J.W. Weatherford’s Participation in the Pleasant Valley War, part 1 of ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1859, John Wesley Weatherford was born in Fort Worth and raised in the neighboring town of Weatherford, Texas, which was named after his father. As a young man, J.W. moved west and spent his early years as a cowboy, lawman, and merchant, settling in Flagstaff in 1886. There is little documentation from his first twenty-seven years, although references to his participation in the Pleasant Valley War pop up quite a bit.

This Wild West conflict, lasting from 1882 until 1892, was a violent feud in Gila County, Arizona between the cattle-ranching Grahams and the sheep-herding Tewksburys. Fueled by land disputes, livestock theft, and ethnic tensions (the Grahams were Irish-Americans and the Tewsburys of mixed European and Native American heritage), it became one of the deadliest range wars in the Old West, leaving most of both families dead. Although largely forgotten now, it enter the public consciousness and inspired Weatherford Hotel resident’s Zane Grey’s 1921 novel “To the Last Man” as well as it’s 1933 film adaptation.

 

 

In researching this conflict, an article from the Arizona Daily Sun in 1953 has lead me to the Earle R. Forrest’s 1936 history “Arizona’s Dark and Bloody Ground,” where J.W. Weatherford is quoted as a source for much of the information Forrest used in the book. The article also identifies Weatherford as “a member of the first posse which went to Pleasant Valley in 1887.”

 

Thankfully this book was a big hit and was reprinted several times, so I was able to easily pick up a copy from eBay for about $10. I’m looking forward to reading it and hopefully learning more about Weatherford’s participation.

In the meantime, here is a clipping from Peach Springs’ “Arizona Champion” from September 3, 1887.

Check back soon for Part 2 of this exploration of John Weatherford’s participation in the Pleasant Valley War.