How did Brushy's real mother die?

[devinb]

I'm hoping to find out any information about Brushy Bill's mother—her short life and tragic death. And also, any details about 2-3 yr old Billy, and his rescue from an abusive (absent) father by relatives. Thx

[William H Bonney is my hero]

I Do not know about that but I THINK you find this information instresting. (Sorry for spelling mistake)

lies of John Miller

John Miller never told his story officially and the vast majority of his claim is based around second-hand information and speculation from those who knew him.

In a 1900 census report, Miller said he was born in 1857. In a 1910 report, he claimed he was born in 1852. On the memorial plaque at the Pioneer Home Cemetery where Miller is buried, his birthdate is listed as 1850. All three of these dates would make Miller older than Billy the Kid. Although it's possible Miller would lie about his age to throw off potential pursuers, it's not likely he would make himself older, but younger, since the Kid was known to look far younger than he actually was.

Miller himself told several friends he only knew Billy the Kid, having worked as a ranchhand for the Chisum brothers.

Miller owned a 45 pistol with an extra-long barrel that he claimed he used as Billy the Kid. However, Billy was known to use .44s with normal sized barrels, or the smaller .41s. Furthermore, Miller's pistol had several notches on it, which he claimed were for the men he killed. Billy did not have such notches on his pistols, and it's doubtful that any other gunfighter did either.

If John Miller was the Kid, how did he escape from Pat Garrett at Fort Sumner? Apparently, Miller told different versions of this to different friends. One version is that he was shot in the chest a week or so before July 14, and that Isadora was nursing him back to health when Garrett accidentally killed a Mexican sheep-herder in the Maxwell house. Another version is that Miller was himself shot by Garrett in the Maxwell house, and played dead while Garrett quickly inspected him. When Miller was then carried away by his Mexican friends to be prepared for burial, he showed signs of life and was hidden by Isadora. Meanwhile, a Mexican who died a day earlier was placed in the casket meant for Billy and buried. In this latter scenario, Garrett never learned that Billy was not killed.

[mckinley412]

I'm hoping to find out any information about Brushy Bill's mother—her short life and tragic death. And also, any details about 2-3 yr old Billy, and his rescue from an abusive (absent) father by relatives. Thx

Dewitt Travis said his dad was Elbert Travis and his mother was Martha Ann Patterson who was girlhood friends and lifelong friends with Brushy's mother.  Maybe you could track down Mary Adeline Dunn by tracking down the Travis family and specifically the mother and then focus on other people living in that area to find Mary.

[Texas Truth Teller]

"Dewitt Travis said his dad was Elbert Travis and his mother was Martha Ann Patterson who was girlhood friends and lifelong friends with Brushy's mother. "

mckinley412,
Lots of luck with that. At least DeWitt knew the names of his parents. Lifelong friends? Supposedly, Mary Adeline Dunn was born in Kentucky, and died about 1862. Martha Ann Patterson (1851 - 1932), daughter of Duncan Patterson and Lucretia Green, was born 23 April 1851 in Louisiana. So Martha Ann Patterson was only about 11 when the mythical Mary Adeline Dunn died.

Was DeWitt referring to Sarah Elizabeth Ferguson (1856 - 1924), mother of Oliver P. Roberts? She was born in Arkansas. Approximate age, and both survived for over 65 years. They could have been ifelong friends.

[mckinley412]

I appreciate the info. Do you have documents you can post so that we can see? Dewitt Travis records or anything would be helpful.

[Texas Truth Teller]

mckinley412,

"I appreciate the info. Do you have documents you can post so that we can see? Dewitt Travis records or anything would be helpful."

Search Find A Grave for Elbert DeWitt Travis, Find A Grave Memorial# 97964768, to find this:
Birth: 1889
Death: 1961
Burial:
Myrtle Springs Cemetery
Myrtle Springs
Van Zandt County
Texas, USA

Search Ancestry.com for Elbert DeWitt Travis, WWI Registration to find this.
Name: Elbert Dewitt Travis
County: Van Zandt
State: Texas
Birthplace: Texas
Birth Date: 26 Mar 1890
Race: Caucasian (White)

Search Ancestry.com, 1900 census of Van Zandt County, microfilm page 6B, line 91, to find this:
Albert D. Travis, son, age 12, born March 1888.
Mother, Ann Travis, widow, born in Louisiana, is listed on line 85 as head of household.

Note discrepancy of year of birth: 1888, 1889, 1890.
His sworn affidavit that Brushy Bill was Billy the Kid is meaningless, for he obviously had not seen BtK before July 1881.

[mckinley412]

Tunstill’s book, “Billy the Kid and Me Were the Same”, has an obvious mistake, and a very interesting interview of Brushy Bill’s cousin.

Obvious mistake: Tunstill said Brushy Bill returned from Mexico in 1883, and stayed a few days with Mr. & Mrs. John C. Able of El Paso. Not possible. They were not married until 1898. They were not residents of El Paso until about 1902.

