Origins of the Stoney Family
The Stoney Family Coat of Arms
This family is of Danish origin, the first recorded spelling of the surname being Stanehow or Stonehow, meaning stone height. The first record of a member of this family is of one Baldwin de Stonow, who was a rector of Kettlewell, Yorkshire, in the time of Edward I (1272-1307). In 1379, we see records of Henricus and Willemus de Stanehow paying poll tax at Buckden, just three miles from Kettlewell. These two were presumably brothers.
Over two-hundred years on and in virtually the same location, we come to the first traceable Stoney family member without gaps. This is George Stoney, Esquire of Rylstone (or Rilston) who married, on 06/01/1675, Mary (20/06/1655-), the daughter of Thomas Moorhouse of Rilston and Abigail Windle. George was almost certainly born in Kettlewell, less than ten miles from Rilston, but we cannot see his birth-date as early parish records from Kettlewell are lost.
George was probably the son of John Stoney of Kettlewell and his wife Isabella. We can guess this because of the following record: 'Isabell Stoney, late wife of John Stoney, late of Ketlewell, buried the 1st of May,1690.' This possible relationship is backed up by the fact that two of George's children were called John and Isabella.
George and his family left for Ireland in 1691 or 1692 and settled at Knockshegowna, Co. Tipperary.
The Stoney family motto is 'nunquam non paratus', meaning 'never unprepared.'
George Stoney and his wife Mary had issue:
1. Thomas Stoney (17/12/1675-18/08/1726) m. (1712), Sarah Robinson (1693-19/08/1748), daughter of Thomas Robinson of Knockshegowna and his wife Mary Armstrong, the daughter of Robert Armstrong of Gallen Priory and Lydia Harward (Howard)
2. John Stoney (1678-)
3. James Stoney (1679-)
4. Isabell Stoney (1682-)
5. George Stoney (1684-)
6. Robert Stoney (1685-)
7. Abigail Stoney (1688-)
8. Leonard Stoney (1691-)
The eldest son Thomas Stoney of Greyfort, Co. Tipperary died suddenly in 1726, but left three sons by his wife:
1. George Stoney (11/08/1713-19/03/1787) m. (14/01/1745), Elizabeth (-1808), daughter of James Johnston of Rath, King's County
2. Thomas Stoney (02/04/1715-1764), ancestor to the Stoneys of Frankford, King's Co. m. Mary, daughter of Isaac Humphreys
3. Andrew Stoney (13/07/1717-)
George Stoney of Greyfort and Portland's wife Elizabeth, sometimes Eliza, was of the Johnston family of Rath and Emell Castle. Her father, James Johnston, is sometimes listed as a Captain and of Ballyknockane. We know though, from 'Some old annals of the Stoney family', that in reality James Johnston was a Lieutenant and his brother Robert the Captain. George and Eliza had numerous:
1. Andrew Robinson Stoney (19/06/1747-16/01/1810), the infamous adventurer whose deeds are well accounted on Wikipedia
m. (Sept.1769), Hannah, the daughter of William Newton
m. (17/01/1777), Mary Eleanor, daughter of George Bowes and widow of John Bowes, the 9th Earl of Strathmore
2. Thomas Stoney (20/07/1748-20/10/1826) m. (5th or 6th/05/1773), Ruth, daughter of Richard Falkiner of Mount Falcon
3. Rebecca Stoney (29/10/1750-) m. Robert Palmer of Shrule, Queen's County
4. Elizabeth Stoney (04/04/1753-1829) m. (02/02/1772), Ralph Smith or Smyth of Milford House, Co. Tipperary
5. Sarah Stoney (29/04/1754-1810) m. William Smith of Gurteen Co. Tipperary (William was brother to the above Ralph)
6. Mary Stoney (23/12/1757-) m. Edward Laurenson or Lawrenson of Capponellan, Queen's County
7. James Johnston Stoney (23/04/1759-1824) m. Catherine, daughter of William Baker of Lismacue, and Elizabeth Massy
8. Bigoe Armstrong Stoney (26/03/1762-13/03/1827) m. Mary, daughter of ___ Kyffin
9. Catherine Stoney (16/09/1764-) m. Bladen Swiney
10. Frances Stoney (-1854) m. (August 1791), Right Hon. Arthur Moore of Lamberton
11. George Robert Stoney (1775-08/10/1808) m. (1801), Johanna Ellis
