According to family lore, passed down through the generations, not only the kids of William Winters and Eliza Shell were ornery. This couple's children were commonly referred to as the "Seven Devils" in the Appalachian Mountain area.

William himself had quite a reputation for fist fighting and would challenge most anyone.

The Winters Clan held regular "tough man contests" or "fights" on the Doll Flats. People came from all around to watch the fights, apparently it was quite entertaining.

One story goes like this:

Notoriety of William's flare for fighting spread to far and distant places.

One day, a man in Rutherford County, North Carolina, who also apparently loved to fight and considered himself to be the greatest fighter around heard of William.

So the man got on his horse and rode seventy or so miles to Carter County, Tennessee, to see William and settle the question of who was the best.

The man rode into William's yard and called for William to come out. When William came out, the man explained "I hear tell that you are the greatest fighter in the world, and I have rode all the way from Rutherford County to prove you wrong." "I have come to give you the whooping of your life."

William asked 'Can I talk you out of it?'

The man answered 'No, There's not room in this world for two of the greatest fighters, so come on out and let's get on.'.

William replied 'Excuse me for a minute, I have to take care of a job for my wife first. I'll be right back.' The man dismounted and waited, but he didn't have to wait long. William came out the door, walked straight to the man's horse, picked it up and set it across the fence. Turning to the man he said 'I don't like people to ride their horses over my lawn.'

The man got back on his horse and rode back to Rutherford County.

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William N. Winters was born on Canoe Creek, Burke County, North Carolina, about the year 1817. He was the oldest of nine children born to John and Nancy Daniels Winters. William was married to Eliza Shell, daughter of Daniel Shell, about 1836-1837 Eliza's mother was a Miller.

They lived in the Shell Creek area of Carter County Tennessee where they raised a total of fourteen children; seven girls and seven boys.