Interesting interview: Mr. & Mrs. Tunstill were invited to the home of a female granddaughter of Henry and Sarah Elizabeth Roberts.
Tunstill, on page 35 of “Billy the Kid and Me Were the Same”, tells of his visit to an unidentified female he identified as a 2nd cousin of Brushy Bill. (She was actually a 1st cousin of Oliver P. Roberts.)
In August of 1987, Tunstill and his wife visited in the home of Brushy Bill’s cousin, probably Velma O. Arnold Tadlock (16 Feb 1896 - 2 Jan 1989). (Tunstill researched Brushy Bill’s story from about 1981 until 1988.) Velma denied that Ollie was Billy the Kid. Tunstill showed Velma photographs of Brushy Bill, which she recognized as her cousin Ollie. Velma said she had visited the home of her grandparents, Oliver and Sarah Elizabeth Roberts, near Sulphur Springs almost every summer, and had first met Brushy Bill when she was 6. (That was about 1902, and Oliver P. Roberts was about 23 and living with his parents.) Velma showed Tunstill a large picture of her grandmother, Elizabeth Ferguson Roberts. Tunstill responded by saying that is the same picture identified as Brushy Bill’s mother, Mary Adeline Dunn, on page 58 of Sonnichsen’s book. Velma remembered only the first of Ollie’s wives, Mollie. She knew that Ollie retired from the rodeo circuit, and settled in Hico.

This interview is informative. Velma identified Brushy Bill as her cousin Ollie. He was in Hopkins County about 1902. He retired from the rodeo circuit. That explains Brushy Bill’s many stories about riding, and provides a possible explanation of some of his scars. Tunstill acknowledged that the picture of Elizabeth Ferguson had been identified by Morrison as Mary Adeline Dunn.

Texas Truth Teller, I thought your post from another thread belonged over here as well so I hope you and the admin. will forgive my audacity.  You have been making some very good points, finally.  I have no dog in this hunt so if anyone can show the unlikelihood that Brushy was Billy that is okay with me.  So, Dewitt Travis's mother could only have been life long friends S.E. Ferguson or E. Ferguson since she would have been 11 when Mary Adeline died.  (Good point. In chapter 1 of ABTK it says Brushy consistently called his father's second wife mother and omitted carefully all things that happened to him before he was 12.  I wonder too if the author may have been mixed up about Brushy calling Wild Henry's second wife mother and also having to call the dead Oliver P's mother, "Mother" as well)  And Brushy's cousin identified Mary as Elizabeth Ferguson and that's another good point.  I guess I need to finally break down and buy Tunstill's book.  Also, speaking of ch. 1, I usually don't have a big problem with Brushy's quotes, it's when the authors tell his story for him that makes it messy.  Why they didn't just quote everything he said instead of talking for him,    Maybe I will read Lost Interviews again even though I didn't find it all that fascinating the first time. 

[Texas Truth Teller]

mckinley412,
If you wish to verify census information, the LDS site has census images. There is no subscription required.
familysearch.org/search/collection/1325221

"Maybe you could track down Mary Adeline Dunn by tracking down the Travis family and specifically the mother and then focus on other people living in that area to find Mary."

1920 TX census, Van Zandt Co, m/f page 50 line 46
Martha Travis, age 66, widow, head of household, born LA, father born NC, mother born MS
Mahaley Ray, age 82, widow, sister, born MS, father born MS, mother born MS

AR marriage record
Samuel B. Ray, age 29
Mahala C. Patterson, age 22
Both residents of Claiborne, LA
Married 26 Feb 1860
Union Co, AR

Texas Death Certificate 23620
Mahala Ray
born 11 Nov 1837, Jefferson, MS
died 3 May 1928, Van Zandt Co, TX
Father - Duncan Patterson

1850 LA census, Claiborne Parish, m/f page 141, line 2.
Dunkin Patterson, age 50
Lucretia, age 40
Elizabeth, age 16
Neel B, age 14,
Mahaleigh, age 13
James, age 10
William, age 8
Sarah A., age 6
Effa A, age 1

TX Death Certificate #30099
Mrs. Ann Travis
Born 23 Apr 1858, Louisiana
Died 30 June 1933, Van Zandt Co, Texas
Father - D. P. Patterson
Mother - Lucrecy Green

Yep, proof that Martha Ann Travis nee Patterson was born in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana. Brushy Bill's BS that the mythical Mary Adeline Dunn was born in KY.

Oliver P. Roberts, alias Brushy Bill, alias William Henry Roberts, was the son of Henry Oliver Roberts and Sarah Elizabeth Ferguson. The first wife of Henry Oliver Roberts was Caroline DUNN. That made it easy for Brushy Bill to remember the last name of his mythical mother, Mary Adeline DUNN.

[Texas Truth Teller]

"I guess I need to finally break down and buy Tunstill's book."

mckinley412,
If you do not find a copy of "Billy the Kid and Me Were the Same" for sale on Amazon, I might be able to locate someone willing to sell theirs.

I fear you will be disappointed in the content, although there are some good pictures. There are also several letters. Precious little meaningful research other than the interview with Brushy Bill's cousin.

"Maybe I will read Lost Interviews again even though I didn't find it all that fascinating the first time."

Historical fiction is not like whiskey. It does not get better with age.