The John Boney Family History
The following Story is about the Boneys of Kimball. John Boney married Mary Ryan, Batt Ryan's sister, and throughout the latter half of the 19th century and early 20th century, these two families were quite close. Below represents some items of interest to our families.
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Joseph Boney was born February 9, 1867 Waukon, Iowa, Allamakee County. He was the son of John Boney and Mary (Ryan) Boney, originally from Ireland The family located in Colorado when “Jim” (as he was known) was a young man. Jim and his brothers worked in the coal mines there. In 1886, the Boney family came to the Smith Township in Brule County. They went to Live on a farm about five miles west of Kimball. James and Mary had a family Consisting of Kate, Lizzie, Nell, Agnes, Nora, Alice, Mary, Margaret, Andrew, John and James.
Lulu Way Jones was born June 10, 1882 at Carson, Iowa to Robert F. and Florence Coin Jones. Lulu’s mother passed away in 1890 and after, her father and seven of the children to a ranch in Plummer Township northeast of Kimball. Lulu went to Ward Academy and in Brule County and taught in the Brule County school system.
Lulu Jones and Joseph Boney were married at Holy Family Catholic Church in Mitchell, South Dakota. They were members of the St. James Catholic Church of Chamberlain. Both held church offices. Jim Boney was sheriff and deputy sheriff of Brule County for years. On September 5, 1926, one of the great tragedy’s of Brule County occurred. When Steve Hedge, a stranger, bummed a ride west of Chamberlain. In a short time Hedge pulled a gun on the driver, robbed him of $45 and a watch, bound and gagged him and left him in a ditch. When the man was found they went to Chamberlain to report to Deputy Sheriff Jim Boney. Mr. Boney went down around the railroad bridge to look for Hedge as he had been seen walking across the bridge. When Jim called to Hedge to “halt”, Hedge shot three times and mortally wounded Jim, who was then 59 years old. Meantime several men hearing the shots, organized a posse and surrounded the bushes. They demanded that Hedge surrender, which he did, when he realized he was surrounded.
While this was going on, some other men took Mr. Boney to the Sanitarium and notified his family, he lived only a few hours. The authorities knew if news got out about the death of Jim Boney, the enraged men would hang Hedge, which many were ready to do. They didn’t give out the news until Hedge was safely jailed. He was heavily guarded until brought to trial and he received a life sentence. He died at the State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls about 1937.
After Jim’s sad
death, Mrs. Boney continued to live in Chamberlain. She rented rooms in her home
to working men and women, tourists and hunters. In January, 1971, after 6 weeks
in the hospital, Mrs. Boney lived at the Nursing Home and later at Sunset Valley
Haven in Chamberlain. On September 20, 1975, Mrs. Boney passed away at the
Community Bailey Hospital at the age of 93.
Lulu and James J. had six children but four of them died at birth.
Their living children were James J., Jr. and Josephine. The first picture is the Lulu Jones farm. The second photo is the Jim Boney family. The third photo is a photo of the same family.
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