Toney, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Toney, West Virginia
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 Toney, West Virginia
Location in West Virginia
Toney, West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Lincoln |
| Elevation | 633 ft (193 m) |
| Population
(1911)
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| • Total | 298.5 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 304 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1549955 |
Toney is a small, unincorporated community in Lincoln County, West Virginia, United States. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city. Its post office opened in 1904. It was started by a local merchant named Brad Toney.
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Where is Toney Located?
Toney is found in Lincoln County, West Virginia. It includes the area along Route 10, stretching towards the border of Lincoln and Logan County. Originally, Toney covered land on both sides of the Guyandotte River. It is the southernmost community in Lincoln County. Part of Toney is actually in Logan County. It's about 3.5 miles from Harts and 6.9 miles from Chapmanville.
A Look at Toney's History
Early Visitors and Settlers
The first known European visitor to the Toney area was Captain Henry Farley. He was a soldier from the American Revolutionary War. In June 1792, he came through Toney while chasing a group of Native Americans. They had raided settlements in Virginia.
Squire Toney was one of the first pioneers to settle here. He was born around 1783. His cabin was even shown on an early map from 1820. Later, his son, Burbus C. Toney, lived in the same spot. Other early families also settled nearby. They often married each other and built homes along the river.
How Toney Became a Community
Toney started to grow as a community in the early 1900s. This happened when the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway built train tracks through the Guyan Valley. The community was named after Brad Toney. He was a successful merchant in the area.
Brad Toney's family played a big role in Toney's development. His son, Keenan Toney, was also an important merchant and a local leader. He became the first sheriff from the Harts Creek District for Lincoln County. Other family members, like Jim B. Toney and Peter Mason Toney, also ran stores. Dollie Toney, Brad's daughter, was a popular teacher in the area.
In the 1950s, much of the Toney family's land was divided into lots for homes.
What Was the Economy Like?
In the past, cutting down trees (timbering) was the main industry in Toney. People also grew tobacco and cane. Some residents found jobs in coal mining at a nearby coal camp called Daisy. For many years, members of the Toney family ran stores in the community.
In more recent times, Toney has had various businesses. These include drive-in restaurants, grocery stores, timber companies, and even a hair salon.
Schools in Toney
Toney had a school building as early as 1889. However, no schools have been located directly in Toney during the 20th century. Children from Toney used to go to Green Shoal School. Later, students were bused to Ferrellsburg Grade School and Harts High School.
Today, young people from Toney attend Harts PreK-8, Chapmanville Middle School, and Chapmanville Regional High School.
Churches in the Community
In the early days, church services often took place in people's homes or in schoolhouses. Toney Christian Fellowship was a church established in the early 1970s.
Recreation and Fun
For many years, a large field in Toney has been used for playing baseball or softball. In the 1990s and early 2000s, this field was known as the "Field of Dreams."
