"Toney - The First Millennium" - by Benjamin C. Toney. 2nd Edition, 1996; ©1994.
($40 per copy)
(Hardback with over 215 pages)
Benjamin Toney, Springtown, Texas, 76082.
(Note: Hard Copy no longer available)
*** New! "Electronic Version" Now Available! ***2 February 2000 - Hard Copies of the above book are no longer available and there are no plans, at this time, to reprint in a hard copy version. With Ben Toney’s permission, the original book has been scanned and edited to make the material in the book available to interested individuals and in particular to researchers of the Toney family.
The Electronic Version (approx 1.4 Mb) can be downloaded from this site (link below) however a password is required to open the file. The password fee is $25 and includes the right to print one hardcopy of the book for your personal use if desired. All proceeds from the book go to the author.
Ben traces the Toney family from Malahulcius the Uncle of Rollo. (Rollo
is described as a "freebooting Norseman" who was given a tract of land along the
river Seine by Charles the Simple, King of France and who took the title of "Duke of
Normandy").
Ben describes how Malahulcius, the ancient ancestor of the Toney family, most likely
positioned himself near the city of Dieppe, and had a son Hugh, who styled himself as Hugh
de Cavalcamp (ca. 870). One of Hugh's sons, Ralph, was rewarded the domain of
Tosny by his older brother Hugh who was Archbishop of Rouen. Ralph became "Ralph
de Tosny I". (Ben points out that the "s" in Tosny is silent in the
modern French pronunciation).
Ben Goes on to trace the Toney's in Normandy and in Britain describing their place in
history, their many land holdings, involvement in battles and other Noble connections. He
traces the noble line through to Robert, Baron de Toney, "Knight of the
Swan" and the loss of the Baronage through his Daughter's line to Henry VII.
Ben attributes Robert Toney of Bromsberrow, Gloucestershire, England (son of
Ralph de Toney VI) to be the likely ancestor of the Toneys in America, pointing out that
in the 17th and 18th centuries approximately 70% of all Toneys in England lived within 15
miles radius of Tewkesbury and Bromsberrow. From here Ben moves to the American Toney line
tracing it to Bristol England then to VA and beyond.
Ben has included color illustrations of Toney Crests , property
lists, many royal/noble linages as well as detailed linages for some American lines. This
215 page, 8.5 x 11, hardback book is well written, well illustrated and well documented.
Not only has Ben documented the Toney line but he has managed to bring it to life with
colorful history putting everything in context.
Examples of Toney-The First Millennium (Electronic Version)
