Billy the Kid
A teenage fugitive whose brief, violent life in the dusty New Mexico territory was inflated into the foundational myth of the outlaw.
1859–1881 (age 22)·American outlaw and gunfighter·Birthday: September 17
Biography
Billy the Kid killed eight men before Sheriff Pat Garrett shot him dead in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, in 1881. Born Henry McCarty, likely in New York City, he drifted into the lawless precincts of Lincoln County. There he fought for the Tunstall-McSiesn gang in a brutal war between merchant factions. He was a capable gunman, but his true notoriety came from brazen escapes and a youthful demeanor—reportedly cheerful and polite until crossed. His killing of Sheriff William Brady and his dramatic flight from the Lincoln County courthouse after shooting two guards made him public enemy number one. Dime novels transformed a small-time rustler into the eternal symbol of Wild West anarchy.
#1 When Billy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1859
Billy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1859Born
1864Started school
President: Abraham Lincoln
1872Became a teenager
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1875Could drive
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1877Could vote
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1880Turned 21
Edison patents the incandescent light bulb
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1881Died at 22
President: Chester A. Arthur
Key Achievements
- Became a central figure in New Mexico's Lincoln County War, a bloody economic conflict.
- Escaped from the Lincoln County jail after killing two deputies, cementing his reputation as a elusive fugitive.
- Was credited by contemporaries with killing eight men, though modern historians link him to fewer.
- His life and death were sensationalized in pulp novels, creating the enduring American outlaw archetype.
Did You Know?
The only confirmed photograph of him was discovered in 2010 and sold at auction for over $2 million.
He was reportedly left-handed, an advantage in the era of cross-draw holsters.
He may have used aliases including 'Kid Antrim' and 'William H. Bonney'.
His final words, according to Sheriff Pat Garrett, were 'Quién es?' ('Who is it?').
“I'll make you famous.”
