Origins & Early Life

Henry McCarty (September 17 or November 23, 1859 – July 14, 1881), alias William H. Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West who was linked to nine murders. He was solely responsible for four of them, and he may have played a role in five, alongside other men. He is also noted for his involvement in New Mexico's Lincoln County War.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

McCarty was orphaned at the age of 15. His first arrest was for stealing food at the age of 16 in 1875. Ten days later, he robbed a Chinese laundry and was arrested again, but escaped shortly afterwards. He fled from New Mexico Territory into neighboring Arizona Territory, making himself both an outlaw and a federal fugitive. In 1877, he began to call himself "William H.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Bonney." After killing a blacksmith during an altercation in August 1877, Bonney became a wanted man in Arizona and returned to New Mexico, where he joined a group of cattle rustlers. He became well known in the region when he joined the Regulators and took part in the Lincoln County War of 1878. He and two other Regulators were later charged with killing three men, including Lincoln County Sheriff William J. Brady and one of his deputies...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aleksandr Popov (physicist) — Contemporary (Born in 1859) (1859): Pioneering Russian physicist credited with early radio receiving technology.
• Alexander von Humboldt — Contemporary (Died in 1859) (1859): German polymath, geographer, and naturalist who pioneered biogeography and modern science.
• Alexis de Tocqueville — Contemporary (Died in 1859) (1859): French philosopher known for analyzing Western democracy and social trends.
• Alexander Fleming — Contemporary (Born in 1881) (1881): Pioneering microbiologist known for the discovery of penicillin, revolutionizing medicine.
• Alexander II of Russia — Contemporary (Died in 1881) (1881): Emperor of Russia, known as 'The Liberator' for abolishing serfdom.
• Béla Bartók — Contemporary (Born in 1881) (1881): Pioneering Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist of the 20th century.
• Ahmad ibn Hanbal — Shared historical date (11-23 · Born) (780): Founding scholar of the Hanbali school, renowned for vast Hadith memorization.
• Alan Mullery — Shared historical date (11-23 · Born) (1941): Iconic English footballer and manager known for his time at Fulham and Spurs.
• Alphonse Mucha — Shared historical date (07-14 · Died) (1939): Master of Art Nouveau, famed for decorative posters and The Slav Epic.
• Ante Pavelić — Shared historical date (07-14 · Born) (1889): Croatian politician and dictator of the Independent State of Croatia (1941-1945)
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