I am searching for information on the infamous Billy the Kid whose real name would be William Bonney. He is said to be the son of my Greatgrandfather's sister Adelia. If anyone knows anything about this guy please send me a message. Thanks a bunch!
Beverly
piper696@cs.com

Billy's real name was William Henry McCarty. His mother was Catherine. The name Bonney was tagged onto him by a man in Silver City NM of scottish decent. Such as "He was a bonny lad" My mother-in-law's grandfather's first wife Louisa Greene Truesdell took care of Catherine when she was dying of TB. She also took care of Billy and his older brother when Catherine died...e-mail me for further info...testymom@yahoo.com. Suzanne Tull-Stroup

Hi Suzanne,

I'd be interested in your information about the McCarty family. You can email me at jonescollectables@yahoo.com or post to this thread as It will email me when a reply is sent.

Thanks, Mark

Mark...I would be happy to share info with you regarding "Billy the Kid". I am on vacation right now but will return home on 10/18 and I will e-mail you directly then. Suzanne

hi Suzanne, Sounds great, I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for getting back to me.

Mark

I am married to Jason Bonney who's father is James Bonney and he was adopted by James Bonney Sr. It has been said that original Bonney was a decendent of Billy the Kid from his own geneology research but how I don't know.

Interesting part of the whole story is that my mother in law's maiden name is Claudia Parker and THEY are supposedly decendents of Bonnie Parker of Bonnie and Clyde.

So we have both inlaws decending from outlaws!!

Doesn't that make a hell of a story?!! Talk about some criminal family background! I don't really know how all the links happen but it would be really interesting to find out.

My inlaws have been called Bonney and Claud...

The story makes for great family lore, but unfortunately it’s not based in historical fact. Billy the Kid’s real name was Henry McCarty. His mother was Catherine McCarty and he had one brother, Joseph. Beyond that there has been nothing proven as yet about his genealogy. Some believe his family came from New York, some Ohio and other locations. But again, nothing past his mother has been proven. Henry McCarty first took up the name Kid Antrim (after his step father) when he came to New Mexico in 1877 and soon after began to go by the assumed name of William Bonney (reason and source unknown). The nickname Billy the Kid was not one chosen by him, but ascribed by the East Coast pulp novel writers who were starving for anything “cowboy” to write about.

Henry McCarty never married, and in spite of some unsubstantiated allegations to the contrary he never fathered any children. There have been dozens of professional and amateur historians and researchers working on uncovering Billy’s genealogy for decades now, without success. So………….unfortunately your family has invented some rather interesting history that is not accurate.

Hey if you gots information on "Billy the kid" I would like to ask you if you got any thing on his family tree.
I am related to him :] My dad's side, im young, And interested in knowing bout my family history. If you havent noticed my last name.. Bonney :] Please send me any information on his family history i want to see if i know any one. :] Thanks Much.. :]]

Henry McCarty (alias William Bonney & Kid Antrim – later called Billy the Kid)was, by all reliable accounts, killed after the Lincoln County War by Sheriff Pat Garrett at Fort Sumner, New Mexico on 14 July 1881. He was about twenty years old when Pat Garrett’s posse caught up with him at Stinking Springs. Born Henry McCarty he later went by the alias William Bonney and "Kid Antrim". The tabloid press created the name “Billy The Kid”, which he was identified by shortly before and since his death. Thought to have been born sometime around 1859-1861, perhaps in New York, Indiana or Missouri although the actual date and place remain a mystery. His mother’s name was Catherine McCarty, an Irish woman, and his father’s identity is unknown. The only concrete information known is that his mother was named Catherine and that she married William Antrim in Santa Fe, New Mexico and they subsequently moved to Silver City, New Mexico. He had a younger brother named Joseph. His genealogy has never been determined for certain, he was never married and did not have any children. Any claims of otherwise simply can no tbe proved.

