By Eric Jacobson
Yavapai County Sheriff William J. Mulvenon (b. 1851 - d. 1915) played a crucial role in the Pleasant Valley War that resulted in the highest number of deaths of all range wars in the American West. It is estimated that between 1882-1892, 35 to 50 persons died as two feuding families, the Tewksburys and Grahams, fought over land, sheep and cattle. Few combatants were arrested, but Yavapai Sheriff Billy Mulvenon attempted to follow Arizona Territorial Governor Conrad Zulick’s instructions in 1887 to finally end the conflict. One of the consequences of the decade-long violence was the conclusion reached by federal authorities that the Arizona Territory was not ready for statehood.
After arriving in Prescott in 1876, Billy Mulvenon labored as a stable keeper in a local mine. Later, he became a deputy sheriff for four years and in 1885, sheriff. After receiving Governor Zulick’s orders in 1887, Mulvenon organized a posse and on Sept. 10 rode three days from Prescott to the town of Young, Arizona Territory, 150 miles northeast of Phoenix in what is today the Tonto National Forest. The area is only eight miles from the western boundary of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.
The posse located a group of Graham men near the Perkins Store in Young on Sept. 21, 1887. Accounts differ on what happened next. During a subsequent grand jury hearing, Sheriff Mulvenon claimed that John Graham and Charles Blevins drew their guns and prepared to discharge their weapons at the posse. The posse then opened fire and mortally wounded both Graham and Blevins. However, some posse members stated that Mulvenon fired his gun before an order to surrender was given. These dissenters also said they had an “understanding” with the sheriff that no Grahams were to be taken alive.
The local grand jury indicted Sheriff Mulvenon for the two murders, but he was found not guilty despite the damming testimony of several posse members. John Graham’s brother Tom surrendered to Sheriff Mulvenon on Oct. 16 in Phoenix. It was determined that Tom was not present during the Perkins Store incident, and the case against him was dropped. Tom would later be killed under suspicious circumstances, possibly by Ed Tewksbury.
Ed was the last survivor of the Pleasant Valley War that killed so many members of the Graham and Tewksbury families. However, no member of either the Graham or Tewksbury families was ever convicted of a crime.
William Mulvenon went on to serve in the Arizona Territorial Legislature in 1897. In August 1901, he constructed the brick Mulvenon Building at the intersection of West Gurley and North Granite streets in Prescott. The building had been the wooden Exchange Saloon that burned in the downtown Prescott fire of 1900. From there he organized and operated the original Arizona Brewing Company that produced beer from 1903-1915. Today the building is home to the popular Gurley Street Grill and the Mulvenon Building is registered in the National Register of Historic Places.
“Days Past” is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners International (www.prescottcorral.org). This and other Days Past articles are also available at https://www.sharlot.org/articles/days-past-articles.l. The public is encouraged to submit proposed articles and inquiries to dayspast@sharlothallmuseum.org. Please contact SHM Research Center reference desk at 928-445-3122 Ext. 2, or via email at archivesrequest@sharlothallmuseum.org for information or assistance with photo requests.