Billy the Kid person
also known as: William Bonney
Summary: Billy the Kid, also known as William Bonney, was a notorious outlaw in New Mexico during the late 19th century.
Completeness: 100/100 Grade A
- Editor summary
- Sourced claims (≥3)
- Multiple primary sources
- Coordinates
- Operating / life dates
- Wikidata authority
- Published story
- Alternate names
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Claims (25)
arrested_for
petty theft of provisions from Mr. Webb's store— 1875-03-11
Silver City, N.M. Territory
March 14th, 1875
Mr. James Bullard
c/o Mesilla, N.M.
Dear James —
I write to inform you that we apprehended last Tuesday a young man called William Bonney, who calls himself "the Kid," for petty theft of provisions from Mr. Webb's store. He is being…
born_in
unknown
cited from Image 4 of Albuquerque daily citizen (Albuquerque, N.M.), July 7, 1902 (1902)THE ALBUQUERQUfc DAILY CITIZEN MONDAY JULY 7 1902 4 BILLY THE KID REMINISCENSES OF GEN LEW WALLACE Thousands of stories have been told of William Bonney alias Billy the Kid the most notorious and picturesque outlaw ever produced by the wild and wooly west All of these stories are…
committed
crimes in New Mexico
cited from Image 4 of Albuquerque daily citizen (Albuquerque, N.M.), July 7, 1902 (1902)THE ALBUQUERQUfc DAILY CITIZEN MONDAY JULY 7 1902 4 BILLY THE KID REMINISCENSES OF GEN LEW WALLACE Thousands of stories have been told of William Bonney alias Billy the Kid the most notorious and picturesque outlaw ever produced by the wild and wooly west All of these stories are…
first killing— 1878
cited from Chloride_Flats (1878)Chloride_Flats
Notes: Back of the photograph reads: "Chloride Flat, 4 miles east of Silver City, N.M. Father John I. Hastings was General Manager of the Breman Silver Mine on this flat. Took out over $1,000,000.00 in Chloride Silver in four years, 1879-1883. This is the flat and…
died_in
cited from Image 4 of Albuquerque daily citizen (Albuquerque, N.M.), July 7, 1902 (1902)
THE ALBUQUERQUfc DAILY CITIZEN MONDAY JULY 7 1902 4 BILLY THE KID REMINISCENSES OF GEN LEW WALLACE Thousands of stories have been told of William Bonney alias Billy the Kid the most notorious and picturesque outlaw ever produced by the wild and wooly west All of these stories are…
near Fort Sumner— ~1883
cited from Image 1 of Albuquerque citizen (Albuquerque, N.M.), February 29, 1908 (1908)EN ALBUQUERtUE QHZ TRAIN ARRIVALS No 18 1 5 p m No 4550 p m No 7 55 P m No 8 640 p m No 9 640 pm WEATHER FORECAST Peaver Cols Fib 29 ToalgM fair except snow li Boris west pirtian warmer Sunday air ii south snow in north portioi colder WE GET THE NEWS jFIRST ALBUQUERQUE NEW MEXICO…
cited from Image 15 of The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times (Tucumcari, N.M.), March 7, 1908 (1908)
PAT GARRETT KILLED IN A iUN FIGHT The Pioneer Sheriff and Slayer of Billy the Kid a Useful Man In the Civilizing of South cast New Mexico KILLED BY BRAZCL A RANCHMAN Pat Garrett one of the best known among New Mexicos oldtimers and the Lincoln county sheriff who killed Billy the …
first_jail_escape
Silver City
cited from The Catwalk and Gold Dust Trails in Southwest New Mexico (2012)In-depth blog post on the Catwalk's mining history. Covers James C. Cooney's discovery of copper, silver, and gold ore at Mineral Creek while on patrol from Fort Bayard in 1875; Cooney Camp swelling to 300-400 miners; John Lambert discovering the Confidence, Bluebird, Blackbird, …
had_contested
name: Henry McCarty / William H. Bonney
cited from Exploring the legend of Billy the Kid (2026)In-depth article on Billy the Kid's evolving legend, based on historian Jim Smith's chapter in "Unpacking Silver City" (titled "The West in Popular Culture: Silver City and the Enduring Legend of Billy the Kid"). Covers the four phases of the Kid's legend: (1) 1881-1925 — portray…
had_over
1,000 books written about him
cited from Exploring the legend of Billy the Kid (2026)In-depth article on Billy the Kid's evolving legend, based on historian Jim Smith's chapter in "Unpacking Silver City" (titled "The West in Popular Culture: Silver City and the Enduring Legend of Billy the Kid"). Covers the four phases of the Kid's legend: (1) 1881-1925 — portray…
killed_by
cited from Image 1 of Albuquerque citizen (Albuquerque, N.M.), February 29, 1908 (1908)
EN ALBUQUERtUE QHZ TRAIN ARRIVALS No 18 1 5 p m No 4550 p m No 7 55 P m No 8 640 p m No 9 640 pm WEATHER FORECAST Peaver Cols Fib 29 ToalgM fair except snow li Boris west pirtian warmer Sunday air ii south snow in north portioi colder WE GET THE NEWS jFIRST ALBUQUERQUE NEW MEXICO…
cited from Ft_Sumner_Construction (1882)
Ft_Sumner_Construction
Notes: The construction of Ft. Sumner, a military fort in New Mexico. After the fort was closed, the town of Ft. Sumner became famous as the town where Billy the Kid was killed by Pat Garrett.
