1887 - January 1
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( 1887 - January 1. January 2, 1887 - U.S. leases: A) Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: I. As a Naval Station. ( February 1887 to 1892 (5 Years) The Pleasant Valley war or The Graham-Tewksbury Feud 1. Pleasant Valley: A) Tonto Basin of Central Arizona: I. At the foot of the Mogollon Mountains. II. Entirely surrounded by mountains. B) The Valley is a haven for cattle thieves and many wanted men! I. The rim of the Mogollon Mountains is called "The Dead Line": a. South of it, Sheep are not allowed into the Valley! C) Primary settlers of the Valley: I. The Graham Family: a. Tom, .John, and William .Jr. are brothers from Iowa. b. 1882 - Arrive in Pleasant Valley. c. Build a ranch on Cherry Creek. d. Tom is the leader during the war. e. Family will be wiped out except for the women. II. The Tewksbury Family: a • .John Sr. - .John .Jr. - Edwin - .Jim. b. Walter & Parker are the youngest 2 sons: (1) They will take no active part in the war. c. Family comes to Arizona in 1880. d. Build a ranch on Cherry Creek in Pleasant Valley: (1) Is 10 miles southeast of the Graham Ranch. e. Only John Jr. will be killed in the war. III. The Blevins Family: a. Matt (Father) - John - Charles - Hampton - Sam - Andy. b. Andy uses the alias of "Andy Cooper" because he is wanted in Texas: (1) He is fast and accurate with a hand gun. (2) He is treacherous, cruel, dangerous, a cold-blooded killer, and leader of a gang of ca~tle thieves in Pleasant Valley! c. Build a ranch on Canyon Creek. d. Will side with the Grahams in the war. e. Only John will survive! IV. Jim Stinson. V. William Middleton. VI. James "Jim" Roberts: a. Bom in Missouri in 1858. b. Owns a cattle and horse ranch in Pleasant Valley. c. Best stallion will be stolen - Will blame the Grahams. d. Cabin will be bumt - Will blame the Grahams. e. He will be the Tewksbury's best fighting man! VII. W.H. Bishop. VIII. George Blaine. IX. William Richards. X. Tom Houdon: a. Ranch at Spring Creek crossing 9 miles southwest of Pleasant Valley. ( XI. Joseph Boyer. XII. George Newton: a. Sides with the Grahams. b. Ranch is called "The Flying V." XIII. Jacob Lauffer. XIV. George Wagner. xv. William Jacobs. XVI. AI & Ed Rose. XVII. The Aztec Land and Cattle Company: a. Called "The Hash Knife Outfit." b. Located on the Little Colorado River opposite of St. Joseph: (1) West of Holbrook, Arizona. ( c. Run 60,000 head of cattle. \ ( d. Will never be financially successful. e. Owners will take no active part in the war. f. Many of the cowboys will side with the Grahams: (1) Buck Lancaster - George Smith - Tom Tucker - .John Paine - Robert Glasspie. (2) Tom Pickett••••• Gunfighter and participant in the Lincoln County War. (3) Roxy - Peck - and McNeal••••• all are killers! ( 2. Siding with the Grahams are: A) AI and Ed Rose - Own a ranch. B) Charley Duchet - French gunfighter: I. Self-appointed bodyguard to Tom Graham. 3. The primary areas of importance in the Valley during the War: A) The Middleton Ranch - 10 miles north of the Tewksbury Ranch. B) The Perkin's Store - Near the Graham and Rose ranches. C) The Rose Ranch. D) The Houdon Ranch. E) The Stott Cabin - At Bear Spring. F) The Blevins Ranch. G) The Graham Ranch. H) The Tewksbury Ranch. 4. At first the Grahams and the Tewksburys are friends: A) Partners in stealing cattle! B) Argument over stolen cattle profits! C) Tewksburys claim the Grahams are cheating them! D) Hatred develops! E) Both families tum the other in for stealing cattle! ( F) Both sides are acquitted! 5. 1886 - John Gilliland, Graham man, is out hunting for missing horses: A) Meets Ed Tewksbury - Both men are on foot: I. Accuses Tewksbury of stealing the horses! II. Denial! III. Argument! IV. Guns drawn - Firing: a. Gilliland is wounded in the leg. V. Both men run away! (. 6. Enter the Daggs Brothers of Flagstaff: A) Are the largest sheep owners in Northern Arizona: I. Want Pleasant Valley as a winter range. II. Hear of the hatred between the Grahams and the Tewksburys. III. Offer the Tewksburys a share of the profits if they will protect the sheep in Pleasant Valley. IV. Tewksburys agree -It will give them a chance to gat back at the Grahams. B) The sheep are driven over the "Dead Line" into Pleasant Valley: I. The war is on. ( 7. Tom Graham tells his followers there is to be no killings: A) Waming shots are fired at sheepherders. B) The Hash Knife cowboys enter the valley at night: I. Stampede and kill the sheep. 