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The Boney family in Ireland is related to our own by marriage. John Boney (or Bony) married Bartholomew Ryan’s sister, Mary, in Ireland. Our family history suggests the Boney family immigrated to America at the same time as the Ryan family. In the Allamakee County, Iowa, church records we find John Boney’s name written as both ‘Boney’ and ‘Bony’.

Variations of this name in Ireland include Bony, Bonny, and Bone. For our purposes we only look at those Boney or Bony surnames as found in County Tipperary during the mid-nineteenth century. In Allamakee County, we find the Boneys listed initially as Bony. In reviewing the Catholic Church records, we can make several observations: several Boney also moved to Iowa about the same time as the John Boneys. One of John Boneys sisters married Richard Ryan Jr., a farmer who lived a few miles north of the James and Ann Ryans. It is also possible that the Richard Ryans were directly related to our family, in addition to relationships through marriages into the Boney family (see Iowa neighbors and "click on Richard Ryan" house)

**Ellen Theresa Bony, 05 Jun 1877, parents John Bony and Mary Ryan, sponsor Bartholmew Ryan

**Catherine Boney, 12 Feb 1873, parents John Boney and Mary Ryan, sponsors Patrick Ryan and Catherine Ryan (Note the Patrick Ryan link)

**John Edward Ryan, 01 Jun 1879, parents Richard Ryan and Hanna Bony, sponsors Edward Ryan and Mrs. Bony (sic. Mary Ryan)

The first census we see John and Mary Boney listed is in 1880 while they were living in Colorado. In addition to the Boneys, Bartholomew Ryan and others lived in the same house. This seems to indicate that the Boneys maintained a boarding house while living in Colorado. They lived in Nevadaville, Colorado, which was a booming mining town in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Only a few years later do we see these families finally living and raising their families in South Dakota. According to later census records, the Boney family immigrated to America in 1863. This can be established by looking at where their children were born. Their oldest daughter, Margaret, appears to have been born in either 1862 or 1863 in Ireland. Later children were all born in Iowa. According to this information, the Boney family spent almost 10 years living in Iowa.

By 1895 the Boney family could be found living in Smith Township, Brule County, South Dakota. A copy of the1895 South Dakota Census shows the Boney surnames found living here during this period of time.

The Boney surname was not common in Tipperary, let alone Ireland. There were probably as many entries for Boneys in the Griffith Valuation Survey as found for another name in our family tree – Campbell. Fifteen entries can be found; however, several are duplicates as discussed later. In any event, you can see that the Boney surnames appear clustered in several parishes. The parishes of Crohane and Lickfinn also have a large concentration of Boneys. Kilvellane Civil Parish also contained many Boneys as the record shows. In Toem Civil Parish there was an entry for ‘John Bony’ who lived in the area during the middle part of the nineteenth century. Toem is two parishes east of Kilvellane Civil Parish. No Boney surnames were found in neighboring County Limerick, which shares an eastern border with County Tipperary.

Occupier Last Name	Occupier First Name	Lessor Last Name	Lessor First Name	County	Parish	Townland
BONEY	ANDREW			TIPPERARY, NORTH RIDING	KILVELLANE	LACKAMORE
BONEY	JAMES			TIPPERARY, NORTH RIDING	KILVELLANE	LACKAMORE
BONEY	PATRICK			TIPPERARY, NORTH RIDING	KILVELLANE	LACKAMORE
BONEY	PATRICK	COURT OF CHANCERY		TIPPERARY, NORTH RIDING	KILVELLANE	LACKAMORE
BONEY	ANDREW	COURT OF CHANCERY		TIPPERARY, NORTH RIDING	KILVELLANE	LACKAMORE
BONEY	JAMES	COURT OF CHANCERY		TIPPERARY, NORTH RIDING	KILVELLANE	LACKAMORE
BONY	JOHN	DWYER	MARTIN	TIPPERARY, NORTH RIDING	TOEM	REAFADDA
BONEY	JAMES	MINING CO. OF IRELAND		TIPPERARY, SOUTH RIDING	CROHANE	KNOCKILTERRA
BONEY	GEOFFRY	CANTWELL	JN.	TIPPERARY, SOUTH RIDING	CROHANE	KNOCKNAGAPPLE
BONEY	GEOFFRY	CANTWELL	MICH.	TIPPERARY, SOUTH RIDING	CROHANE	KNOCKNAGAPPLE
BONEY	THOMAS	LANGLEY	JOHN	TIPPERARY, SOUTH RIDING	LICKFINN	LICKFINN
BONEY	EDWARD	LANGLEY	JOHN	TIPPERARY, SOUTH RIDING	LICKFINN	LICKFINN
BONEY	MARGARET	LANGLEY	JOHN	TIPPERARY, SOUTH RIDING	LICKFINN	LICKFINN
BONEY	JOHN	LANGLEY	JOHN	TIPPERARY, SOUTH RIDING	LICKFINN	LICKFINN
BONEY	JAMES	LANGLEY	JOHN	TIPPERARY, SOUTH RIDING	LICKFINN	LICKFINN

The following shows the Boney surnames listed in the Griffith Valuation Survey for Lackamore Townland. Kilvellane Parish is located on the Tipperary-Limerick border. John and Mary’s oldest boy was named ‘Andrew’. You have probably heard us discuss the ‘Irish Naming Convention’ before. Generally, the Irish named their oldest male child after the father’s father. The name ‘Andrew’ only appears in Kilvellane Civil Parish.

