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Ancestors of Dakota Joe Bray

Generation No. 12


      2756. Major Thomas Carr341, born 1678 in VA, USA; died 29 May 1738 in King William Co, VA. He married 2757. Mary Dabney.

      2757. Mary Dabney341, born Bet. 22 Jan 1679 - 1680 in VA, USA; died 07 Sep 1748 in VA, USA. She was the daughter of 5514. Cornelius D'aubigne and 5515. Susanne Unknown.
     
Child of Thomas Carr and Mary Dabney is:
  1378 i.   William Carr, born 1707 in Spotsylvania Co, VA; died 1760 in Spotsylvania Co, VA; married Susanna Brooks.


      2758. Thomas Brooks341, born 1679 in England; died 1738 in VA, USA.
     
Child of Thomas Brooks is:
  1379 i.   Susanna Brooks, born in VA, USA; died 1792 in VA, USA; married William Carr.


      2912. Francis Eslick342, born Abt. 1720; died Abt. 1810.
     
Child of Francis Eslick is:
  1456 i.   Isaac Eslick, born 08 Feb 1743 in Bristol, RI; died Abt. 1830 in Cataret, Brunswick, NC; married Tabitha Alcorn Abt. 1754.


      2916. Isaiah Chadwick, born in USA; died Unknown. He was the son of 5832. Samuel Chadwick and 5833. Mary Unknown. He married 2917. Abagail Unknown Abt. 1752 in NC, USA.

      2917. Abagail Unknown, born in USA; died Unknown.

More About Isaiah Chadwick and Abagail Unknown:
Marriage: Abt. 1752, NC, USA
     
Children of Isaiah Chadwick and Abagail Unknown are:
  1458 i.   Rueben Chadwick, born Abt. 1739 in USA; died Bef. 17 May 1800 in Cartaret Co, NC.
  ii.   Drake Chadwick, born in USA; died Unknown.
  iii.   Bartie Chadwick, born in USA; died Unknown.
  iv.   John Chadwick, born in USA; died Unknown.


      3056. Edward Hogan I343, born Abt. 1705 in VA, USA; died 13 May 1750 in Augusta, VA.
     
Child of Edward Hogan I is:
  1528 i.   Edward Hogan II, born 1726 in VA, USA; died Unknown; married Sarah Unknown.


      3064. Robert Looney344, born Abt. 1692 in Ballagilley Farm, Maughold Parish, Isle of Man, IRELAND; died 14 Sep 1769 in Looney's Mill Creek, Botetourt, VA,USA. He was the son of 6128. John Looney and 6129. Elizabeth Llewellen Looney. He married 3065. Elizabeth Llewellen Young 1715344.

      3065. Elizabeth Llewellen Young344, born Abt. 1701 in Sheading, Kirk Lonan, Isle of Man, IRELAND; died 29 Aug 1747 in Augusta Co, VA, USA.

Notes for Robert Looney:
In The Beginning: Robert Looney: Derived from a 1974 article appearing in "The North American Marx Assoc."

Little did ROBERT LOONEY, a Manx farmer from Ballagilley, Maughold realize that when he arived in the "New World" about 1731, that he and his descendants would be recorded in the annals of their new land as frontiersmen and patriots. Records show that by 1734, ROBERT LOONEY and his wife ELIZABETH LLEWELLEN and at least seven of their 14 sons, were in Philadelphia where they joined an expedition into the colony of Virginia.

The following year he settled on a patent of 291 acres - for which he was to pay the Crown 'land rent' of one shilling a year - on the south bank of Cohongoronta (Upper Potomac) river, probably near present day Hagerstown, Maryland. By 1739-1740 ROBERT LOONEY and his family moved southward through the Shenandoah Valley, finally settling on a grant of 250 acres on the James River, in what was to become Augusta County, where another Manxman, Isreal Christian, had prospered. They later donated lands for the County Seat, and became influential in Colonial politics.

In 1742, ROBERT gained another 400 acres in grants and became one of the most prosperous farmers in the area, with his own mill, orchards, nursery, cattle and horses, and even operated a ferry across what may still be found today not far from Natural Bridge - Looneys Mill Creek. At lease 3 of his sons served in the Augusta County Militia.

Indian attacks on these frontier communities were not uncommon, but soon the Indians were to be joined by a new ally, the French, and the settlers were swept violently into the bloody conflict between the British and the French, known as the "Seven Years War" or the "French and Indian War." General BRADDOCK, the British Commander in Chief, was mortally wounded and his regiment turned to route at the "Battle of the Wilderness." Colonel GEORGE WASHINGTON, Commander of the Virginia Militia, lost some of his men in the same engagement. The picture was grim, no regular Army, no Militia to protect the settlers. ROBERT LOONEY'S son PETER, was captured by the Indians and held prisoner at Fort Detroit for almost a year, dying three years after his release. Another son, SAMUEL, was killed by the Indians in 1760 and the homestead of ROBERT'S daughter LUCY JANE, was raided and looted by the Indians.

ROBERT LOONEY, ever mindful of his responsiblilites to his family and followers, erected a Fort - FORT LOONEY. This was one of the few Forts which withstood capture and provided provisions to the Militia until the end of the war in 1763. ABSALOM, recalled from ABB'S VALLEY with his family to assist his father in building the Fort, was to learn that those who remained in his valley settlement had been massacred by the Indians, a fate which would later befall him at Dundard's Spring, VA between 1791-96.