8. February 1887 - A Navajo sheepherder is found murdered: A) He is the 1st fatality of the war. 9. Spring of 1887 - The Tewksburys drive the sheep out of the valley: / A) Are in a rage because: I. Of the loss of money over the sheep killed. II. They hold the Grahams responsible! 10. Mart Blevins has taken no active part in the sheep raids, BUT, his 5 sons have: A) One day he simply disappears! B) 3 years later his skeleton is found: I. Has a railroad spike driven through the skull! C) The Graham faction suspects the Tewksburys are responsible from the beginning! ( 11. One week after Mart Blevins disappearance - August 10, 1887 - The Middleton Ranch Fight: A) Hamp Blevins - .John Paine - Tom Tucker - Bob Glasspie - Robert Carrington and 3 Graham cowboys leave the Graham Ranch looking for trouble: I. 12:00 - Noon - Ride up to the Middleton Ranch. II. 6 Tewksbury men in the house. III• .Jim Tewksbury steps from the house. IV. Tom Tucker asks him for lunch! V. NO! ( ! VI. The men turn to ride off. B) .Jim Roberts fires from the house hitting Hamp Blevins in the back of the head killing him instantly: I • .Jim Tewksbury fires and hits .John Paine killing him. II. Tom Tucker is shot through the right lung but will get away. III. Glasspie and Carrington receive flesh wounds but get away. IV. Entire episode has lasted 10 seconds: a. 5 of the 8 Graham men have been hit! b. 2 are dead! C) From this moment on the war becomes: ( I. A life for a life! II. Everyone in the Valley is forced to take a side. III. Nobody in the Valley is allowed to stay neutral! IV. Death will be everywhere! 12. News of the killings reach Prescott, Arizona: A) Sheriff Mulvenon of Yavapai County gets warrants for the arrest of the men responsible: I. Sets out for the Valley with a large posse. \ ( 13. Enter - Jim Houck - Sheep owner and gunfighter: A) Tewksbury supporter! B) Deputy Sheriff under Commodore Perry Owens of Apache County. C) Will use his badge to legally fight and kill for the Tewksburys! 14. August 17, 1887 - Houck is scouting Pleasant Valley for Graham supporters: A) Waits in ambush on a hillside beside the trail leading from Payson to the Graham Ranch. B) 22 year old, Billy Graham comes riding ( along returning from Payson: I. Happy-go-lucky. II. Has taken no part in the feud. III. Youngest member of the family. C) Houck shoots him with a .45: I. Horse runs the 3 % miles home with Graham slumped over the saddle hom. II. Dies the next day! 15. August 23, 1887 - At Payson, Arizona - Mulvenon's posse Is joined by: A) Sheriff, John Francis, of Flagstaff. B) Constable, E.F. Odell of Flagstaff. C) John Weatherford and Fletcher Fairchild of \ ( Flagstaff: I. Group heads for Pleasant Valley. D) Find the Tewksbury Ranch deserted: I. No trace of the Tewksburys or their followers. E) Stop at the Perkins Store: I ...oined by a party of Graham followers led by Andy Blevins. F) Everybody goes home - Complete failurel 16. Posse leaves - Tewksburys retum!1 17. Snipings start againl ( 18. Grahams average 20 supporters - Tewksburys never average more than 8. 19. September 2, 1887 - Early moming - The Tewksbury Ranch Fight: A) Graham force led by Tom Graham, John Graham, and Andy Blevins: I. Surround the Tewksbury Ranch. B) John Tewksbury and William Jacobs are retuming to the Ranch: I. Ambushed by Andy Blevins: a. Jacobs is shot 3 times in the back breaking his spine 3 times and killing him! ( C) Tewksbury is shot in the back of the neck with a .45 and has his head crushed••••• Dead! D) The Graham Forces charge the ranch: I. Repulsed by the gunfire of: a. Ed Tewksbury. b • .John Tewksbury Sr. c • .Jim Tewksbury. d • .Jim Roberts. E) Becomes a siege: I. Hogs start eating .John Tewksbury .Jr. and William Jacobs! F) Widow of John .Jr. goes outside: I. Firing stops! ( II. She buries the bodies! III. Goes back inside! IV. Firing continuesl G) Evening - .John Meadows, .Justice of the Peace for Payson, arrives with some men: I. Graham Forces flee. II. Siege is over! 20. September 4, 1887 - The Holbrook Fight: A) Andy Blevins is in Holbrook bragging about the Tewksbury Ranch Fight: I. Has a few drinks. II. Goes to his mother's house. B) Afternoon: I. Sheriff Commodore Perry Owens of Apache County, arrives in town with a warrant for Blevins arrest on horse stealing: a. Owens: (1) 35 years old. (2) Former cowboy in Texas and New Mexico. (3) 5 feet 10 inches tall- Muscular. (4) Long hair. (5) Likes to wear chaps and a wide brimmed hat. (6) Excellent shot with a rifle or Colt ( .45! C) .John Blevins sees Owens ride into town: I.