Subject: Fortification--New Mexico--History
Subject file: ZIM…
blacksmith— 1878
cited from Chloride_Flats (1878)Chloride_Flats
Notes: Back of the photograph reads: "Chloride Flat, 4 miles east of Silver City, N.M. Father John I. Hastings was General Manager of the Breman Silver Mine on this flat. Took out over $1,000,000.00 in Chloride Silver in four years, 1879-1883. This is the flat and…
left
almost no paper trail
cited from Exploring the legend of Billy the Kid (2026)In-depth article on Billy the Kid's evolving legend, based on historian Jim Smith's chapter in "Unpacking Silver City" (titled "The West in Popular Culture: Silver City and the Enduring Legend of Billy the Kid"). Covers the four phases of the Kid's legend: (1) 1881-1925 — portray…
lived_at
cited from Chloride_Flats (1878)
Chloride_Flats
Notes: Back of the photograph reads: "Chloride Flat, 4 miles east of Silver City, N.M. Father John I. Hastings was General Manager of the Breman Silver Mine on this flat. Took out over $1,000,000.00 in Chloride Silver in four years, 1879-1883. This is the flat and…
cited from A sergeant of troop D, 10th cavalry, was… (1889) · +1 more
and he slapped him and attempted to
grab the pistol. Both parties are under arrest.
A sergeant of troop D, 10th cavalry, was
shot at Fort Bayard yesterday by a private in
company M. Both colored. The trouble was
over a woman.
From the June…
Silver City, N.M. Territory
March 14th, 1875
Mr. James Bullard
c/o Mesilla, N.M.
Dear James —
I write to inform you that we apprehended last Tuesday a young man called William Bonney, who calls himself "the Kid," for petty theft of provisions from Mr. Webb's store. He is being…
mentioned_in_letter
Silver City, N.M. Territory
March 14th, 1875
Mr. James Bullard
c/o Mesilla, N.M.
Dear James —
I write to inform you that we apprehended last Tuesday a young man called William Bonney, who calls himself "the Kid," for petty theft of provisions from Mr. Webb's store. He is being…
http://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001135/
cited from [Mrs. Mabel Luke Madison] (1937)Subjects: narratives; old timer stories; cowboy and ranching reminiscences and lore; billy the kid; life histories
LoC: http://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001135/
no_known
birth date
cited from Exploring the legend of Billy the Kid (2026)In-depth article on Billy the Kid's evolving legend, based on historian Jim Smith's chapter in "Unpacking Silver City" (titled "The West in Popular Culture: Silver City and the Enduring Legend of Billy the Kid"). Covers the four phases of the Kid's legend: (1) 1881-1925 — portray…
portrayed_as
cold-blooded murderer— 1881-1925
cited from Exploring the legend of Billy the Kid (2026)In-depth article on Billy the Kid's evolving legend, based on historian Jim Smith's chapter in "Unpacking Silver City" (titled "The West in Popular Culture: Silver City and the Enduring Legend of Billy the Kid"). Covers the four phases of the Kid's legend: (1) 1881-1925 — portray…
low down vulgar cutthroat— 1881-1925
cited from Exploring the legend of Billy the Kid (2026)In-depth article on Billy the Kid's evolving legend, based on historian Jim Smith's chapter in "Unpacking Silver City" (titled "The West in Popular Culture: Silver City and the Enduring Legend of Billy the Kid"). Covers the four phases of the Kid's legend: (1) 1881-1925 — portray…
Robin Hood of the West— 1926-1954
cited from Exploring the legend of Billy the Kid (2026)In-depth article on Billy the Kid's evolving legend, based on historian Jim Smith's chapter in "Unpacking Silver City" (titled "The West in Popular Culture: Silver City and the Enduring Legend of Billy the Kid"). Covers the four phases of the Kid's legend: (1) 1881-1925 — portray…
Rebel Without a Cause social outcast— 1955 onward
cited from Exploring the legend of Billy the Kid (2026)In-depth article on Billy the Kid's evolving legend, based on historian Jim Smith's chapter in "Unpacking Silver City" (titled "The West in Popular Culture: Silver City and the Enduring Legend of Billy the Kid"). Covers the four phases of the Kid's legend: (1) 1881-1925 — portray…
witnessed
insult to mother by blacksmith— 1878
cited from Chloride_Flats (1878)Chloride_Flats
Notes: Back of the photograph reads: "Chloride Flat, 4 miles east of Silver City, N.M. Father John I. Hastings was General Manager of the Breman Silver Mine on this flat. Took out over $1,000,000.00 in Chloride Silver in four years, 1879-1883. This is the flat and…
Mentioned by (7)
Sources (10)
Chloride_Flats ↗
Hasting,L.B. · 1878 · photo · No institutional restrictions placed on use of this collection. Rights to the digital resource are held by the University of New Mexico http://www.unm.edu/disclaimer.html · details
Ft_Sumner_Construction ↗
Bunting, Bainbridge · 1882 · photo · No institutional restrictions placed on use of this collection. Rights to the digital resource are held by the University of New Mexico. · details
A sergeant of troop D, 10th cavalry, was… ↗
1889 · newspaper · public-domain · details
For some weeks past this city has been rife… ↗
1889 · newspaper · public-domain · details
Image 4 of Albuquerque daily citizen (Albuquerque, N.M.), July 7, 1902 ↗
Anonymous · 1902 · newspaper · public_domain · details
Image 15 of The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times (Tucumcari, N.M.), March 7, 1908 ↗
Anonymous · 1908 · newspaper · public_domain · details
Image 1 of Albuquerque citizen (Albuquerque, N.M.), February 29, 1908 ↗
Anonymous · 1908 · newspaper · public_domain · details
[Mrs. Mabel Luke Madison] ↗
madison, mabel luke, mrs · 1937 · letter · public_domain · details
The Catwalk and Gold Dust Trails in Southwest New Mexico ↗
O'Connor, Michael · 2012 · other · web · details
Exploring the legend of Billy the Kid ↗
Smith, Jim; Desert Exposure staff · 2026 · other · web · details