Billy the Kid was born in New York City on November 23, 1859 to Helsina Katherine Bohne (pronounced Bonny) and Michael McCarty. He had two brothers: Joseph, born in 1864, also to Helsina and Michael, and Henry Magnus Bohne, the illegitimate son of Helsina and King Christian VIII of Denmark.

Helsina Bohne was born in Copenhagen on December 3, 1830. She was sent to work in the Royal Household in 1845. The King took notice of her shortly thereafter and she became pregnant in the summer of 1845. She was expelled from Denmark to the United States with a small amount of money, arriving in New York City early in 1846. The illegitimate child, Henry Magnus, was born in May, 1846. By the 1850's she was out of money and living with an Irish immigrant, Michael McCarty. They may or may not have been married, but in any event were the parents of William Henry and Joseph McCarty.

Henry Magnus (Bohne) McCarty lived with his mother and his stepfather for a short time but by his late teens left their home to fend for himself in upper New York State. He kept in touch with his mother throughout her moves to Indianapolis, Wichita, and finally to New Mexico. Henry Magnus knew Billy as "Buck", a nickname given because of his buck teeth, a trait which shows up in about half the Bohne children. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in upstate New York and took part in their migration to the Salt Lake Valley. Henry Magnus Bohne married and had seventeen children, the oldest son being Henry Mortens Bohne, the second being Joseph Bohne. Joseph Bohne would later be involved in the Billy the Kid story.

McCarty became abusive to Helsina and the two boys, and one violent episode in 1872 led to William Henry (Billy) stabbing his father. While McCarty was recuperating, Helsina and the two boys fled New York, first to upstate New York and then west to Indiana. The family used Helsina's maiden name during this time with the Americanized spelling of Bonney, but upon learning of the later unrelated death of McCarty, reverted to using McCarty. Helsina had also adopted the use of her middle name, Katherine, with the Americanized spelling of Catherine. During their stay in Indianapolis Catherine began living with William (Bill) Antrim, and when the family moved to Wichita, Kansas, Antrim went with them.

Catherine operated a successful laundry business in Indianapolis and later Wichita, but upon being diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis moved her family to the higher and dryer climate of New Mexico. She and William Antrim were married in Santa Fe, New Mexico on March 1, 1873. She died of tuberculosis on September 16, 1874.

         
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