Origins & Early Life

Robert LeRoy Parker (April 13, 1866 – November 7, 1908), better known as Butch Cassidy, was an American cowboy, train and bank robber and the leader of a gang of criminal outlaws known as the "Wild Bunch" in the Old West. Parker engaged in criminal activity for more than a decade at the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century, but the pressures of being pursued by law enforcement, notably the Pinkerton detective agency, forced him to flee the United States. He fled with his accomplice Harry Longabaugh, known as the "Sundance Kid", and Longabaugh's girlfriend Etta Place. The trio traveled first to Argentina and then to Bolivia, where Parker and Longabaugh are believed to have been killed in a shootout with the Bolivian Army in November 1908; the exact circumstances of their fate are unclear.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Parker's life and death have been extensively dramatized in film, television and literature, and he remains one of the best-known icons of the "Wild West" mythos in modern times. Robert LeRoy Parker was born on April 13, 1866, in Beaver, Utah Territory, the first of thirteen children of English immigrants Maximillian Parker and Ann Campbell Gillies. The Parker and Gillies...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Beatrix Potter — Contemporary (Born in 1866) (1866): Pioneering author and illustrator celebrated for natural history and children's literature.
• Benedetto Croce — Contemporary (Born in 1866) (1866): Italian idealist philosopher, historian, and political liberal.
• Bernhard Riemann — Contemporary (Died in 1866) (1866): Pioneering mathematician whose work shaped modern analysis, geometry, and number theory.
• Abraham Maslow — Contemporary (Born in 1908) (1908): Pioneering American psychologist known for the Hierarchy of Needs and self-actualization theory.
• Bette Davis — Contemporary (Born in 1908) (1908): Iconic Hollywood actress known for intense, unsympathetic, and sardonic performances.
• C. Vann Woodward — Contemporary (Born in 1908) (1908): Influential American historian specializing in the American South and race relations.
• Ahlam Mosteghanemi — Shared historical date (04-13 · Born) (1959): Pioneering Algerian poet and novelist celebrated for her evocative Arabic literature.
• Al Green — Shared historical date (04-13 · Born) (1946): Iconic American soul singer, songwriter, and pastor celebrated for his timeless vocal artistry.
• Albert Camus — Shared historical date (11-07 · Born) (1913): Philosopher and writer known for Absurdism, The Stranger, and The Plague.
• Alexander Dubček — Shared historical date (11-07 · Died) (1992): Slovak statesman known for leading the Prague Spring and advocating 'Socialism with a human face'.
• 1866 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1866
• April 13 (04-13) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on April 13
• 1908 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1908
• November 7 (11-07) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 7