Billy the Kid was a legendary American Old West gunfighter. He was a famous teenage outlaw. He was also well known for his involvement in the New Mexico Territory’s Lincoln County War that took place in 1878.
Besides Billy the Kid he had several other aliases. His real name was actually William Henry McCarty Jr. but was also known as William Henry Bonney, Henry Antrim, and Kid Antrim. He was born in 1859 in a poor Irish neighborhood in New York City East Side called Manhattan. There’s a dispute though on what month he was actually born and whether or not his father Patrick McCarty, a farmer was actually his real father. Some speculate that his biological father's last name was Bonney. Catherine Devine McCarty was his mother. She opened and operated a hand laundry service. He had a brother named Joseph McCarty, later known as Joseph Antrim was born in 1863. He also had a sister named Bridget McCarty born in 1853. Billy the kid was known for many quotes. He said “I don't blame you for writing of me as you have. You had to believe other stories, but then I don’t know if anyone would believe anything good of me anyway.” …show more content…
His mother died soon after of tuberculosis in 1874. Billy was only 14 years to 15 years old. He was left with his step dad William Antrim who later placed Billy and his younger brother Joseph into separate foster homes. That may be the reason why he ended up being an outlaw. He was forced to pursue odd jobs to earn a