Don Chafin (June 26, 1887 – August 9, 1954) was the sheriff of Logan County, West Virginia, and a commander in the Battle of Blair Mountain.

Chafin's most notable anti-union measures came during the 1921 Battle of Blair Mountain, when he organized an effort to prevent armed miners from crossing through Logan County.

After his release, however, Chafin managed to regain some power in the Democratic Party of West Virginia, becoming a lobbyist for the coal industry.

[1] Chafin was born on June 26, 1887, near the town of Kermit in present-day Mingo County, West Virginia, the sixth of eleven children.

"[4] Chafin's vast power attracted the attention of mine operators, who paid him to keep the unions out of Logan County.

[7] The operators also directly paid the salary of at least forty of Chafin's deputies, ensuring control over the department and favorable treatment.

[9] In one case, Chafin mistook J. L. Heiser, the Chief Clerk of the West Virginia Department of Mines, for a union organizer, then threatened him with a gun, hit him over the head with a blackjack, and forced him to leave the county.

[11] Chafin's anti-union activities did successfully keep the United Mine Workers out of Logan County, but they also aroused the anger of UMW officials.

Petry was later cleared of criminal wrongdoing on the grounds that his action was self-defense,[13] but he expressed no remorse about the shooting and later remarked "That's what happens when a man carries a toy pistol.

In a third incident, a disgruntled constituent walked into his office, with a gun drawn and reportedly said "Don Chafin, I'm gonna' shoot you dead."

The growing violence led to a declaration of martial law in 1921, and a Congressional investigation into the circumstances in the area began, but it accomplished little.

[15] Then Sid Hatfield, the miners' hero from the Battle of Matewan, was killed on August 1 by Baldwin-Felts agents on the steps of the McDowell County Courthouse in Welch.

Chafin had formed a small army of several hundred volunteers, composed of his deputies, mine guards, and members of the Logan County middle class, and had begun to train them in June.

He established large weapons caches, including a stockpile of machine guns, and erected breastworks on the slopes of Blair Mountain.

Governor Morgan then named William Eubanks as a colonel of the National Guard, and ordered him to take command of the forces from Chafin.

"[24] As it became clear that battle was imminent, and Chafin printed leaflets for his biplanes to drop on the miners, ordering them one last time to disperse.

[26] That same day, Chafin also equipped his biplanes with pipe bombs and tear gas, which they dropped on the miners, though they inflicted no serious casualties.

He was frequently present in the state capitol, and attended the 1924 Democratic National Convention as a member of the West Virginia delegation.

[36] Following his parole, he moved to Charleston and retained some of his influence in the Democratic Party of West Virginia while lobbying for the coal industry.

[37] In 1936, Chafin moved to Huntington, where he purchased a number of properties including the Guaranty Bank, on top of which he built a penthouse as his home.