The Boneys of South Dakota
Boney Family
Introduction
| The following information shows items we have collected about the Boney family. It is kind of like a Victorian parlor where nothing really matches. So we decided to place all these dissimilar items into one document. Some of you may wonder who this family is or how they are related to our own. Mary Ryan and Bartholomew (Batt) Ryan were sister and brother. Mary married John Boney in County Tipperary, and their first child was born on January 6, 1863. In the late nineteenth century the Boney and Ryan families moved to Brule County, South Dakota, where they homesteaded. These families were close. For additional information, see Nevadaville and updated Boney Family history. |
James J. Boney, Sr.
| James J. Boney’s parents were John Boney and Mary (Ryan) Boney. James Boney was killed in the line of duty while looking for a robbery suspect. He was a Deputy Sheriff in Brule County. I found two different stories surrounding his death and have included them here. (The first story appears closer to the truth.) Below is a picture of the Leo Memorial in Pierre, South Dakota. James Boney’s name can be seen chiseled here in honor of his service to the County. |
First Version:
Brule County Sheriff's Department: Monday, September 6, 1926, Deputy Boney was shot and killed while searching for a robbery suspect. The suspect had robbed and kidnapped a person who had offered him a ride. Another passerby found the victim, who was tied up, and freed him before calling the sheriff's department.
Deputy Boney located the victim's car and as he searched for the suspect nearby he was shot several times and killed. A posse was formed and located the suspect near the Missouri River. The man was killed in a shootout with the posse. (ODMP)
Steve W. Hedge (alias Jack Martin) had committed a robbery of a couple who had given him a ride. Deputy Boney locate him hidden in the willows along the Missouri River. Hedge shot Boney five times killing him. He was sentenced to life in the State Penitentiary and died there about seven years later. (Sam Clark)
Second Version as found in the ‘Officer Down Memorial web page’:
End of Watch: Monday, September 6, 1926
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Sunday, September 5, 1926
Weapon Used: Gun, unknown type
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Deputy Boney was shot and
killed while searching for a robbery suspect. The suspect had robbed and person
who had offered him a ride as the suspect kidnapped. Another passerby found the
victim, who was tied up, and freed him before calling the sheriff's department.
Deputy Boney located the victim's car and as he searched for the suspect nearby
he was shot several times and killed. A posse was formed and located the suspect
near the Missouri River. The man was killed in a shootout with the posse.
Brule Co, SD - Riverview Cemetery; Chamberlain, South Dakota
W 55 1 James J. BONEY 05 Sep 1926
W Juliet BONEY F 19 May 1918
Brule County History by the Brule County Historical Society
| We have cited this book before in our web site. What follows is information that was not included in our previous writings. This mélange of stray but related documents adds to what we know about this family. |
| (Page 145-146 Brule County History) |
| James J. Boney and Lu Lu Way Jones had six children but four of them died at birth. Their living children were James J., Jr. and Josephine. |
| James J. Jr. graduated from Chamberlain high school in 1929. He went to California during the depression to work for a Tractor and Equipment Company. He died at the age of 49 from a heart attack. He was married and had one daughter, Diane, who was Miss Rodeo Queen of California in 1959. She is married and now has a daughter, Robin Williams |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| (Page 221 Henry W. Geppert write-up) |
| After living on a few rented farms, he purchased the Jim Boney farm in Smith Township N.E. ½ of Sec. 1, 103 range 69, northwest of Kimball. |
| (Page 571 Brandt Dance Pavilion) |
| The name was changed to the Casino by Mr. Sorenson. ..The last dance Mr. Sorenson had was a thanksgiving night dance. There was a talent show first and later a Bowery dance was held. Every time a gentleman danced he had to pay for it. The price was the goodly sum of a nickel. The music for the night was a local group consisting of: Marc Scott, Jim Boney, Cam Rinegar, Fred Engler, Ed Sorenson, and pianist Glee Smalley. This group played for a lot of local dances. Kate Fousek sold tickets all the while Ed was Proprietor of the Casino. |
| (Page 475 Emiel R. Swanson write-up) |
| Lawrence (Swanson) was married March 16, 1947 to Irene Harris of Sayre, Oklahoma. He met his bride while serving in the army at Fort Mason, near San Francisco. They own the Andrew Boney and Garrett Purcell farms. They reside on the former Boney farm. |
The Derby Cafe: Chamberlain's greatest cafe
By Bruce Hope
This story is added because it includes the name ‘Josephine Boney’. Josephine was the daughter of James J. Boney and Lu Lu Way Jones Boney.
http://www.sdstore.com/second.asp?ID=1&ITEM=32&NAME=Feature+Stories
The Derbys’ daughter Donna (Hieb) still lives in Chamberlain. Things were different in those days, according to Hieb. Like most Chamberlain residents, she loved going swimming on American Island (flooded when the Pick-Sloan dam system was built). "That was a neat place," she reminisces. "There was a swimming pool, golf course, race track, and trap shooting range. The folks would take the help over for picnics, and we'd build a big bonfire and roast weenies."
Donna figures her dad always wanted a son, sportsman that he was. He bought her a gun for trap shooting and hunting, but she never shot a pheasant. Josephine (Boney) Blackwell, Donna's baby-sitter knows this to be the case. "Orie thought he was going to have a boy, so he bought this huge buggy," she says, "and I had to wheel Donna all over in that thing."
Josephine baby-sat Donna from 7th grade until she graduated from high school. She says she didn't make much money, but came out of it with a lasting friendship. "Donna was so good," she said. "My mother and brother really liked Donna." Josephine's father died when she was eight.
Odds and Ends
The Chamberlain Register reported the following.
Warner, Charles /Alice Boney m reg 19 jan 1905
Naturalization records for Brule County, Chamberlain, South Dakota
BONEY John 06-19-1893 4 187
BONEY John 06-19-1893 3 126
Brule Co., SD - Index to Early Homesteaders
Last name First Name Sec. Township Township Range
# Map
Bone Joseph 33 Highland 102 N 68 W
Bone Wm. C. 33 Highland 102 N 68 W
Bonec Janus J. 8 Smith 103 N 69 W
Boney Andrew 24 Cleveland 104 N 69 W
Boney Andrew 1 Smith 103 N 69 W
Boney Andrus 6 Kimball 103 N 68 W
Boney John 25 Cleveland 104 N 69 W
SDGENWEB File -- Fall River Co. SD -- Federal Land Records -- Names "BISHOP" - "BUTTS"
NAME MERIDIAN TWP RANGE SECTION ACREAGE TYPE CASETYPE DOCID Date
BONEY HERBERT E 07 009 S 002 E 012 40 272002 PA 3754 10/08/1895
BONEY HERBERT E 07 009 S 003 E 007 80 272002 PA 3754 10/08/1895
BONEY HERBERT E 07 009 S 003 E 007 33.52 272002 PA 3754 10/08/1895
Telephone Directory May 1925
Chamberlain-Oacoma-Reliance-Presho-Murdo-Draper
Boney, James, r Chamberlain 274
Photograph
The following photograph was taken in 1916 and shows James J. Boney; James, Jr.; and Lu Lu Boney.
