R.G. Yoho is an award-winning author, historian, speaker, and columnist whose work celebrates the rich history, rugged landscapes, and enduring spirit of the American West.
A native of West Virginia, Yoho grew up on a cattle farm where he developed a lifelong appreciation for history, storytelling, and the values that shaped frontier life. Today, he is recognized for his compelling Western fiction, historical nonfiction, and dedication to preserving America’s heritage.
A proud member of the Western Writers of America and a 2022 Spur Award finalist, Yoho is the author of the acclaimed Kellen Malone Western series, along with numerous standalone novels and nonfiction works. He is also widely regarded as a leading authority on the life of Charles E. Lively, the infamous coal mine spy whose story he chronicled in his acclaimed historical biography.
In addition to his writing career, Yoho has served as president of the West Virginia Writers and has worked as a radio talk show host, political columnist, and public speaker. He resides near the Ohio-West Virginia border with his wife, where he continues to write, research, and raise registered Texas Longhorn cattle alongside his family. Through his fiction and nonfiction alike, Yoho brings history to life with authenticity, insight, and a deep respect for the people and events that shaped the American experience.R.G. Yoho: Western Author and Speaker
The Nine Lives of Charles E. Lively: The Deadliest Man in the West Virginia-Colorado Coal Mine Wars
The West Virginia and Colorado Coal Mine Wars of the early twentieth century was a tumultuous and violent time in our nation’s history. At the center of this saga is Charles Everett Lively, perhaps one of the deadliest of the undercover agents of the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency. Although it’s been almost one hundred years since the bloodshed in La Veta, Ludlow, Matewan, and Welch, the names of William G. Baldwin, Thomas L. Felts, and Charles E. Lively can still stir an extraordinary level of hatred among those same coal mining communities. From the record, it’s clear that Lively killed no fewer than three men in his lifetime, one in Colorado and two in West Virginia. It also appears that killing was something that came easy for him.The Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency was one of several private detective agencies like Pinkerton, that performed many freelance security and detective tasks, including strike breaking. Among the agency’s best clients were the owners of the coal mines of West Virginia and Colorado. The dirty and dangerous work in the coal mines was accompanied by low pay. This led to strife and labor organizing. To combat this, mine owners hired detective agencies to disrupt labor organizing and break up strikes through espionage and strong-arm tactics.Lively’s blue-collar coal mining roots allowed him to move quietly among the miners, but his brief stint working the mines held little allure for him. Lively became one of Baldwin-Felts’ most effective undercover operatives and among their deadliest men. His activities included running a popular restaurant within which he gathered valuable intelligence. Local union leadership even held meetings in his establishment. Lively once did jail time in Colorado so that he could infiltrate miners who were locked up at the time.R.G. Yoho scoured every known source to bring this figure out of the shadows and provide a valuable piece to this fascinating yet overlooked period of American history and shines a light for the first time into the intrigue surrounding this controversial figure. Buy the Book