Boneys of Chamberlain

The Boneys connect with our Smith family through Ruth Ryan Smith. Her grandfather's eldest sister Mary Ryan married John (Andrew) Boney before coming to America. The Boneys lived next door to James Ryan, Batt Ryan's father, in Allamakee County, Iowa; and eventually the Boneys left for Nevadaville Co accompanied by Batt Ryan.

After some period of time, Batt Ryan left Colorado and headed back to Allamakee County. He married and Elizabeth Hill and they left Iowa for Dakota territory, more specifically a farmstead a few miles west of Kimball, South Dakota.

In due time, John and Mary Boney moved their family to Kimball, South Dakota. This would be the final movement of the Boneys, although we do know that a few stayed in Colorado. The news items below are associated with the Boney family of Brule County.

April 11, 1954, Argus Leader

They have one son, James Wesley who graduated from Chamberlain high school in 1975. He and his father are members of the 200th Engineers Company, SD National Guard at Chamberlain. Jim will attend Black Hills State College in Spearfish, South Dakota, this fall

Daily Plainsman, Huron SD, August 1938

Argus Leader, Nov 7, 1943

Josephine was a WAVE during WWII. This is a promotional photo that was used to create positive morale for US citizens back home. As did many women on our Ryan side of the family, Josephine enlisted in the service to support our troops during wartime.

Josephine is the woman in the dark uniform on your right.

Pioneer Times, Lead SD, 1914

October 1924

September 30, 1937, p 18

Argus Leader 1899

Lead Daily Call, Lead SD, July 1909

Josephine J. Boney graduated in 1936 from Chamberlain high school. She worked for the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Chamberlain for 26 years and became chief operator in 1946. During WSWII she was a WAVE in the US Navy. May 10, 1954 Josephine married Francis A. Blackwell of Torrey Lake Township, south of Kimball, South Dakota, at St. James Catholic Church in Chamberlain. Francis graduated from Platte high school and served in the US Army during WWII. He attended Nettleton Business College in Sioux Falls, was employed with the SD State Highway Commission and now with the US Army Corps of Engineers

Josephine worked for the local telephone company in Chamberlain. Years later, she was remembered as a long time waitress serving customers in a well known local restaurant.

the Daily Republic, Mitchell SD, april 1960

October 1937

Daily Republic, August 1953

Catching a thief...This must have been a topic of conversation in the small town of Chamberlain, South Dakota.

J.J. Boney

While we know of Deputy Boney's tragic death by a crime suspect, other news articles show his involvement in cracking down on crime.

One of the things you learn when you research family roots...there are events and situations that the family would hope "go away"...

This case made statewide news, as you will see from other articles in this section.

J.J. Boney was one of the major stockholdders of the early bank in Kimball. A lawsuit was thrown out of court, but am certain that it was a topic of conversation in the small town of Kimball, SD.

Argus Leader, October 1899

The Boneys were involved in the county government, and we see this involvement over the next 30 years or so.

Argus Leader. October 1899.

This actually appeared in several South Dakota newspapers. Irish John Smith lost quite a few cows due to this epidemic.

Andrew Boney, a son of John and Mary Boney.

We do know that the Boneys traveled quite frequently to Fort Dodge. Their eldest daughter married a son of Richard Ryan in Allamakee County. Richard Ryan is not related to us directly, but was one of the family neighbor's in Union Prairie township, Allamakee County. After living on a few rented farms, Jim Geppert purchased the Jim Boney farm in Smith Township N.E. ½ of Sec. 1, 103 range 69, northwest of Kimball

A. J. Sommers sent me a write up almost a year ago about the Boneys. He had been trying to locate the family line, and did not realize that the Boney family ended up in Kimball SD. One of the children of John and Mary Boney, Anne, died in Colorado; and is buried in Colorado Springs. Her husband, Darius Comstock En Earl, is seen living with Andrew Boney Jr in Colorado, and eventually came to live in Kimball, SD. He died in Kimball and is buried near the Boney family.

I am including the information that he provided. You can view by clicking on the link BONEYS. If you would like to contact Art, please send him an email at the following address:

Art Sommers, ajsommers@aol.com

Argus Leader, September 1926

Argus Leadrer, September 1926

Argus Leader, September 1926

James J. Boney was shot by an itinerant ne'er-do-well named Stephen Hedge on September 6, 1926, outside Chamberlain. The Leo Memorial in Pierre, South Dakota, honors Boney's sacrifice and service as a fallen officer. Official records list two versions on how Hedge died. One record suggests Steve Hedge died in prison seven years after his arrest

Daily Pioneer Times, Lead SD, October 1926

An interesting perspective needless to say. Hedge, the murderer, had little financial resources to help him stay out of jail. His sentencing was fast...and the citizens appreciated it greatly.

September 1931

We have written about this incident several times since we decided to build our family history. Interestingly, Hedge can claim a direct decent to Davy Crockett. Davy Crockett was one of the colorful chaps who died at the Alamo during the Texas Revolution.

Argus Leader, Sept 1926

This article surprised us as we didn't realize that a cousin was instrumental in getting a confession from the murderer of James Boney.

Henry Ryan was a cousin from Fort Dodge. Henry's mother was James Boney's sister.