Popular legend gives him far more credit than he is due. He is known to be solely responsible for the killing of four people; Frank Cahill - done in self-defense, Joe Grant - done in self-defense, Deputy James Bell and Deputy U.S. Marshal Bob Olinger while escaping from jail in Lincoln. Although he was involved in shootouts that resulted in the deaths of Bill Morton, Frank Baker, William McCloskey, William Brady, and George Hindman there is no way to tell if his bullet was the one that found it's mark. He was described as being about 5'5' to 5'7" tall, a bit scrawny and of thin build and weighing about 140 pounds. He is said to have had unusually small hands and feet, like a woman, hazel eyes, and sandy colored hair. The only documented photo of him does not agree completely with this description, and depicts a young man of about 5-7 to 5-10 with average size hands and about normal build considering the distortion of the photograph.

All that said, your family history is probably wrong. If you can prove otherwise there are a lot of people who would be willing to pay good money for the information....believe me!!

Hi! My grandmother last name was Bonney. She is 96 years old.
She got a great memories about the history. I think that she was related to him, that what my Grandfather said.
I'm working on a family tree could said me a great web site
for the last name "Bonney"
Thanks so much Marie

Billy the Kid's real name was William Henry McCarty, not Bonney. He adopted the name William Bonney when came to New Mexico late in 1877. Sorry to break your bubble, but as so much family history handed down it's not accurate. To make matters worse no one has traced his genealogy back further than his mother Catherine with 100% certainty. He never married, and had one brother who also never married. There are no descendents.

Billy the Kid did marry a
Garcia, they have marriage records and there are descendants. His
Grandfather was William Harrison Bonney and their daughter Katherine married the McCarty. Those of usa connected to the Bonney line, feel we have this. I corresapond with a member of the Garcia family. Dorothy muirhead@nebraska.com

There was another William Bonney on the New Mexico census of 1880, but that person was not Billy the Kid. I am familiar with the claim you mention regarding the Garcia’s, but unfortunately it is not correct (proven). There may have been a William Bonney who married a Garcia, but it was not Billy the Kid.

I apologize for sounding like a know it all, but many have attempted to substantiate the genealogy of William Bonney (Henry McCarty) and as close as we have come is that he had is origin in Indiana, New York or perhaps Ohio. He did not marry, there is no concrete proof that he fathered children out of wedlock (although there are some strong possibilities that have been alleged) and he was killed by Pat Garrett on 14 July 1881 at Fort Sumner, New Mexico which is where he is buried. Respectfully, I would love to see whatever information you would be willing to share to support your claim.

Sorry I lost my firat reply. Hope Bryan answersa your letter. Let me know. Dorothy muirhead@inebraska.com

Richard Bonney has given me a FGS for a James Bonney died 1848 in New Mexico and he married Maria Juana Mascarenas

Could he have had a
Willia? Dorothy

I happen to have what this guy claims doesn't exist.
It Does exist and it is in my personal Collection.
Billy is my GGG Cousin by Marriage off my GGGG Grandma Sarah Hogan (McConnico) Dodson's Father's Lineage.
I have done the work and I have my own Collection and a Historical Organization to Prove and back it all up.
That Includes Marriage Records, Children's Records, Census Records and Grave Photos.
Most of it I either found myself or someone else in my Family sent it to me.
E Mail me and we can arrange for a Private Visit so I can show the Proofs that I have.
If you wish, I will also be more than happy to provide Refreshments and show you one of Billy's own former Hide Out's near my home.
I am also in the process of completing Notes for a Book that All of this will go into.
as for that ccaldwelltexas, don't believe anything of it, he is blowing Smoke up your skirts!
I also have it on the authority of a McCarty Cousin and a few Bonney Cousins, as to Billy's True Lineage. I have that in my Collection now as well.

Yes, there are too Descendants!
I know of quite a few of them that would refute that Bogus info.
That guy is blowing Smoke up your skirts and to believe his info is doing Billy and his Family a great disservice.

Amen, Dorothy. I back that story to 110%. I also have the Marriage Record.

No Melissa, there are NO documented descendants. Dear God I had no idea you were spreading your BS on this legitimate genealogy site also. Is there no where left for honest history?