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 William Bonney (a.k.a. Billy the Kid) - Fort Sumner, NM Posted by:  The Snowdog
N 34° 24.228 W 104° 11.611
13S E 574123 N 3807224
The grave of William Bonney (Billy the Kid) and two of his Pals, in a small cemetery in Fort Sumner, New Mexico
Waymark Code: WM10813
Location: New Mexico, United States
Date Posted: 03/18/2019
Views: 8
The true location of Billy the Kid's grave is unknown; a rainstorm washed away the wooden grave markers shortly after his death, and the current location is a guess. The headstone now in place has been stolen and recovered, and is now protected by an iron cage. The three names on the stone are William Bonney (Billy the Kid), Tom O'Falliard, and Charlie Bowdrie.
One old wooden grave marker remains - for Joe Grant, shot by Billy the Kid in 1880. It is near the entrance to the graveyard.
Description:
William H. Bonney was born in 1859. Orphaned at age 14, he soon embarked on a life of crime. First arrested for stealing food at age 16, he then robbed a Chinese laundry and was arrested, but escaped and fled the state, making him a federal fugitive. He later murdered a blacksmith, joined the "Regulators," and took part in the Lincoln County war. He (along with the other regulators) were charged with three murders during that time, including the Lincoln County Sheriff. His notoriety grew as the press carried stories about his crimes. Bonney was captured, sentenced to hang, escaped and eluded capture for two months, and was finally shot and killed in Fort Sumner on July 14, 1881. He was 21 years old.
In 1931, Charles W. Foor, an unofficial tour guide at Fort Sumner Cemetery, campaigned to raise funds for a permanent marker for the graves of Bonney, O'Folliard, and Bowdre. As a result of his efforts, a stone memorial marked with the names of the three men and their death dates beneath the word "Pals" was erected in the center of the burial area. After the gravestone was stolen and recovered, it was enclosed in the iron cage seen here today.
Sources:
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2169
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_the_Kid
Date of birth: 11/23/1859
Date of death: 07/14/1881
Area of notoriety: Crime
Marker Type: Headstone
Setting: Outdoor
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: None Indicated
Fee required?: No
Web site: [Web Link]
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