The Disappearance of Martin "Mart, Old Man" Blevins and the start of the Pleasant Valley War
The Blevins family left Lanno County, Texas after problems with the law caused by some of Mart's sons and settled in the Pleasant Valley area of northern Arizona located in Gila County. This area was the most remote section of wild, lawless Arizona. The nearest white settlement was a hundred miles away, The valley soon became a haven for cattle rustlers and "wanted" men. This would explain why the Blevins family ended up in Pleasant Valley. Their ranch was located on Canyon Creek, well located for any unlawful activities his son's may engage in. It was located in a wild remote section near the western boundary of the White Mountain Apache Reservation. His ranch was known as the Canyon Creek Ranch and was the headquarters of the Pleasant Valley rustlers, with Andy "Cooper" Blevins (oldest son of Mart Blevins) as the leader.
One morning in August 1887, a number of horses had been discovered to be missing from the Canyon Creek Ranch and presumed to be stolen by Indians or other rustlers. Mart Blevins went out, well-armed, in search of the horses and against the advise of his sons, never to be seen again. After about a week of Mart being missing, his son Hampton "Hamp" and a group of other cowboys went out searching for him. The disappearance of Mart Blevins from his ranch on Canyon Creek brought about a series of events that escalated the Pleasant Valley war.
The body of Mart Blevins was never found. Several stories circulated for many years. Three years after his disappearance, a skeleton with a spike driven through the skull was found not far from the ranch, and many believe that this was Mart Blevins. In 1894, a foreman for another cattle ranch on Cherry Creek found a human skull in a hollow tree on one side of the upper tributaries of that stream. Leaning against another tree was a rusty rifle that was identified as the property of Mart Blevins, with no other bones found in the area. One story said that Mart's gun was in another family's collection of guns. The bottom line is that his disappearance has never been solved.
For the continuance of this story please read the biography for William Hampton "Hamp" Blevins on Findagrave #204875616.
There have been many books, short stories, movies and Youtube videos made of the Pleasant Valley War or theme of the story. Thanks especially to Earle R. Forrest, author of the book Arizona's Dark And Bloody Ground published in 1936.
The Blevins family left Lanno County, Texas after problems with the law caused by some of Mart's sons and settled in the Pleasant Valley area of northern Arizona located in Gila County. This area was the most remote section of wild, lawless Arizona. The nearest white settlement was a hundred miles away, The valley soon became a haven for cattle rustlers and "wanted" men. This would explain why the Blevins family ended up in Pleasant Valley. Their ranch was located on Canyon Creek, well located for any unlawful activities his son's may engage in. It was located in a wild remote section near the western boundary of the White Mountain Apache Reservation. His ranch was known as the Canyon Creek Ranch and was the headquarters of the Pleasant Valley rustlers, with Andy "Cooper" Blevins (oldest son of Mart Blevins) as the leader.
One morning in August 1887, a number of horses had been discovered to be missing from the Canyon Creek Ranch and presumed to be stolen by Indians or other rustlers. Mart Blevins went out, well-armed, in search of the horses and against the advise of his sons, never to be seen again. After about a week of Mart being missing, his son Hampton "Hamp" and a group of other cowboys went out searching for him. The disappearance of Mart Blevins from his ranch on Canyon Creek brought about a series of events that escalated the Pleasant Valley war.
The body of Mart Blevins was never found. Several stories circulated for many years. Three years after his disappearance, a skeleton with a spike driven through the skull was found not far from the ranch, and many believe that this was Mart Blevins. In 1894, a foreman for another cattle ranch on Cherry Creek found a human skull in a hollow tree on one side of the upper tributaries of that stream. Leaning against another tree was a rusty rifle that was identified as the property of Mart Blevins, with no other bones found in the area. One story said that Mart's gun was in another family's collection of guns. The bottom line is that his disappearance has never been solved.
For the continuance of this story please read the biography for William Hampton "Hamp" Blevins on Findagrave #204875616.
There have been many books, short stories, movies and Youtube videos made of the Pleasant Valley War or theme of the story. Thanks especially to Earle R. Forrest, author of the book Arizona's Dark And Bloody Ground published in 1936.
