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 existed for only 21 years, but his legend has lasted centuries. Born Henry McCarty, likely in New York City, he was a drifter who found his landscape in the lawless precincts of Lincoln County, New Mexico. There, he was swept into a brutal local war between merchant factions, fighting for the Tunstall-McSiesn gang. He was a capable gunman, credited with killing several men, but his true notoriety came from his brazen escapes and 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 cemented his status as public enemy number one. Sheriff Pat Garrett finally cornered and shot him in Fort Sumner, but the dime novels had already begun their work, transforming a small-time rustler and shooter into the eternal, grinning 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.”