James Johnston Stoney resided at Oakley Park (formerly Ballymoney) in the County of Offaly (formerly King's County). He is said to have been granted the lands of Ballymoney by his father when he was young. The story goes: 'It is told of James Johnston Stoney that when quite a boy he was sent by his father to Ballymoney, to look after the steward, who was suspected of dishonesty. At the time, the old castle there was used as a dwelling, but was supposed to be haunted by the ghost of a medieval chieftain. In the middle of the night James was awoke by the clanking of someone in armour coming up the winding stairs to his bed-room; but, nothing daunted, he lighted a lamp, seized a pistol, and confronted the ghost, who fled to the steward's room, closely pursued by James, who there discovered that it was none other than the steward himself, encased in a sheet and encircled with plough chains. James's father was so pleased with his brave conduct that he promised to leave him Ballymoney, which he did.' James and his wife had four sons and four daughters:
1. George Stoney (1792-1835?) m. (1821), Anne (04/06/1801-29/10/1883) daughter of Bindon Blood of Cranagher by his first wife Anne Burton
2. Robert Johnstone Stoney of Parsonstown (1802-1887) m. (1831), Ann Smithwick
3. Rev. William Baker Stoney of Castlebar (c.1795-1874) m. Fanny, daughter of the Rev. John Going
4. James Stoney M.D. of Borrisokane m. Helen, the daughter of Captain Luke Dillon
5. Eliza Stoney m. Captain Richard Rathbourne of Ballymore, Co. Galway
6. Letitta Stoney m. (18/02/1839), Charles Walter Going (brother to the above Fanny Going)
7. Sarah Stoney m. (1828), Samuel Cusack M.D., D.D
8. Catherine Stoney m. James Sayers of Limerick
Over two-hundred years on and in virtually the same location, we come to the first traceable Stoney family member without gaps. This is George Stoney, Esquire of Rylstone (or Rilston) who married, on 06/01/1675, Mary (20/06/1655-), the daughter of Thomas Moorhouse of Rilston and Abigail Windle. George was almost certainly born in Kettlewell, less than ten miles from Rilston, but we cannot see his birth-date as early parish records from Kettlewell are lost.
George was probably the son of John Stoney of Kettlewell and his wife Isabella. We can guess this because of the following record: 'Isabell Stoney, late wife of John Stoney, late of Ketlewell, buried the 1st of May,1690.' This possible relationship is backed up by the fact that two of George's children were called John and Isabella.
George and his family left for Ireland in 1691 or 1692 and settled at Knockshegowna, Co. Tipperary.
The Stoney family motto is 'nunquam non paratus', meaning 'never unprepared.'
George Stoney and his wife Mary had issue:
1. Thomas Stoney (17/12/1675-18/08/1726) m. (1712), Sarah Robinson (1693-19/08/1748), daughter of Thomas Robinson of Knockshegowna and his wife Mary Armstrong, the daughter of Robert Armstrong of Gallen Priory and Lydia Harward (Howard)
2. John Stoney (1678-)
3. James Stoney (1679-)
4. Isabell Stoney (1682-)
5. George Stoney (1684-)
6. Robert Stoney (1685-)
7. Abigail Stoney (1688-)
8. Leonard Stoney (1691-)
The eldest son Thomas Stoney of Greyfort, Co. Tipperary died suddenly in 1726, but left three sons by his wife:
1. George Stoney (11/08/1713-19/03/1787) m. (14/01/1745), Elizabeth (-1808), daughter of James Johnston of Rath, King's County
2. Thomas Stoney (02/04/1715-1764), ancestor to the Stoneys of Frankford, King's Co. m. Mary, daughter of Isaac Humphreys
3. Andrew Stoney (13/07/1717-)
George Stoney of Greyfort and Portland's wife Elizabeth, sometimes Eliza, was of the Johnston family of Rath and Emell Castle. Her father, James Johnston, is sometimes listed as a Captain and of Ballyknockane. We know though, from 'Some old annals of the Stoney family', that in reality James Johnston was a Lieutenant and his brother Robert the Captain. George and Eliza had numerous:
1. Andrew Robinson Stoney (19/06/1747-16/01/1810), the infamous adventurer whose deeds are well accounted on Wikipedia
m. (Sept.1769), Hannah, the daughter of William Newton
m. (17/01/1777), Mary Eleanor, daughter of George Bowes and widow of John Bowes, the 9th Earl of Strathmore
2. Thomas Stoney (20/07/1748-20/10/1826) m. (5th or 6th/05/1773), Ruth, daughter of Richard Falkiner of Mount Falcon
3. Rebecca Stoney (29/10/1750-) m. Robert Palmer of Shrule, Queen's County
4. Elizabeth Stoney (04/04/1753-1829) m. (02/02/1772), Ralph Smith or Smyth of Milford House, Co. Tipperary
5. Sarah Stoney (29/04/1754-1810) m. William Smith of Gurteen Co. Tipperary (William was brother to the above Ralph)
6. Mary Stoney (23/12/1757-) m. Edward Laurenson or Lawrenson of Capponellan, Queen's County
7. James Johnston Stoney (23/04/1759-1824) m. Catherine, daughter of William Baker of Lismacue, and Elizabeth Massy
