The Night Riders were a vigilante group operating from about 1906 to 1908 in southwestern Kentucky and northwestern Tennessee that used fear and intimidation against the Duke tobacco monopoly in the area. The Night Riders were led by Dr. David Amoss, a medical doctor from the Cobb community in Caldwell County, Kentucky. These "masked riders" initiated what were called the Black Patch Wars because of the unfair price ceilings being generated by the Duke tobacco conglomerate. The Black Patch Wars developed into the most violent civil uprising since the Civil War. The price of tobacco had been artificially suppressed and as a consequence the people in these communities suffered greatly. However, the violent tactics of the Night Riders (whippings, murders, burning of buildings, and seizing of entire towns) set up an inevitable confrontation with the National Guard.
Finally, in April, 1908 a Kentucky National Guard element led by Captain Newton Jasper Wilburn forced the Night Riders out of the area with a series of daring raids against the leadership. Even though most of the Night Riders eventually escaped justice, Captain Wilburn's actions helped bring law and order to the beleaguered region.
The Amoss House in Caldwell County is dedicated to the history of Dr. Amoss and the Night Riders. Other area museums house numerous artifacts and personal histories regarding the era of the Night Riders.