Arizona’s Pleasant Valley War
The rugged terrain of Arizona, with its sweeping valleys and harsh deserts, has witnessed numerous conflicts etched into the annals of the Old West. Among these, the Arizona’s Pleasant Valley War stands out as a particularly brutal and prolonged feud, a testament to the volatile mix of land disputes, economic rivalries, and simmering personal animosities that characterized the era. This bloody conflict, also known as the Tonto Range War, engulfed the Pleasant Valley region from the early 1880s to the early 1890s, leaving a trail of death, destruction, and lingering bitterness in its wake.
The roots of the Arizona’s Pleasant Valley War are complex and intertwined, but the initial spark can be traced back to the simmering tension between cattlemen and sheep herders, a common source of friction throughout the West. In the Pleasant Valley, this tension manifested between the Graham family, prominent cattle ranchers, and the Tewksbury family, who, while primarily cattlemen themselves, supported the introduction of sheep into the valley.
The vast open ranges of the Old West were seen as a resource to be exploited, and the competition for land, water, and grazing rights was fierce. Cattlemen like the Grahams viewed sheep as a destructive force, claiming that they grazed the land bare, leaving nothing for the cattle to feed on. This economic argument was further fueled by the traditional cowboy disdain for sheep herders, whom they often viewed as outsiders and interlopers.
Adding another layer of complexity to the situation was a pre-existing quarrel between the Grahams and the Tewksburys, predating the sheep controversy. This initial dispute allegedly stemmed from the theft of cattle from a man named James Stinson. Whatever the precise cause, the animosity between the two families was already simmering when the issue of sheep arose, turning a potential disagreement into a full-blown conflict. When the Tewksburys offered protection to a band of sheep owned by the Daggs brothers of Flagstaff, the lines were drawn, and the stage was set for the Arizona’s Pleasant Valley War.
As the conflict escalated, it drew in other settlers in the area who shared the Grahams’ concerns about the impact of sheep on the open range. Those who had previously remained neutral began to align themselves with one side or the other, further widening the divide and transforming the Pleasant Valley into a battleground. Almost every man in the valley was eventually caught up in the feud, forced to choose sides or face the consequences.
The simmering tensions finally boiled over in February 1887, marking a turning point in the Arizona’s Pleasant Valley War. A Navajo Indian employed by the Tewksburys was herding sheep near the Mogollon Rim, a region generally considered to be off-limits to sheep. Tom Graham confronted the herder, shooting him dead and driving away or destroying the sheep. This act of violence ignited the bloody phase of the war, unleashing a wave of retaliatory killings and escalating the conflict to new heights.
The ensuing months were marked by a series of violent incidents, ambushes, and assassinations, as the Graham and Tewksbury factions engaged in a deadly game of tit-for-tat. The exact number of casualties remains uncertain, but it is estimated that at least 19 people died in the conflict, with some accounts suggesting as many as 30. The violence was so pervasive that it instilled a climate of fear and paranoia throughout the Pleasant Valley, turning neighbors against neighbors and shattering the once-peaceful community.
Adding to the notoriety of the Arizona’s Pleasant Valley War was the alleged involvement of Tom Horn, a notorious hired killer of the era. While it is unclear which side, if any, employed Horn, his presence in the region only served to heighten the tension and brutality of the conflict. Horn’s reputation as a ruthless and efficient killer added another layer of fear and uncertainty to an already volatile situation.
On August 17, 1887, William Graham was shot down at his home, but he lived long enough to identify Ed Tewksbury as the shooter. This accusation further inflamed the feud and led to Ed Tewksbury’s eventual arrest and trial. Apache County Deputy Sheriff James D. Houck publicly announced the shooting and killing of William Graham, a move some believed was intended to deflect suspicion from Tewksbury. Despite the controversy, a jury ultimately found Tewksbury guilty in absentia, leading Sheriff Mulvenon to pursue him into the hills.
The violence continued unabated. In September 1887, the Graham faction surrounded one of the Tewksbury cabins and ambushed John Tewksbury and William Jacobs as they attempted to reach their horses. Even after the two men were dead, the Grahams continued to fire at the cabin for hours, ceasing only when Mrs. Tewksbury emerged with a shovel to bury the bodies. This act of callous disregard for human life underscored the depth of the animosity and the brutal nature of the conflict.
In the wake of this incident, Andy Blevins, a member of the Graham faction, was overheard bragging about killing both Tewksbury men. Holbrook Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens, armed with a warrant for Blevins’ arrest on cattle rustling charges, decided to apprehend the lawless man. The confrontation at the Blevins family home on September 4, 1887, resulted in a deadly shootout. When Owens arrived, the Blevins family was at Sunday dinner, and Andy refused to surrender. Andy’s half-brother, John, opened the door and fired at Owens, who quickly drew his six-guns and returned fire, hitting both John and Andy.
A gunfight erupted, and Sam Blevins, just 15 years old, ran out of the house firing at Owens, who returned fire. A friend of the Blevins family, Mose Roberts, also fired upon the Sheriff. The melee, lasting less than a minute, left Andy, Sam Blevins, and Mose Roberts dead. John Blevins was wounded. Despite being the target of numerous shots, Owens emerged from the gunfight unscathed. The incident, deemed self-defense, made Owens a legend, although he was subsequently fired by the County over the incident.
Later that month, Sheriff Mulvernon of Prescott pursued brothers John and Tom Graham and Charles Blevins to Young, Arizona. Leading a posse composed of Tewksbury sympathizers, they caught up with the trio on September 22. As the three men approached Perkins Store, Mulveron demanded their surrender, but a shootout ensued instead. When the dust settled, John Graham and Charles Blevins lay dead, while Tom Graham managed to escape.
The Arizona’s Pleasant Valley War dragged on for several more years, marked by further acts of violence, including lynchings and unsolved murders, often carried out by masked men. The cycle of revenge and retaliation seemed endless, perpetuating the conflict and deepening the divisions within the community.
The feud finally came to an end in August 1892, with the murder of Tom Graham in Tempe, Arizona. Before he died, Tom identified Edwin Tewksbury as the shooter, a claim corroborated by several witnesses. Ed Tewksbury was arrested and tried twice for the murder. The first trial resulted in a hung jury, while the second trial ended in a conviction that was later overturned due to a legal technicality. In 1895, the case was ultimately dismissed. Edwin Tewksbury, the last surviving participant of the Pleasant Valley War, died in Globe, Arizona, in April 1904.
Today, the legacy of the Arizona’s Pleasant Valley War can still be seen in the Young, Arizona cemetery, where the graves of many of the victims stand as a somber reminder of the violence that once gripped the region. The Perkins Store, a witness to the events of the war, still stands as a museum, preserving the history of this turbulent period in Arizona’s past. The Arizona’s Pleasant Valley War serves as a cautionary tale about the destructive consequences of unchecked violence, land disputes, and the enduring power of personal animosities.