Billy the Kid. You can either love him or hate him - or try to ignore him. But whatever your opinion he has made his mark on the world. Looking through the New York Times' almost 1100 page Guide To Essential Knowledge (2004) will reinforce that statement. A thumbnail sketch for each State (pages 860 to 876) includes the derivation of the name, Capitol, motto, size, lakes, cities.... and a list of famous natives. For New Mexico Billy the Kid is listed along with Peter Hurd, Archbishop Lamy, Georgia O'Keeffe, Pope' and astronaut Harrison Schmidt. In the Biographical Dictionary (pages 955 to 1072) about 1100 historical persons were deemed important enough to make the list. And, yes! Billy the Kid is among them!



Complied by Bob Sproull for the Billy
The Kid Outlaw Gang Historical Society

Billy The Kid Timeline





1859--Dec. Catherine McCarty gives birth to Billy. Year, place and father uncertain.
Rumored Locations: Cincinnati, Ohio, Springfield, Illinois; Limerick, Ireland;
plus the states of Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Missouri & New York.
Billy is named William Henry McCarty. Joseph is Billy's younger? or older? brother

1860--Location of McCarty family unknown until some
evidence of residing in Indiana in 1864

1861--1st Lt. L. G. Murphy joins NM Volunteers at Ft. Union.

1862--Oct. 31-- Ft. Sumner established at Bosque Redondo.

1863--Michael McCarty of Marion Co., Indiana, dies
of battle wounds. Some think he was the father of Billy

1864--Nov. 1-- L.G. Murphy promoted to Major for distinguished
service at Adobe Walls under Kit Carson

1865- Wm. Antrim of Indianapolis meets Catherine McCarty, "widow of Michael McCarty."

1866-- Santa Fe Gazette publishes a letter from
L.G. Murphy of Ft. Stanton
Murphy, Fritz & James Dolan mustered out of the Army.
Fritz and Murphy est. a store.

1867-- John Chisum arrives in New Mexico.
Antrim and Catherine thought to be living in
Indianapolis near each other.

1868--John Chisum establishes a ranch at Bosque Grande.
Lucien B. Maxwell buys Ft Sumner

1869-- McCartys in Wichita, Kansas

1870--McCartys in Wichita, Kansas
Catron confirmed as Attorney General of NM
Territory (Jan.14)

1871--Catherine McCarty sales Wichita holdings.

1872--U.S. Post Office est. @ Rio Hondo. (Now Roswell.)

1873--Mar. 1--Catherine and William Antrim married in Santa
Fe. Billy & brother Joe are witnesses.

June--Antrims arrive in Silver City. Buy a cabin.
Catherine takes in wash, boarders.
Billy runs with the "Street Arabs".

Dec.-- Billy acts in Minstrel shows. A "good singer".

1874--May-- Catherine becomes bedridden from her TB.

Sept. 16--Catherine dies of TB.
Mary Richards (of England) his teacher. Mary said
to be one of the best educated young ladies
in England -- perhaps the world! She knew and/or worked
with Disraeli, Ruskin & Tennyson. Exchanged letters.

1875--Summer --Truesdale split. Billy sent to the Brown's.
Learns gambling at the Orleans Club.

Sept. 4-- Robbery of Charlie Sun (w/ George Schaffer)

Sep 23 -- Arrested and jailed by Sheriff Whitehill.

Sep 25-- Escapes jail through it's chimney.

Sep 26-- On stage to Arizona

1876--Jan 19--Wm. Rynerson appointed District Attorney for the Third Judicial
District of NM Territory. Dona Ana, Grant and Lincoln Counties.

Mar 19--Young Billy steals a horse from Pvt.Smith
San Carlos Indian Reservation.
Goes to Ft. Grant & McDowell's Store.
Works @ Hooker's Ranch, Hotel de Luna.

Nov. 6--Tunstall arrives in Lincoln

Nov --Billy steals a horse from Sgt. Hartman .
(Hartman recovers it.)

Billy escapes jail several times.

1877-- Aug 17--Kills Frank(Windy) Cahill in a fight. Jailed.
Indicted for murder.
Escapes jail Goes to Knight's Ranch, Silver City.

Fall--Reported running with Jesse Evans'gang.
Heads to Pecos Valley. Waylaid by Apaches.
Gets to Ma'am Jones Ranch, barefooted.
Arrested at Seven Rivers.

Winter--Spends time with Frank Coe.
McSween has to post bond for dispute on the Fritz insurance money.

Feb11--Sheriff Brady attaches Tustall store and cattle for McSween's bond money.

Feb 18--Tunstall murdered by Brady posse.

Mar 1-- Brewer forms the Regulators. Brewer is made Special
Constable by Justice Wilson.
Billy appointed Deputy.

Mar 6--Brewer posse captures Morton and Baker

Mar 9--Dolan organizes 70 man party to rescue them?

Mar 9--Morton & Baker killed "attempting to escape."
McCloskey also killed

Apr 1--Sheriff Brady and Hindman killed in ambush by Billy and others.

