 In 1986 and 1992, "Goldenseal" magazine, West Virginia's premiere publication of state culture and history, resurrected the story and published two accounts of the feud.During the early 1990s, Brandon Ray Kirk, a local historian and descendant of feudists, began to research the feud story, mostly compiling oral histories and consulting available newspaper accounts.Between 1995 and 2001, Kirk partnered with country music star John Hartford to research the feud.