14th governor of West Virginia, in addition to one term in the United States Senate.
Biography
Hatfield was born on September 15, 1875, in Sidney, West Virginia, the second son of Elias Hatfield and Elizabeth Chafin Hatfield. He was a nephew of Devil Anse Hatfield, a bellingrent of the Hatfield–McCoy feud. He attended Franklin College, then studied medicine at the University of Louisville and New York University, graduating in 1895 and 1904, respectively. He married South Carolina "Carrie" Bronson in 1895.
Hatfield began his career as a physician of the Pocahontas Fuel Company. He then served as health commissioner of Mingo County, West Virginia from 1895 to 1900. He was a surgeon for the Norfolk and Western Railway between 1895 and 1913, and between 1899 and 1913, served as chief surgeon of a hospital. His first non-medical position was serving as road commissioner of McDowell County, West Virginia, which he did from 1900 to 1905. From 1906 to 1912, he was a member of the McDowell County court. He received criticism from conservative newspapers for raising taxes, which they called "unecessary". After his term as governor ended, he retired from politics, though later returned.