Born
November 23, 1859
Brooklyn, New York
|
|
|
March
1, 1873
His mother, Catherine, married William Antrim in Santa Fe, New
Mexico--
Henry and brother Joseph were in attendance
age 13 |
|
|
September
16, 1874
His mother died of tuberculosis
age 14 |
|
|
1875
Arrested for stealing clothes from a Chinese laundry--
escaped jail and went to Arizona
age 15-16 |
|
|
1875-1877
Worked in Arizona for two years as a farmhand, teamster and
cowboy-- going by Kid Antrim
age 15-17 |
|
|
August
1877
Killed Frank P. Cahill in settlement of Bonita, Arizona [southwest
of Safford] as a result of fistfight, then shooting--
He was arrested and again broke out of jail and went to Mesilla,
New Mexico going by William H. Bonney
age 17 |
|
|
1877-1878?
Rode with Jesse Evans gang briefly
age 17-18? |
|
|
February
28, 1878
After
the murder [not done by Billy] of John Tunstall, Billy was
arrested by Sheriff William Brady who was on the other side of a
feud between the John S. Chisum bunch and the Lawrence G. Murphy
bunch... a feud fueled by a struggle for contracts for supplying
beef to government. The feud eventually became known as the
Lincoln County Wars.
age 18 |
|
|
Later
in 1878
Billy rode with a vigilante group called the Regulators, headed up
by Dick Brewer, who was the appointed constable.
age 18 |
|
|
March
1878
Two of the men thought to have beenTunstall's murderers were
captured by the Regulators. Brewer wanted to incarcerate them in
Lincoln [northeast of Ruidoso]. However, both were killed before
reaching town. It is thought that Billy killed them.
age 18 |
|
|
April
4, 1878
Billy was involved in a gunfight at Blazer's Mill. A.L. (Buckshot)
Roberts, a Murphy partisan, killed Dick Brewer and then died from
bullet wounds himself.
After that, Billy became the leader of the Regulators.
age 18 |
|
|
July
1878
The "five-day battle" took place in Lincoln.
The Murphy bunch surrounded the home of McSween, where the
Regulators were. McSween was killed, but Billy and others escaped
the burning house.
After that, the remaining Regulators continued the fight against
the "House of Murphy."
age 18 |
|
|
Later
in 1878
Billy was present when Morris J. Bernstein was killed. After which
he stayed at the Chisum ranch and, with his friends, stole horses
and cattle from known Murphy partisans.
age 18 |
|
|
Fall
1878
Billy came to the Texas panhandle, in the Canadian valley, where
Chisum sent some cattle for grazing.
age 18 |
|
|
Late
1878 into 1879
Billy made friends among the residents of Tascosa, Texas on the
Candian River, northwest of Amarillo.
He sold Sheriff Brady's horse, Dandy Dick, to Dr. Henry F. Hoyt.
The gang sold all the horses they had stolen.
age 18-19 |
|
|
Early
1879
Billy and Tom O'Folliard returned to the Lincoln area and
recriuted new members to their rustling operation.
age 19 |
|
|
Early
1879
New territorial governor of New Mexico published wanted list which
included Billy, who was implicated in the murder of Sheriff Brady.
age 19 |
|
|
February
1879
A momentary truce ended when Murphy partisans killed a lawyer
named Houston Chapman.
age 19 |
|
|
Early
1879
Governor Wallace arranged a meeting with Billy and promised a full
pardon for all charges against him in exchange for his testimony
against Chapman's murderers.
age 19 |
|
|
Early
1879
Billy agreed to the meeting, allowing himself to be placed in
custody at Lincoln, but then Chapman's killers escaped.
age 19 |
|
|
Spring
1879
Billy was held in custody until his case came before the court...
one of many regarding the Lincoln County War.
age 19 |
|
|
Spring
1879
Billy had an arrangement with the governor of the territory
whereby he had considerable freedom while awaiting a pardon.
He eventually grew impatient, told the guards he was tired of
waiting, got on a horse within their view and rode away.
age 19 |
|
|
1879
Months later, Billy approached John Chisum in an attempt to
collect $500 for his services with the Lincoln County Regulators.
Chisum refused to pay. Billy helped himself to some of Chisum's
livestock after that.
age 19 |
|
|
January
1880
Billy killed a bounty hunter named Joe Grant in a saloon after
Grant's gun misfired.
age 20 |
|
|
1880
With a price on his head of $500, he was almost captured at the
town of Whie Oaks, northwest of Lincoln.
age 20 |
|
|
1880
After escaping capture, he seems to have shown up at the
Greathouse Ranch, where Jim Carlyle died... Billy receiving the
blame.
age 20 |
|
|
Late
in November 1880
Pat Garrett, Sheriff of Lincoln County, and a posse ambushed
Billy's gang at Fort Sumner, killing Tom O'Folliard.
Billy and others escaped.
age 20-21 |
|
|
A
few days later 1880
The posse caught up with the gang at Stinking Springs, 25 miles
from Fort Sumner.
A gunfight ended with Charlie Bowdre being killed.
Billy and three others surrendered... being taken to jail in Las
Vegas, then to Santa Fe before being moved to Mesilla for trial
the following spring.
age 21 |
|
|
Spring
1881
Billy was charged with the shooting of Buckshot Roberts, but it
was dropped.
Then he was tried and convicted for the murder of Sheriff Brady,
and sentenced to hang... then being transferred to the courthouse
and jail in Loncoln.
age 21 |
|
|
April
28, 1881
Billy killed deputies John Bell and Robert Olinger and escaped.
age 21 |
|
|
July
1881
John W. Poe, now aiding Pat Garrett, received an anonymous tip
that Billy was hiding out at the home of Duvelina, an Indian slave
and former sweethart of Billy's at Fort Sumner.
age 21 |
|
|
July
14 1881
Billy moved to the Maxwell Ranch to visit Celsa Gutierrez, his
sweethart.
In the darkness of a room at the ranch house, Pat Garrett,
recognized the voice of Billy and shot twice, killing Billy.
age 21 |
|
|
1937
There were some indians who thought their neighbor, John Miller,
was an escaped Billy The Kid who lived until 1937.
See book list below
What Ever Happened To Billy The Kid?
|
|
|
1950's
Ollie L. (Brushy Bill) Roberts indicated that he was Billy the
Kid.
No conclusive evidence was ever presented. It must be noted that
Brushy Bill seemingly had facts about the Lincoln County War that
were not available elsewhere.
It must also be noted that differences between the two have been
pointed out in that Billy was literate whereas Brushy Bill
apparently was not.
|
|
|
