The Sutton-Taylor Feud, 7: The Deadliest Blood Feud in Texas

As a reader who was born and raised in Texas, the history of one of the state's bloodist era's was particulary interesting. Though some of the characters were rather thinly described, there is enough substance to garner history buff's attention and provide an enjoyable and entertaining read.

Highly accessible to lay readers and scholars alike, The Sutton-Taylor Feud: The Deadliest Blood Feud in Texas is the shocking true story of a murderous blood feud that continued into the 1890s when the final court case was settled with a governmental pardon. Of all Texas feuds, the one between the William E. Sutton (and his many friends) and the Taylors lasted longer than any other. The initial cause of the feud is lost to history, though both sides are known for insisting that they were on the side of righteousness. The violence and bloodshed included preemptive executions by lynch mobs, the slaying of two military soldiers, and the lethal shooting of a doctor and his son. Pressures and family ties through marriage or friendship forced many a Texan to take sides - those who wouldn't often felt even more endangered and better off moving to another state. A fascinating, expertly researched chronicle of bloodshed on American soil long after the Civil War, The Sutton-Taylor Feud is an a worthy addition to college library and Texas history shelves.