The Disappearance of Martin "Mart, Old Man" Blevins and the start of the Pleasant Valley War
The Blevins family left Lanno County, Texas after problems with the law caused by some of Mart's sons and settled in the Pleasant Valley area of northern Arizona located in Gila County. This area was the most remote section of wild, lawless Arizona. The nearest white settlement was a hundred miles away, The valley soon became a haven for cattle rustlers and "wanted" men. This would explain why the Blevins family ended up in Pleasant Valley. Their ranch was located on Canyon Creek, well located for any unlawful activities his son's may engage in. It was located in a wild remote section near the western boundary of the White Mountain Apache Reservation. His ranch was known as the Canyon Creek Ranch and was the headquarters of the Pleasant Valley rustlers, with Andy "Cooper" Blevins (oldest son of Mart Blevins) as the leader.
One morning in August 1887, a number of horses had been discovered to be missing from the Canyon Creek Ranch and presumed to be stolen by Indians or other rustlers. Mart Blevins went out, well-armed, in search of the horses and against the advise of his sons, never to be seen again. After about a week of Mart being missing, his son Hampton "Hamp" and a group of other cowboys went out searching for him. The disappearance of Mart Blevins from his ranch on Canyon Creek brought about a series of events that escalated the Pleasant Valley war.
The body of Mart Blevins was never found. Several stories circulated for many years. Three years after his disappearance, a skeleton with a spike driven through the skull was found not far from the ranch, and many believe that this was Mart Blevins. In 1894, a foreman for another cattle ranch on Cherry Creek found a human skull in a hollow tree on one side of the upper tributaries of that stream. Leaning against another tree was a rusty rifle that was identified as the property of Mart Blevins, with no other bones found in the area. One story said that Mart's gun was in another family's collection of guns. The bottom line is that his disappearance has never been solved.
For the continuance of this story please read the biography for William Hampton "Hamp" Blevins on Findagrave #204875616.
There have been many books, short stories, movies and Youtube videos made of the Pleasant Valley War or theme of the story. Thanks especially to Earle R. Forrest, author of the book Arizona's Dark And Bloody Ground published in 1936.
The Blevins family left Lanno County, Texas after problems with the law caused by some of Mart's sons and settled in the Pleasant Valley area of northern Arizona located in Gila County. This area was the most remote section of wild, lawless Arizona. The nearest white settlement was a hundred miles away, The valley soon became a haven for cattle rustlers and "wanted" men. This would explain why the Blevins family ended up in Pleasant Valley. Their ranch was located on Canyon Creek, well located for any unlawful activities his son's may engage in. It was located in a wild remote section near the western boundary of the White Mountain Apache Reservation. His ranch was known as the Canyon Creek Ranch and was the headquarters of the Pleasant Valley rustlers, with Andy "Cooper" Blevins (oldest son of Mart Blevins) as the leader.
One morning in August 1887, a number of horses had been discovered to be missing from the Canyon Creek Ranch and presumed to be stolen by Indians or other rustlers. Mart Blevins went out, well-armed, in search of the horses and against the advise of his sons, never to be seen again. After about a week of Mart being missing, his son Hampton "Hamp" and a group of other cowboys went out searching for him. The disappearance of Mart Blevins from his ranch on Canyon Creek brought about a series of events that escalated the Pleasant Valley war.
The body of Mart Blevins was never found. Several stories circulated for many years. Three years after his disappearance, a skeleton with a spike driven through the skull was found not far from the ranch, and many believe that this was Mart Blevins. In 1894, a foreman for another cattle ranch on Cherry Creek found a human skull in a hollow tree on one side of the upper tributaries of that stream. Leaning against another tree was a rusty rifle that was identified as the property of Mart Blevins, with no other bones found in the area. One story said that Mart's gun was in another family's collection of guns. The bottom line is that his disappearance has never been solved.
For the continuance of this story please read the biography for William Hampton "Hamp" Blevins on Findagrave #204875616.
There have been many books, short stories, movies and Youtube videos made of the Pleasant Valley War or theme of the story. Thanks especially to Earle R. Forrest, author of the book Arizona's Dark And Bloody Ground published in 1936.
Family Members
Children
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Andrew Arnold "Andy Cooper" Blevins
1861–1887
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Albert Charles "Charley" Blevins
1863–1887
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William Hampton "Hamp" Blevins
1865–1887
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John Black "Johnny" Blevins
1867–1929
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Della Delilah Tennessee Blevins McKelvey
1868–1919
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Samuel Houston "Sam" Blevins
1872–1887
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Artemissa "Mecea, Mesa" Blevins Jones
1876–1953