But the end of the Indian Wars was not to spare the LOONEY family. During the American Revolution, two of ROBERT LOONEY'S sons, ABSALOM and DAVID, were to see duty. ABSOLEM in patriotic service under GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON and DAVID as a Major in the North Carolina Militia. Three of ABSALOM'S sons, like the offsprings of his brothers, were to serve in the Virginia Militia, with one dying of gunshot wounds in both legs after his role in the American Victory at the BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN in North Carolina.

ABSALOM'S son MICHAEL, homesteaded after the Revolution in eastern Tennessee, where his log cabin stood until 1919 and where the 1,500 acre farm he acquired at a half-shilling an acre is still held by his heirs. Others moved westward into Missouri and is documented in Leroy Tilton's "EARLY LOONEY'S IN AMERICA." Seven branches of the family founded by ROBERT LOONEY'S sons have extended into more than fifteen states.

ROBERT and ELIZABETH LOONEY are presumed bured near the Reed Creek area of Augusta Co (Botecourt Co) VA. Another of his sons, JOSEPH, was a CAPTAIN in the Botecourt County, Virginia Militia and is described in a later article.
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Copyright © 1997, T T G
NOTICE: This material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other commercial presentation.

EARLY LOONEYS IN AMERICA
By Leroy W. Tilton
Robert (1) and Elizabeth Looney Family
(James River)
---------------
FORWARD
1963 Edition
Early Looneys in America is a tentative outline for the history of the family that some day may be written. It is the cooperative result of work and study by a number of people of records and traditions collected and analyzed, and to some extent harmonized by the compiler over a period of about 50 years. It exists for the most part only in manuscript and notes that are almost illegible except to the compiler.
Miss Elizabeth Looney of Washington, D.C., is responsible for an arrangement whereby a few interested persons are providing secretarial assistance so that this Looney collection concerning early generations can be made available as fully as possible to a few who wish to continue the work. No claim is made for completeness or correctness. Where many have cooperated over half century concerning data in so many states, it cannot be otherwise. The whole is divided into 8 parts concerning:

(1) Robert and Elizabeth Looney Family
(2) Robert Looney, Jr., Branch
(3) Adam Looney Branch
(4) Absalom Looney Branch
(5) John Looney Branch
(6) Peter Looney Branch
(7) David Looney Branch
(8) Joseph Looney Branch
~ Leroy W. Tilton, Compiler
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Leroy W. Tilton INTRODUCTION

Robert (1) and Elizabeth Looney Family
Approved procedures in making genealogical compilations should differ appropriately according to the circumstances. There are some branches of our families that have always lived in long settled communities where records were adequate and so carefully kept that the compilation of genealogies without detailed use of public records and the inclusion of definite references is considered inexcusable. Other branches of our families have followed the frontiers so closely and persistently that they sometimes have successfully evaded almost all records, including the inescapable -- death and taxes. For these cases, even tradition should be carefully and impartially recorded with the hope that it may assist in the interpretation of fragmentary evidence that may yet be found in Bibles, family letters, or other papers, probably more or less private. Between these extremes are the cases of chief importance to a large number of the inhabitants of our South, Middle West, and West who are now interested in the records, if any, relative to Mr. Average Citizen of 100 to 200 years ago.

For the majority of such citizens, especially west of the Alleghenies, there are no vital records, and they made far fewer wills than did their grandparents. Many deeds, some marriage records, and a few petitions are to be found; also some military, pension, land-grants, and bounty-land papers. Early court minutes of frontier counties and the survey books are particularly valuable. However, it is frequently the federal census on which we must chiefly rely if we are to get any publicly recorded evidence for bolstering our family
End FWD/INTRO Page i
records and traditions, or for use in our attempts to piece together with a reasonable degree of probability the few fragments of definite evidence that may be available but remain almost useless unless supported and connected.

Regardless of a paucity of "clinching documents", genealogies of frontier families will be written and genealogists should seek to establish guide lines that are as adequate as possible.

The idea that reliable genealogy can be based largely on evidence of fragmentary and circumstantial character without clinching documents for all the various links, should be examined with care and, if accepted, be used only with caution. In considering this proposal, it is pertinent to realize that no documents and no amount of evidence can really give genealogical certainty. These can mearly indicate a very high probability. It is useless to propose precise but wholly arbitrary definitions of such terms as "reasonable certainty" for use in genealogy. Even in the field of statistical probability where such a term is sometimes proposed for use in Physics or chemistry, there is no generally accepted meaning of such a concept.

It is mathematically conceivable that a large number of individually inclusive items of evidence can be interwoven in such a manner that one approximates the same high degree of probability for the whole fabric, that would have to have been achieved by several clinching documents. The precise evaluation of such probabilities from fragmentary genealogical data is quite another matter and so difficult that it would be altogether to slow and unwieldy. General estimates must be left almost entirely to the common sense and intuition of experienced genealogists.

Thus the approach may be termed quasi-statistical and the idea of a reliable genealogy seriously weak in clinching documents for

End FWD/INTRO Page ii

some of the generations is sound, but the difficulties of execution are a challenge to the ability of the genealogist to make impartial and valid judgments. In the writer's opinion, then, whenever the older generations are satisfactorily documented on or near the Atlantic seaboard, it is possible by means of frontier records, properly supplemented by extensive and thorough search of the census ..records, to carry many lines through the difficult period of their intermittent westward travel. The slower they travel the more clannish their nature and *the less common the family name* the more easily the method is applied. In particular, the more complete and exhaustive is the search of the census records, the more reliable are the resulting inferences. Perhaps the most important step the be taken if possible, is long-continued active cooperation of several interested genealogists, preferably working in different sections of the country.

