Fred Waite

Fred Waite (occasionally Fred WayteOtero, Miguel Antonio (1936) "The Real Billy the Kid with new light on the Lincoln County War" Rufus Rockwell Wilson, New York, p.46] ) (September 28, 1853-September 24, 1895) was a Native American who was hired as a cowboy and joined Billy the Kid's gang. Waite was a member of the Chickasaw tribe, and he was born in Fort Arbuckle, Oklahoma.

Waite found work in New Mexico with John Tunstall, who was later to be one of the leaders of the Tunstall-McSween vs. Dolan war, better known as the Lincoln County War. Waite was a farmer for Tunstall.

On February 18, 1878, Tunstall was killed, and the Regulators were formed. The Regulators were originally a posse led by Dick Brewer to serve arrest warrants on Tunstall's killers. Waite was a member of that original posse. While there, he met Billy, fellow Indian Jose Chavez y Chavez, Henry Brown, Jim French, and Charlie Bowdre, forming what was later called Billy the Kid's gang.

Fred Waite was allegedly behind a wall when William J. Brady was killed by the gang. He was also present when the gang killed Buckshot Roberts, a suspect in the murder of Tunstall.

Split between his Native American culture and his new life, Waite decided to return to life as an Indian, leaving the gang behind.

Back in Oklahoma, Waite became a successful politician, holding various titles at the Chickasaw nation, including senator, speaker of the house of representatives and others.

It is not known how Waite died. But when his death took place, four days away from his forty second birthday, he was being prepared to become Governor of the Chickasaw Nation.

Notes