This general area is one of several that we think the Ryan Family lived in Ireland. In neighboring parish, Kilnarath, there lived a Campbell family. Kilnarath is also known as one of the strongholds of Ryans found in Tipperary. In Lackamore we find the following Boney names listed: Andrew, James, and Patrick. If there were more than one person with the same name, the surveyors would indicate this by adding a nickname to the person’s name. This could be a nickname, mother’s surname, or could indicate a ‘Senior’ or ‘Junior’. As there are no ‘nicknames’ added, we surmise there were only three Boney heads of household for this Townland.

This is one of our top contenders for where the James Ryan Family lived in Ireland. There lived a ‘John Bony’ in Reafadda Townland during this time period. Nearby was the Hollyford Mining Company. Since John Boney worked the mines in Colorado, it is possible he learned the ‘trade’ while in Ireland. In America John Boney used both ‘Bony’ and ‘Boney’ as a surname. A Campbell family also lived in the same parish, unlike Kilvellane where a Campbell family lived in the neighboring parish of Kilnarath. Also, it appears that ‘John Bony’ lived next door to a ‘James Ryan’ in Reafadda. Other ‘James Ryan’ references exist in the same general location. The longest distance between any of these ‘James Ryan’, ‘Campbell’, or ‘John Bony’ references was 2 miles. All would have gone to the same church found in Hollyford, which was located in Piperhill townland. Piperhill contained a National School, and was home to a ‘James Ryan’ family.

John Bony would have lived in Section ‘11’, which may indicate a mining camp, or quarters created by the Hollyford Mining Company. Copper mining was big business in this area, and it attracted many families affected by the famine as it offered a chance for steady employment. Perhaps this ‘John Bony’ moved here to find better pay.

Tipperary South (Tiobraid Arann Theas in Irish) is also known as Tipperary South Riding. It is an administrative county in the Republic of Ireland, consisting of 52% of the land area which constituted the historical county of Tipperary. South Tipperary was established in 1898 and has its own county council. The main town is Clonmel. Other important centers include Carrick-on-Suir, Cashel, Cahir, and Tipperary Town. We also find several Boney surnames living in this part of Ireland during the mid-nineteenth century. One of the Civil Parishes where the Boneys lived was ‘Lickfinn’. There is an old song where the lyrics talk about the fighting Boneys of Lickfinn.

Crohane Parish was near Tipperary Town. A family of Boneys lived in this area as well as a good number of Ryans. The only Campbells we could find in any census substitute or census were located in Tipperary Town. All these Campbells were listed as Protestants. Would a Protestant marry a Catholic in those days and reduce his or her social standing? It is possible, but not very likely. In any event, we find a Geoffry Boney living in Knocknagapple Townland and he has a house and garden.

The following is an ordnance map of Knocknagapple. Unfortunately, we could not find a map that provides more detailed descriptions of how the land was subdivided into parcels. We are still searching for this information.

In the same Civil Parish we find another Boney family living in Knockilterra Townland. We find James Boney who was leasing his land from the Mining Company of Ireland. There is one interesting fact about the Boney family. Most of them lived near mining companies. Of course it may all be a coincidence.

Again, this map does not show the exact location of where James Boney lived. However, this townland is small consisting of only 88 acres of land.

Lickfinn is where the largest concentration of Boney surnames can be found. In this townland one finds a John Boney, James Boney, Thomas Boney, Edward Boney, and Margaret Boney. The names listed would indicate they were the head of household. In this valuation it would appear that the Boney family lived in close proximity to each other. There are no Ryans living in this townland, although one can find Ryan surnames listed in the Civil Parish records. More interesting though is that there are no Campbell surnames listed anywhere near this area. The closest Campbell reference is probably 10 to 15 miles away.

Although this map does not show exactly where the Boney family lived, it does give you an idea of how the land parcels were subdivided. From what we can see the Boney family lived in close proximity to each other.

Occupier Last Name	Occupier First Name	Lessor Last Name	Lessor First Name	County	Parish	Townland
BONEY	THOMAS	GREENE	PATRICK	DOWN	RATHMULLAN	KILLOUGH
BONEY	CHRISTOPHER	DAMES	FRANCIS L.	KING'S	BALLYBURLY	DERRYIRON
BONY	CHRISTOPHER	DAMES	FRANCIS L.	KING'S	CASTLEJORDAN	DERRYGREENAGH
BONY	CHRISTOPHER	DAMES	FRANCIS L.	KING'S	CASTLEJORDAN	KNOCKDRIN
BONEY	ANDREW	SIMMS	THOMAS	KING'S	KILCLONFERT	CLONAGH