The most useful genealogical evidence of the census records, after name and locality of residence, is data on age. Unfortunately, the age intervals prior to 1850 are so large, for example 26 to 45 years, and the classification of 45 and upward is so indefinite that many genealogists consider these data hopeless for precise work. Moreover, when several enumerations are considered, the evidence is conflicting. When several different estimates of a birth date are possible from census records of different decades involving different age intervals, it is only for exceptional cases that all of these should be listed and discussed in detail in a genealogy. Nor is it, as a rule, advisable that the compiler select one or two estimated dates of birth and exclude all others. It is not too difficult to adopt a standard and impersonal procedure for the precise interpretation and adjustment of various and sometimes inconsistent

End FWD/INTRO Page iii

census data births; and one could follow a concise and more or less standardized form in which such results might be published.

Enumerations were customarily made during the second half of a census year, and ages seem usually given as of the individual's last birth date rather than the nearest date. Thus if the stated age, or age for the group interval in question, be subtracted from the year of the census, the remainder is the most probable estimate for the year of birth and the 100% uncertainty interval (which is one-half of the group interval) extends each way from about March of that year. (Where the indefinite groups, "over 16 and "45" and upwards, " are concerned, one might take threescore and ten as a reasonable and probable limit to assume or the upper side, especially for frontier life. Thus, median ages of 45 * 2 7/ and 57# 12 could be used as probable average ages for these age groups.) If in extraordinary cases, and in the absence of other pertinent evidence, one wishes to be precise, one might estimate the date of birth from various census by weighing the several results in inverse proportion to the squares of their uncertainty intervals.

Such precision, however, is seldom if ever justified. In the writer's experience the errors present are very likely to vitiate the apparent precision. Instead, it is recommended that one find an adjusted birth year that is as consistent as possible with all the age intervals available from the various census reports and also reasonable with respect to the other evidence that may be available concerning births, marriages, etc., of all members of the families concerned. This might be called adjusting for minimum conflicts between the various data.

For some families there is little data on the dates of births, but considerable evidence concerning the relative ages of the children.
End FWD/INTRO Page iv

Perhaps the marriage date for the parents is known approximately. In such cases it is often convenient to assign approximations to birth dates and clearly label them by some devices, such as "b. say 1792." In such cases, one finds only the census record, 1850 or later, and such a datum may be appropriately translated as "b. ca 1852." The recording of any year date without qualification should be made only if the writer considers that it is based on probably reliable datum or on two or more independent reports that agree and if he has not noticed an apparent conflict with other dates or date that he has accepted.

The writer has, with the assistance of numerous co-workers, compiled an account of the descendants of Robert and Elizabeth Looney of Botetourt County, Virginia. Four or five generations have been traced in migrations through 15 or more states in order to outline the history of the many branches (7) of this family that stem from Robert Jr., Adam, Absalom, John, Peter, David, and Joseph, the sons that are known to have had male progeny.

The project has been running for over half a century during which searches have been made by the writer in several state archives and many courthouses. Dozens of pension and bounty-land papers have been read, other military records searched, and thousands of pages of (unalphabetized) census enumerations have been scanned. Over a score of persons have participated in important degree, especially on their respective branches of the family. General acknowledgment should be made to Professor Rupert Taylor of Clemson, S.C. for numerous abstracts of records, critical analyses of data, and detailed suggestions; to Professor Walter O. Shriner of Terre Haute Ind.,
End FWD/INTRO Page v

For family and miscellaneous data, critical discussions, voluminous suggestions; and to Mr. Prentiss Price of Rogersville, Tenn., for numerous contributions and valuable assistance. Judge Ben F. Looney of Greenville, Texas, made available a copy of an invaluable Bible record and written accounts concerning early members of the Robert Looney Jr. Branch; similarly, the Reverend J. Millon Looney contributed and extremely valuable Bible record for the Adam Looney Branch. Coyd A. Looney, William Gaines Looney, and Mack D. Looney collected and preserves old traditions and records. Mrs. Julius Vanderheide of Sturgis, North Dakota, conducted very extensive searches that have made it possible to place many Looneys of Missouri into the Robert Looney Jr. Branch. Mrs. Elsie L. Sayers of Grundy, Va., made valuable additions in the John Looney Branch. Mrs. N. R. Francis of Winchester, Tenn., and Mrs. William H. Christian Jr. of Roanoke, Va., contributed data on descendants of Absalom 2 Looney. Others who have contributed data will be mentioned from time to time in the text of the various Branches.

The principal source of record evidence for generations 1 and 2 is Judge Lyman Chalkley's voluminous abstracts of the Records of Augusta County. These books are well indexed and page citations will not be given here. Other references will often be cited in the text. Admittedly the evidence for many relationships remains circumstantial even if plausible. The inclusion of numerous reports, statements, etc., does not necessarily imply full acceptance but rather possible value worth preserving for later consideration, and many tentative relationships are suggested merely as such. The data presented are known to be only a part of that which can be found and it is inevitable that many errors should be made in a cooperative undertaking of such scope. The results are made public in order
End FWD/INTRO Page vi

that further searches by others may be facilitated.

