One of the black marks on Arizona’s history involves feuding families, a valley-wide war, and a defensive cabin. The Flying “V” Cabin was built and fortified by John Tewksbury, Sr., who went on to start the deadliest family feud in United States history. Here is a closer look at the most infamous family feud of Arizona:
The Tewksbury-Graham Feud
The Tewksbury-Graham Feud, also known as the Pleasant Valley War, is one of the most famous battles in Arizona history and carries the largest death toll of a family feud in United States history. The Tewksbury and Graham families used to be friends and originally moved out to Arizona together. Over time, however, the families began accusing each other of thefts, and minor issues were egged on by ranchers outside of the families. The feud soon turned deadly when an outsider was killed and robbed by someone in the Graham family. This ignited a war that consumed the entire valley for years.
The Pleasant Valley War
Over the course of the Pleasant Valley War, many people were killed and lynched, and ranches were burned to the ground. In the end, only one Tewksbury son was left alive after he killed the last Graham son. These deaths and crimes became so infamous that the United States government held off on granting Arizona statehood for several years.
The Flying “V” Cabin
The Flying “V” Cabin was built around 1880, and it was originally meant for protection against Apache attacks. Today, it still stands as an exhibit in the Pioneer Living History Museum. The cabin does not have windows. However, it has several, thin notches where pistols and shotguns could be pointed outside to ward off invaders. The cabin was originally located in Pleasant Valley, but it has been moved in its entirety to the Pioneer Museum.
