Herbert Tonney’s Obituary
Herbert Tonney, son . . . Phebe J. Tonney, was b...Ill, July 24, 1869.
His...of vicissitudes, has....conscientious from ch...was in the pub...Flora, and...has...his home. In March 1886 he...Southwestern Kansas into what was later know as Stevens County. There were two rival towns eight miles apart, each struggling to be the county seat. A bitter feud had ensued and a condition of lawlessness prevailed. Mr. Tonney became a member of a sheriff’s posse of five who undertook the arrest of some of the ringleaders who were terrorizing the whole country. On the night of July 25, 1888, the day following Mr. Tonney’s 15th (?) birthday the posse was surprised and overpowered by the gang of outlaws four or fine times larger than their own number and the sheriff and every member of the posse were killed except Mr. Tonney who was shot through the neck and after some severe tests declared to be dead and left on the field. When he came to consciousness he examined the bodies of his companions and found no life in the. He discovered a pond of water drank of it, lay down in it for a while and then finding his horse managed with effort to mount it and followed a trail 16 miles to a place of safety.
Returning to Flora he engaged in real estate and insurance. At the time of his decease he had been for some years Secretary of the Iowa and Arkansas and Company. His business life was characterized by industry, push and strict integrity. He handled large tracts of land and made numerous sales.
Mr. Tonney was united in marriage June 29, 1901 with Mrs. Emma Lourene Evans of Chicago. He joined the M.E. Church of Flora Oct. 13 of the same year, Mrs. Tonney uniting with the church by letter from Chicago at the same time.
Bro. Tonney was a manly man, a man of character, of pure and strong ideals, a brave man and yet a man of tenderness, sympathy and love. His life, though strong and fearless, was gentle and the elements so mixed in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world “this was a man.” Bro. Tonney was a clean man. His life was clean, his conversation was clean. Even in his delirium his words were as chaste and his thoughts evidently on as high a plane as when under full self control. Bro. Tonney was a true friend, wholly true; true under any test. He delighted in friendship’s kind offices and acts of self-sacrifice. Bro. Tonney was a true and devoted husband. His fervency and strength of conjugal affection was one of the chief causes of his tremendous fight for life. He said repeatedly to his pastor “I am ready to die. It’s all right; but I don’t want to die. I want to live.”
Bro. Tonney was a strong friend of temperance. He supported it with his example, his work, his vote and his money.
Bro. Tonney was a Christian. In his Christian life he was modest and unassuming but he was true. He loved the church. He was a liberal giver. He loved to give. He sought opportunities to give a cause his judgment approved. He gave systematically setting about one tenth of his income as his minimum offering for the cause of Christ. He was a lover of Sunday School. He was for 25 years a member of the same S.S. class. Bro. Tonney was optimistic and cheerful. He believed in the triumph of righteousness in the world. He looked toward the morning.
As a sufferer he was patient and hopeful; self possessed, and always appreciative of the kindness and thoughtfulness of others.
His health which had not been good for some time was broken down by an attack of La Grip early in January. A chronic ailment rapidly developed and after great and protracted suffering the end came at 4 a.m. April 22, 1905. He leaves a wife, a mother, two brothers, many relatives and a host of friends.
One brother is now in Arkansas, the other has a government position in the Phillipine Islands. His father and two brothers preceded him to the silent land. A large congregation attended the funeral of Bro. Tonney in the M.E. church at 3 p.m. April 23.
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•Links to Herbert Tonney’s Deposition
Links to Stevens County Wars