The limited scope of this edition does not permit inclusion of all data that has reached the compiler. Efforts will be made to preserve all unused notes and records so they may be available for future use. ...
End FWD/INTRO Page vii

End of FORWARD and INTRODUCTION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Robert and Elizabeth Looney Family
By Leroy W. Tilton
First Generations in America
According to some accounts the Looneys are said to be of Scotch origin, more often they are considered to be from Ireland where the O'Looneys were chiefs of Montir Loney, a district known as the Monter Loney Mountains in the county of Tyrone. It is also a Munster surname found chiefly in Cork and Clare, Ireland. Variants of the name are O'Looney; O'Lowney; Lowney; O'Luinie, Lonney, Lunney, Luna, etc.
The Looneys descended from Robert Looney of Augusta and Botetourt Counties, Virginia, and said to have come from Ballagilley Farm about 3 miles south of Ramsey in Maughold Parish, Isle of Man; or possibly from Ballalooney in Amogary Parish. They claim that an ancestor fought with marlborough in Flanders (ca 1708-1709) in the reign of Queen Anne.

According to persistent tradition in these Looney families, they are descended from John and Llewellen Looney who had 14 sons; namely, Moses, Josiah, James, Peter, Jonathan, Adam, John, Benjamin, Michael, Samuel, Robert, David, Joseph and Abraham. Sometimes Absalom is given instead of Abraham.

The tradition of John and Llewellen and their 14 sons is widespread and has had - or received- considerable attention. It has been considered that John and Llewellen were the parents of Robert (1) who married Elizabeth and lived in Augusta and Botetourt Counties of Virginia. It is also suggested that it originated from the fact that Robert (1) and Robert Jr. Had a combined total of 14 children, the births extending from ca 1718 to 1740 and from ca 1743 to 1754 for the son. (However, only 7 names above given are on the combined list of 10 plus 4.) The tradition has in some
End Page 2
cases been traced to Judge Benjamin F. Looney of Greenville, Texas, Who states that he copied it from the Bible (since burned) of his grandfather (who was Absalom (4) Benjamin (3) or Robert (2)Jr). Judge Looney's record from the same source for the children of Robert (2) Looney is in agreement with information obtained from the will of Moses (3) Looney and the will of Mary, widow of Benjamin (3) Looney. Records in Hawkins County, Tennessee, of a lawsuit by Wm. Gardner against Mary, widow of Benjamin (3) Looney, also confirm Judge Looney's account . Finally, it seems that the Bible of Absalom (4) Looney recorded the name of Hetty Renfo " as the wife of John (2) Looney. Hetty is a nickname for Hester or Esther and the Bible record named their sons John, Stephen, Robert, and Peter. The searches made in compiling this account of the Looney family have verified the wife's name, and the children named have (chronologically at least) permitted a reasonable interpretation of the Looney family (John (2) Looney) that otherwise seemed impossible.

In brief, the only error that has been shown in connection with the records from the Bible of Absalom(4) Looney is the apparent complete elimination of one generation that of Robert (1) and his wife, Elizabeth. Therefore the compiler thinks it probable that John Looney and his wife ----Llewellen (as Judge Looney writes her name) were the parents of 14 sons (and doubtless some daughters) of whom the 11th (as Judge Looney specifies) was Robert, his ancestor. Of the 14 names above, only Josiah does not appear among the children ad grandchildren of Robert (1) Looney and his wife Elizabeth.

Some attention should be given to the idea that some of Robt's brothers came to America with him or at about the same time. Maryland muster rolls during the Revolution list John Looney ad a Thomas Looney. The 1790 census of Maryland lists several Loneys
End page 3
and Lunees, but no indications have been found that any of them are related to Robert (1) of Augusta County, Virginia.

If the John Lowney whose estate was appraised on 17 June 1762 (Augusta, Va., wills 5, 170) was related, it would probable be as a brother of Robert (1), but no indication of this has been found.

Nevertheless, the descendants of Robert (1) have spelled their names in many ways and care is necessary to eliminate the others not of the same immediate ancestry. For example, in Fayette County, Kentucky, one finds a Thomas Lonay in the 1810 census and a Jos. Lonney marrying a Frances Simpson in 1817 with Thomas Lonay as bondsman. Then Hugh Looney married Nancy Harris in 1837. But at the 1850 census Hugh Loney age 51 with wife Nancy is recorded as born in Ireland. Again in Strafford County, New Hampshire, at the 1850 census there is listed Francis Looney, 48 born in England, with wife, Rhoda A. 23, born in New Hampshire, also in the same county was Richard Looney 25, born in New Hampshire, also in the same county was Richard Looney 25, born in Nova Scotia.

A Thomas Looney came from the Isle of man to New York City about 1850 and had a son Alexander who was father of Howard C. Looney of Washington, D. C. Relatives in Michigan were: Howard M. Looney and Walter Looney, Pontiac; Robert Looney and Thomas Looney, Oakland County.

Ellenor Looney and Robert Looney, Both born in Ireland, were in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in 1870. Moses Loney with wife Frances and children Amos and William were in Harford County, Md., in 1776. Lott Loney and Kitt Loney were in nearby Maryland at the same time.

In Virginia Joseph Lunee, Tarpley Lunee, and Ellis Lunee were in Northymberland County in 1790.

No record of Robert (1) Looney in America has been found earlier than 1734 when Robert and Elizabeth Looney were in
End Page 4
Philadelphia at the time their son Peter was born. This is known only because of an interview that Peter had on 28 July 1757 at Philadelphia with a correspondent of the "London Chronicle: or Universal Evening Post." The issue for September 6 - 8 gives an account of Peter's captivity for about a year among the French and Indians at Fort Detroit. Peter stated that he was about 23 years of age, had been born in Philadelphia, and was on his way from Albany to Virginia where his parents lived. (Miss Valley Hist. Rev. 13, 76, 15, 95.)

