The infamous Western outlaw known as “Billy the Kid” was
mostly likely born in a poor Irish neighborhood on New York
City’s East Side on November 23, 1859. (Much about his early
life is unknown or unverified.) Before he was shot dead at age
21, Billy reputedly killed at least nine people in the American
West.
Billy the Kid called himself William H. Bonney, but his original
name was probably Henry McCarty. Bonney was his mother
Catherine’s maiden name, and William was the first name of
his mother’s longtime companion—William Antrin—who acted
as Billy’s father after his biological father disappeared.
Photo of Billy the Kid (second at left ) at a poker game. This photo is the 2nd known photo of Billy the Kid, and was discovered in 2019.