Apr 4--Buckshot Roberts killed by Regulators at Blazer's Mill.
Brewer killed. Coe, Billy & Middelton wounded.

Apr 6--Dudley assumes command at Ft. Stanton

Apr 22-24--Grand Jury exonerates McSween. Dolan and others indicted for Tunstall murder
Copeland appointed Sheriff

Apr 28-- Seven Rivers Gang rides to Lincoln to join fight

May 8--Frank Angel arrives in Lincoln as Pres. Hayes representive.

May 28--Gov. Axtel removes Copeland. Appoints Peppin.

Jun 18--Congress passes Posse Comitas Act.

Jul--McSween & Regulators are fugitives

Jul 14--McSween & others return to Lincoln. Beginning
of 5 day battle. Dudley and Army intervene.

Jul 19-- McSween and others killed fleeing his burning home
Yiginio Salazar, Billy, O'Folliard & French escape.

Jul 20--Coroners Jury. McSween & others killed "Resisting arrest."

Aug 14--Billy & others at Paco Anaya's camp.
Angel leaves for New York

Aug-Sep--Kinney & Dona Ana Gang terrorize area.

Sep 4--Pres. Hayes replaces Axtel with Gov. Wallace.< BR>
Nov 13--Wallace issues Amnesty Proclamation

Dec 22-- Kimbrell replaces Peppin as Sheriff.
Arrests Billy. Billy escapes.

Dec 28--Billy meets Jesse James in Las Vegas, NM

1879--Feb 18--Peace parley in Lincoln. (Billy & Evan's Gang.)
Dolan & Evans murder lawyer Chapman.
Governor will go to Lincoln. Wishes to capture Billy as a witness to the murder.

Mar 1--Wallace arrives in Lincoln for one month

Mar 15--Wallace writes Billy and suggest a meeting

Mar 17--Gov. Wallace and Billy meet in Lincoln.

Mar 18--Evans & Campbell escape from Ft. Stanton.
Wallace offers $1000 reward for capture.

Mar 21--Billy & O'Folliard surrender as agreed to in the agreement with Wallace

Apr 14--Wallace convenes a Grand Jury. Rynerson won't let Billy testify.
Changes venue to Mesilla

May 25--Dudley Court of Inquiry convened.

May 28--Billy testifies at the Dudley Court of Inquiry

June--Blly distrusts Wallace. Rides away...

July 2--Court of Inquiry exonerates Dudley

August--Judge Bristol dismisses all charges on Dolan.

Dec 6--All civil charges against Dudley dismissed by Judge Bristol

1880--Jan 10--Billy kills Joe Grant at Ft. Sumner

Jan 14--Pat Garrett and Apolonaria Guitierrez wed at Ft. Sumner.

Apr 30--John Jones & Marion Turner indicted for the murder of McSween.

Jun 20--Susan McSween marries George Barber.

Oct--Capt. Lee, Chisum & Dolan nominate Pat Garrett for Sheriff.

Nov 2--Garrett elected Sheriff. Acts as Kimbrell's Deputy until term begins.

Nov 12--Wallace's novel, Ben Hur, published.

Nov 27--Carlyle killed at Greathouse. Billy escapes

Dec 12--Billy writes Wallace protesting his innocence.

Dec 15--Wallace offers $500 reward for the capture of Billy.
Catron sells Murphy's store to Lincoln C. Commissioners as a Courthouse.

Dec 19--O'Folliard killed @Ft. Sumner(Garrett Posse).

Dec 23--Bily, Rudabaugh & Wilson captured at Stinking Springs by Garrett.
Bowdre killed.

Dec 24--Billy and Gang put in irons at Ft Sumner.

Dec 25--Garrett's Posse and prisoners have Christmas dinner @ Grzelachowski's Roadhouse.

Dec 26--Prisoners delivered to Las Vegas Jail.
Wallace leaves for the East Coast

Dec 27--Billy & Gang delivered to Santa Fe Jail.

1881--Jan 1--Billy writes letter to Gov. Wallace.

Feb 28--Billy & companions caught trying to dig out

Mar 2--Billy writes second letter to Gov. Wallace

Mar 4--Billy writes third letter to Gov. Wallace

Mar 9--Wallace offers resignation to Pres. Garfield.

Mar 17--Garfield accepts Wallace's resignation.

Mar 27--Billy writes final letter to Gov. Wallace

Apr 6--Murder of Buckshot Roberts by Billy quashed.

Apr 9--Billy found guilty of the murder of Sheriff Brady

Apr 13--Billy sentenced to hang on May 13.

Apr 21--Billy jailed in Lincoln County Courthouse to await hanging on May 13

Apr 28--Billy kills guards Bell & Ollinger and escapes.
Goes to Las Tablas & Yiginio Salazar.
Gets horse from the Block Ranch and goes to Ft. Sumner area.

Apr 30--Gov. Wallace ofers $500 reward for Billy.
Earlier in day had signed death warrant.

May, June--Billy spends time going from sheep ranch to sheep ranch. Attends dances, gambles.
. Won't go to Mexico.

Jul 14--Garrett kills Billy in Pete Maxwell's bedroom.