It is probable that in 1734 Robert and Elizabeth and their older children, at least 7 sons, had recently arrived in America and that they soon moved westward through Pennsylvania. This family was one of 70 that entered the Colony of Virginia with Alexander Ross and Morgan Bryan, of the Province of Pennsylvania, according to an agreement made as set forth in an order of the Lieutenant Governor and Council of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia dated 25 April 1735. (Executive Journal of the Council of 4, 229. See also William and Mary Historical Quarterly (2) 16, 617; and Hopewell Friends History. 1734-1934, p. 12.) Others among 41 who were "imported" into Virginia at the same time were: John Mills, John Mills Jr., James Davis, Edward Davis, Evan Thomas, Nathaniel Thomas, and Thomas Anderson.

Robert Luna (like the others who entered Virginia with Ross and Bryan) received a patent from George the Second. Robert's was dated 12 Nov. 1735 for 294 acres on the south bank of the Cohongoronta (Upper Potomac) River, near Samuel Owens' plantation, to be held as of the King's Manor of East Greenwich in the county of Kent, in free and common socage, not in Capite or by Knight's services, by cultivating and improving 3 and part of every 50 acres of land fee rent of one shilling yearly, and by
End Page 5
Cultivating and improving 3 and part of every 50 acres of the tract within 3 years. This property was probably not far from Hagerstown, Maryland, where, according to some accounts, one of the Looney children once attended school.

Robert Looney received 1540 pounds of tobacco for 11 old wolf's heads at Orange County Court, 26 October 1738. Robert Luney was sued by John Harrison in 1740 concerning 1 long gun. Judgment was obtained by default in 1741 for 40 shilling and 135 pounds of tobacco (costs), but in 1742 it seems uncollectable and Robert Luney was not found in the sheriff's bailiwick. (These several actions are recorded in order Books 1, 2, & 3, of Orange Co., Va.) The homeplace had been sold to Jeremiah Jacks before the suit. On 22 March 1739 the Orange County Court ordered the recording of the deed from Robert Luna to Jeremiah Jacks, but it seems not to have been done. (A second deed was made, perhaps 4 Nov. 1756, by James Jacks acting for Robert Looney of Augusta Co.; David Looney et al being witnesses to the power of Attorney which was dated 13 June 1766, or possibly merely recorded in Frederick Co. on that date.

Baylor's Book of Surveys in Frederick County Courthouse, shows that Robert Looney had a survey on Lunie's Mill Creek in April 1740. The Looney family probably moved south through the Shenandoah Valley about 1739 or 1740. Robert Looney obtained a grant of 250 acres on James River and on Lunie's Mill Creek on 30 July 1742. These lands are not far from Natural Bridge in what had become Augusta County in 1738 (but not organized as such until 1745) and in 1769 became a part of Botetourt County. Consequently, since the Augusta County was not organized, the suits in Orange County continued. Adam Payne sued Robert Luney of trespass in 1745, but after several continuances it was dismissed in 1744. Francis and John Marshall
End Page 6
sued Robert Luney for debt in 1744, James Patton being security for Luney. The case was tried by jury 4 August 1744 and a verdict found against Luney for 18 pounds 1 shilling 6 pence, with 1 penny damage, and so recorded 5 October 1745. (Orange Order Book 4).

The old Looney home on the James stood on the sough bank of the river and the west bank of the creek, but it was seldom usable and the family operated a ferry at the eddy just above the creek. Robert and his sons hunted, ran the ferry and a mill, grazed cattle and horses, and developed a nursery and orchards. (See Kegley's Virginia Frontier, p. 163; also West Va. Blue Book 1924, and Roanoke Times 4 June 1961.) Looney's Ferry estb. 1742)

From the Augusta County Court records as abstracted in Chalkleys Records of Augusta County, Virginia, much can be learned about Robert and Elizabeth Looney and their children. In 1745 he received some cash, probably from the estate of Daniel Monahan. The first court for the new county was held on 9 December 1745 when Robert Looney, John Newport, and Timothy Holdway were appointed to value improvements by Christian Zimmerman on 400 acres. A court order of 10 Feb. 1745-6 appoints Robert Looney as an appraiser. On 20 August 1747 his wife was excused from attendance at court, being aged and infirm, and a commission was appointed to take her testimony. In 1750 Robert Looney and John Smith were sureties for Elizabeth Barber, administratrix of George Barber.

On 11 October 1759 Robert Looney made an agreement with his sons Peter Looney and David Looney by the terms of which much of his land and other property were given to these sons who were to build a house for their parents and care for them through the infirmities of old age. There was some delay or dispute over the terms of the agreement and meanwhile Peter died in 1760. But again an
End Page 7
agreement was reached, David was even willing to move the barn in order to build the house where his parents wanted it. Peter's widow sent for the cattle that she was to "winter" as her part of the bargain. David drew firewood to Robert and also wintered cattle. Widow Looney sent a "hand" to cut wood for Robert, etc.

During these years both Robert and his sons furnished supplies to troops in service on the frontier. For example, on 15 Jan. 1759 Robert Looney signed a receipt for L6, 5s, - 5d in payment for beef for the use of Colonel John Buchanan's company. (Wisc. Hist. Publ., "Preston and Va. Papers," Calendar Series Vol. 1, 44. See also Henning's Statutes V 11, 190.)