8. Bigoe Armstrong Stoney (26/03/1762-13/03/1827) m. Mary, daughter of ___ Kyffin
9. Catherine Stoney (16/09/1764-) m. Bladen Swiney
10. Frances Stoney (-1854) m. (August 1791), Right Hon. Arthur Moore of Lamberton
11. George Robert Stoney (1775-08/10/1808) m. (1801), Johanna Ellis
James Johnston Stoney resided at Oakley Park (formerly Ballymoney) in the County of Offaly (formerly King's County). He is said to have been granted the lands of Ballymoney by his father when he was young. The story goes: 'It is told of James Johnston Stoney that when quite a boy he was sent by his father to Ballymoney, to look after the steward, who was suspected of dishonesty. At the time, the old castle there was used as a dwelling, but was supposed to be haunted by the ghost of a medieval chieftain. In the middle of the night James was awoke by the clanking of someone in armour coming up the winding stairs to his bed-room; but, nothing daunted, he lighted a lamp, seized a pistol, and confronted the ghost, who fled to the steward's room, closely pursued by James, who there discovered that it was none other than the steward himself, encased in a sheet and encircled with plough chains. James's father was so pleased with his brave conduct that he promised to leave him Ballymoney, which he did.' James and his wife had four sons and four daughters:
1. George Stoney (1792-1835?) m. (1821), Anne (04/06/1801-29/10/1883) daughter of Bindon Blood of Cranagher by his first wife Anne Burton
2. Robert Johnstone Stoney of Parsonstown (1802-1887) m. (1831), Ann Smithwick
3. Rev. William Baker Stoney of Castlebar (c.1795-1874) m. Fanny, daughter of the Rev. John Going
4. James Stoney M.D. of Borrisokane m. Helen, the daughter of Captain Luke Dillon
5. Eliza Stoney m. Captain Richard Rathbourne of Ballymore, Co. Galway
6. Letitta Stoney m. (18/02/1839), Charles Walter Going (brother to the above Fanny Going)
7. Sarah Stoney m. (1828), Samuel Cusack M.D., D.D
8. Catherine Stoney m. James Sayers of Limerick
George Johnstone Stoney
George Stoney inherited Oakley Park from his father. George may have died in 1835, when there is a will of a George Stoney of Oakley Park. The property had to be sold in the Irish Famine and George's widow and children moved to Dublin, where their two sons excelled. His four children were:
1. Anne Frances Stoney (16/11/1822-20/10/1859) m. (23/04/1846), her relation, the Right Rev. Bishop William FitzGerald
2. Katherine Harriet Stoney (05/02/1824-1887)
3. George Johnstone Stoney F.R.S., who coined the term electron, (15/02/1826-05/07/1911) m. (1863), his cousin, Margaret Sophia, daughter of the above Robert Johnstone Stoney and Ann Smithwick
1. Anne Frances Stoney (16/11/1822-20/10/1859) m. (23/04/1846), her relation, the Right Rev. Bishop William FitzGerald
2. Katherine Harriet Stoney (05/02/1824-1887)
3. George Johnstone Stoney F.R.S., who coined the term electron, (15/02/1826-05/07/1911) m. (1863), his cousin, Margaret Sophia, daughter of the above Robert Johnstone Stoney and Ann Smithwick
Bindon Blood Stoney
4. Bindon Blood Stoney F.R.S., an engineer who helped design Dublin port (13/06/1828-05/05/1909) m. (1879), Susannah Frances, daughter of John Walker of Grangemore
Streets in Dublin and Dover are named after Bindon Stoney. Craters on the Moon and Mars are named after George Stoney.
Several other members of the Stoney family achieved academic recognition, including three of George Johnstones Stoney's children: Edith Anne Stoney, a medical physicist; Florence Ada Stoney, a radiologist; and George Gerald Stoney F.R.S.
Both Edith and Florence Stoney are considered to be the first of their fields in the UK.
Anne Frances Stoney was mother to George and Maurice FitzGerald. See the FitzGerald page.
Streets in Dublin and Dover are named after Bindon Stoney. Craters on the Moon and Mars are named after George Stoney.
Several other members of the Stoney family achieved academic recognition, including three of George Johnstones Stoney's children: Edith Anne Stoney, a medical physicist; Florence Ada Stoney, a radiologist; and George Gerald Stoney F.R.S.
Both Edith and Florence Stoney are considered to be the first of their fields in the UK.
Anne Frances Stoney was mother to George and Maurice FitzGerald. See the FitzGerald page.
Information Sources:
Some old annals of the Stoney family
Burke's Family Records
Burke's Family Records
