Untold Story: Catherine McCarty, Billy The Kid's Mother!
Ever wonder about the woman behind the legend? Catherine McCarty Antrim was more than just the mother of Billy the Kid; she was a resilient Irish immigrant, a pioneer, and a woman who navigated hardship with a spirit that shaped the trajectory of her infamous son. Her story is one of survival, adaptation, and the quiet strength that often goes unrecorded in the annals of history.
Catherine Devine, as she was known before her marriage, was born around 1831 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, a period marked by immense social and economic upheaval, particularly during the Irish famine. Driven by the promise of a better life, she made the arduous journey to America, a land teeming with both opportunity and peril. On June 15, 1851, at the Church of St. Peter on 16 Barclay Street in New York City, Catherine married Patrick McCarty. This union marked the beginning of her life in a new world, but also the early seeds of a family legacy that would later become intertwined with the legends of the Wild West. While details of Patrick McCarty's life remain scarce, it's known that he passed away nine years before Catherine's second marriage, leaving her a widow with two young sons, Henry (later known as Billy the Kid) and Joe, to raise on her own.
Category | Information |
---|---|
Full Name | Catherine Devine McCarty Antrim |
Birth Date | Approximately 1831 |
Birth Place | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
Immigration | To America, date unknown |
First Marriage | Patrick McCarty (June 15, 1851, New York City) |
Children | Henry McCarty (Billy the Kid), Joseph McCarty |
Second Marriage | William Antrim (March 1, 1873, Santa Fe, New Mexico) |
Occupation(s) | Homemaker, Landowner, Community Supporter |
Significant Locations | New York City, Indianapolis, Wichita (Kansas), Silver City (New Mexico), Santa Fe (New Mexico) |
Death | 1874, Silver City, New Mexico (Cause: Tuberculosis) |
Legacy | Mother of Billy the Kid, Pioneer Woman, Early Settler of Wichita |
Reference | Billy the Kid - Wikipedia |



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