In 1762 Robert is mentioned as exempt from county levy, probably because of age. Yet, in an old Survey Book in Rockingham Co., there is mention of a survey of 60 acres on the south side of James River for Robert Looney, dated 17 March 1762, of land adjoining other land of said Looney. (Augusta Surveys 2, 14.)

But on 15 November 1762 something happened that made it possible for Looney descendants to get considerable information about Robert and his family. One this day Robert Looney and Elizabeth deeded to John Bowyer 250 acres, the land that was patented in 1742 on 30 July. This seems to have included not only the land verbally given to sons Peter and David but also land previously given to sons Absalom and Daniel. Consequently, certain suits were brought by the heirs of Daniel and of Peter against Robert Looney and John Bowyer, and these affairs were taken or discussed in the court records at length. Robert (1) was active at least as late as August 1764 when he pleaded in answer to such suits that he was drunk (intoxicated) when the instruments were signed, on 20 Nov. 1764 he deeded land, 160 acres at Sinking Springs to Joseph Looney. On 24 May 1765 it was decreed that John Bowyer
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should reconvey to each of the interested parties their lands. The agreement of 1759 was recorded in the same month. John Bowyer deeded the lands to David Looney, to Peter Looney Jr., son of Peter Looney, deceased and to "Margaret" Looney, daughter and heiress of Daniel.

In May 1768 there is recorded an account or record of settlement between Robert Looney and Irwin Patterson's estate. From this it seems that Elizabeth Looney bought one looking glass and sundry goods on 10 May 1745-6 also that ferriage at 20 shillings per annum for 10 years was due from Patterson's estate to Looney.

Certain entries at the October term of court in 1770 indicate that Robert was living then, but his death occurred in Oct. or Nov. before his will was proved 13 November 1770.
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Robert Looney's Will
In the name of God amen September the fourteenth one thousand seven hundred and sixty-nine I Robert Looney being very sick and weak in Body but of Perfect mind and memory and calling to mind the uncertainty of this life and knowing that all men was worn to die once I recommend my soul to God who gave it and my Body to the ground to be buried in a decent manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but I shall have it again at the Resurrection. As for the worldly Estate that it has pleased God to Bless me with I give and bequeath in manner and form the following. I leave my well beloved wife Elizabeth Luney and my beloved son Joseph Luney to be my sole Executors. Next I leave to my beloved grandson John Luney one shilling sterling. All the remainder of my Bodily Estate after my funeral charges and Lawful Debts are paid I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Elizabeth Luney to Live on and use as she pleaseth During her natural Life and then to descend to my beloved son Joseph at her death the rest of my children having already got all that I allow to them of my estate.
Signed Sealed and Pronounced in Presence of us

John Smith His
James Crow Robert (RL) Luney (Seal)
Elinor Crow Mark
John Burton (His Mark)

At a court held for Botetourt County the 13th of November 1770 this writing purporting to be the last will and Testament of Robert Looney decd. was Presented in court by Joseph Looney one of the Executors herein named and proved by the oaths of Thomas Crow, James Crow and John Smith and ordered to be recorded and on motion of said Executor who made oath according to Law certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form whereupon he together with Abraham McClelland and John Looney his securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in five Hundred pounds conditioned as the Law directs. Tests John May C.B.C. Recorded in Will Book A, page 5; Botetourt County, Virginia. (Robert's mark was a capital R on the upper shank of capital L.) (Probably his stock Brand)
End Page 10 See wife,Elizabeth notes.

Abraham McClelland was a brother of the wife of David (2) Looney, and John Looney, who also acted as security for Joseph (2) Looney, the executor, was Robert's son, about 38 years old at that time. John Looney, grandson, was the eldest son of Robert (2) Jr. (deed).) and legal heir by right of primogeniture.

It is unfortunate that Robert (1) Looney did not name all of his children in his will. The muster roll of the Augusta County Militia, Company 8, under Captain George Robinson includes Thomas, Dan, and Adam Looney, in the order mentioned, and the date of this list has been fixed by Waddell as 1742. Probably Robert (1) was too old for service at that time. This roll is here accepted as a clue to the relative ages of older sons of Robert (1) and Elizabeth. It is surmised that no other sons were as old as 16 in 1742.

With possible exception of Samuel, the above and 6 others are established as sons of Robert (1) Looney by reference to the Augusta County records.

According to Notable Southern Families (Vol. 2, pp. 305, 315) a Louisa Looney married Captain John Shelby of the military organization of Washington County, Virginia. According to a D.A.R. application paper (Lineage 78, 382) John Shelby Sr. (b. 1724 - d. 1794) went to join his brother Moses in North Carolina in 1750 where he met Louisa Looney. He established a station in the Wautauga District known as Shelby's. Their children were: John Jr., married Elizabeth Brigham; David married Sarah Bledsoe; Eban, Thomas, Isaac; Louisa married Wm. McCrab; and Catherine Shelby who married ____ Evan.

Also, according to D.A.R. lineage Lucy Jane Looney married 1753 Stephen Holston (1729-1776) son of Henry Holston Sr. (Lineage 68, 301; 149, 235.) Among their children was James Henry (1754-1825) who married Lucy Austin (1764-).

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Doubtless there were other daughters. It is not unlikely that some of them may have married men named Clark, Crow, Mills, Rowland, or Smith who were closely associated with the Looneys.

Mrs. Edward Spear Atkinson of 1502 Stuart Avenue, Houston, Texas (in 1947) and Mrs. Louisa P. Bosworth of Woodstock, Vermont (in 1945) are interested in various families of early Sullivan County, N.C. In a letter to the compiler from Mrs. Bosworth in 1945 one finds; "Have you any record of the marriage of Abraham McClelland to Julie Ann Looney? Mrs Atkinson says he was married twice, and Julia Ann Looney was his first wife. He (Abraham McClelland) was very evidently the son of John and brother of William who married Barbara Walker, of Mary who married Bobt. (sic) Looney, and of ---(Jane) who md.... (Samuel) Gamble." (David instead of Robert Looney was intended of course.) Then in an undated letter in February or March 1947 Mrs. Atkinson included a list of 9 children of William McClelland who married 22 December 1768 Barbara Walker born 1741. Among those children were:

3) Jane McClelland b. 28 Oct. 1770, married James Looney.
5) Abraham McClelland b. 1 Nov. 1776, m. Julia Ann (or Annis) Looney.

In a later letter Mrs. Atkinson reported that John Wallace born 1750 married (")-----McClelland and being left a widow she m. (2) Captain Wm. Lowry in Blount County, Tenn. They had a son, Abraham Wallace, who married in 1802 his first cousin Ann McClelland, only daughter of Abraham McClelland by his first wife.
The bases of these reports are not known to the compiler and their interpretation with respect to Looney is not clear. As Mrs Atkinson observed, the Abraham McClelland, son of Wm. and Barbara, was not old enough to have a daughter marrying in 1802; but it is plain that Abraham McClelland, brother of Mrs. David Looney was to old to have had a first wife's only daughter that married in 1802; and

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especially so because he had a Rachel who married ca 1759 James Gregg. Thus if weight is given to the Wallace report there remains no implication that Julis Annis Looney was one of the daughters of Robert (1) Looney. There is some possibility that these reports may pertain to the Adam Looney Branch of this family. (See Adam Branch).

There are other questions of early date. One is the identity of Mary Looney who owned land on the south side of Looney's Mill Creek adjacent to the 196 acres (adjoining John Mill's land) that were surveyed for John Looney on March 4, 1768. (Rockingham Co. surveys 1, 137.) With reference to the 196 acres Kegley says, "line of his own land and Mary Looney's Land." Does this indicate that a Mary Looney was married to John Mills at about this time? Professor Taylor thought that Mary, as used here, was an error for Margaret, the widow of Robert Looney J., but Robert Jr. died in 1756 and Margaret was called Renfro as early as 1763. On the other hand, she and her son John (3) did not sell their 213 acres on the Looney Mill Creek until 1773. (See Robert Looney Jr. Branch.)

There was also a Margaret Looney who had a survey of 250 acres on Looney's Mill Creek in 1755, according to Kegley. Peter (2) Looney bought 250 acres on the Creek in 1754, but was not married until ca 1759 and died in 1760. His widow Margaret seems not to have married James McCain before 1767 and thus may have had the land surveyed in 1765 but not in 1755.

The following is a tentative list of the children of Robert (1) and Elizabeth Looney, with Approximate and adjusted best estimates of dates of birth, death, and marriage.
End Page 13
CHILDREN OF ROBERT AND ELIZABETH LOONEY.
Thomas Looney, b. 1718-1746; d. between 1755-60, married Jane Harmon. Had one child only so far as known - Lovice Looney m. John Brigham.
Robert Jr. Looney, b. 1721-1756; m. ca 1742/43 Margaret Rhea, who later as Robert's widow married Stephen Renfro. (See Robt Jr. Branch)

Daniel Looney, 1723-1760, married Jane Evans.

Adam Looney, 1725-1770, m. Hannah Wright, of N. Carolina. (See Adam Looney Branch)

Samuel Looney, 1727-175- said to have been killed by Indians in 1760. His widow was Ann ---- who adm. estate and married Elijah Cross. Looney children were Samuel Jr. and Moses. (H.H. Smith, Blountville, Tenn. is a descendant of Elijah and Ann Looney Cross.)

Louisa Looney, 1728- married Capt. John Shelby, say 1750-51 in North Carolina.

Absalom Looney, 1729-1796; three years old when brought to the colonies. Married Margaret (Peggy), who was not living at the time he made his will 1791, probated 1796. (See Absalom (2) Branch.)

Lucy Jane Looney, b. 1730- married in 1753 Stephen Holston-(or (Lucy had Henry Holston or Holstein)

John Looney, 1732-1817, m ca 1759 Esther Renfro. (Noah Looney was grand-nephew of John who died at Bachelor's Retreat, S.C.

Peter Looney, b. 1734-1760; (in Philadelphia) m Margaret. In Will Book 4, p. 93 Mch 16 1768 "Margaret" Looney is admix of husband Peter Looney estate, (Augusta Co.) Peter Looney Jr. was only heir, and a minor.

David Looney, b. 1735-1810, married ca 1755 Mary McClelland.

Joseph Looney, b. in Botetourt Co. Va. 1740-1817, married Jean (Jane) Bowen 25 June 1764 in Augusta Co. Va. (license) See will of Lilly Bowan, Washington Co. Va. Book 2, p73.

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Thomas (2), and Daniel (2) Looney as above, seem not to have had male progeny. Brief accounts of them will be given here and the other sons of Robert (1) and Elizabeth Looney will be considered later in separate branches, each of which begins with the second generation in America.

Thomas (2) Looney b. 1718, died in Indian raid between 1755-60, was the first of the Looneys named on the muster roll of Augusta County, Virginia, in 1742 and probably the eldest son and heir of Robert and Elizabeth Looney. (Mr. Tilton, the compiler of these records and comments, - gives death of Thomas (2) Looney as based on an entry in Augusta Order Book 1, 26. dated 15 April 1746: Petition of Margaret Lundey -- her clothes taken by David Logan, constable on attachment vs. her deceased husband Thomas Lundey at suit of Daniel Harriss, be returned," (Comment by EWS: Some similarity of names, but why assume Lundey to be meant for Luney? Perhaps there was a Thomas Lundey, decd. whose widow was Margaret. The Thomas (2) Looney (Luney) son of Robert (1) had wife Jane Harmon, - no Margaret mentioned - though she may have been Margaret Jane Harmon. They had daughter Lovice who married John Brigham, according to many records among descendants. Family record of Mrs. Marvin Huff, Evansville, Ind., gives Peter Looney (H). Wife Rachael Harmon, - born in Maryland - associated with John Brigham, husband of Lovice Looney,)

Mrs. W.C. Weaks of Terre Haute, Indiana, and his cousin Miss Mabel Weaks of New York City have a record of the birth about 1745 or 1746 of a Louisa Looney who married James Brigham. They have considered that her mother was Margaret Harmon, daughter of Captain Adam Harmon, and immigrant from Germany credited with being one of the first permanent settlers on New River in the early 1740's. (Harmon Genealogy of Southern Branch, by J.N. Harmon
End page 15

of Tazwell Va. 1925.) There may have been another child. Mary, orphan of Thomas Lundey, was ordered bound out to William Williams who was about to remove to Carolina. (Order Book 3, 181, 28 August 1751.
Summers in his History of S.W. Virginia, page 51, mentions that the home of Adam Harmon near Englis' Ferry on New River was visited by Indians and furs and skins stolen.

On 19 November 1760 David (2) Luney gave bond as administrator of the estate of Thomas Luney. (Wills 2, 424.) Loues Looney, grandchild of Adam Harmon, obtained judgment against Adam Harmon at November Court 1764 on his 101b. bond dated 28 February 1754 to Loues Looney with lawful interest from 29 July 1746. (Query: Was this the date of birth of Loues Looney? Witnesses were John Crockette and Ann Crockette. Loues Looney deposed by commission on 22 August 1766 and then on 26 December 1766 at Fort Chiswell James Brigham and David Looney addressed the following to Mr. William Thompson at Back Creek: "We your Humble Servants have this day met and compromised the matter in regard to the money attach'd in your hands on behalf of Louicy Looney with Henry Harmon on his leaving Twenty pounds Virginia currency in your hands." (Document 2QQ98, Preston and Va. Papers in Wisc. Hist. Soc.)

According to the views as outlined, Loues was about one year old when her father, Thomas, died, at age 27 about 6 when her sister Mary was bound out to Wm. Williams, about 19 when she obtained judgment against her grandfather, and 21 when she collected her inheritance. Also one understands Why there are no records of other heirs of Thomas Looney.

On the other hand, one may ask why, if he died before 15 Apr. 1764 was Thomas Looney cited on 19 November 1746 to work on a road from Adam Harmon's to the north branch of Roan Oak. Perhaps

End Page 16

his estate was obliged to furnish a man. His name on a delinquent tax list in 1755 could refer to his estate, and David Looney's appointment as administrator on 19 March 1760 could of course, be a replacement, perhaps, after -Margaret's (?) death.

Louice (Looney) and James Brigham were living in lower Washington County on 6 November 1777 when the names James Brigham and Peter Looney are adjacent on a petition protesting plans for the erection of a court house at a location deemed inconvenient. This Peter is considered as Peter (3) (b. 24 Nov. 1755, son of Absalom (2)) who later, with wife Rachel Harmon, settled in Sumner County, Tennessee, as did James Brigham.

James Brigham had grants form the state of North Carolina in 1779, 1781, 1782, 1787, and 1790, etc. Some of the land was in Sullivan County near lands of David Looney, Robert Gray, George Maxwell, and David Maxwell. According to Historic Sullivan, James Brigham operated the first tavern in Blountville, Hawkins County, Virginia. He donated 30 acres in 1792 for the town of Blountville. He was Revolutionary soldier.

The will of James Brigham, wife Louisa, is of record in Book B.B. (1811-1815), page 77, Montgomery County, Tennessee.

Daniel (2) Looney, (b. ca 1723, d. ca 1760) was on the muster roll of Augusta County in 1742. He patented 180 acres on Long Run on 20 August 1748, probably called the Draper Place. He lived there in 1753 or 1754 when Robert asked Absalom (2) and his family to come home and settle because of danger from the Indians at the outlying settlement where Absalom was living on the Bluestone, a branch of New River, Robert asked Daniel to give the 180 acres to Absalom in exchange for some of Robert's land. Daniel made a deed to Abs. on 18 September 1754 for the 180 acres, mentioning a corner of land

End Page 17

of Robert Looney Sr. A witness was Wm. Harbison. (This deed was not delivered until August 1762, but in Chalkley's Augusta Records the grantee's name is printed ABRAHAM and no evidence of a Absalom (2) Looney has been established.) Daniel moved across the creek onto some of Robert's land, but Robert made no deed to Daniel.

Jane (Evans) Looney (probably wife of Daniel) in 1760 sued Daniel Looney in chancery, but suit after several continuances was dismissed on Plaintiff's motion. On 11 October 1759 when Robt. divided his cattle between Peter and David, he reserved 2 horses for his son Daniel. Even as late as 24 May 1760 it is known that Daniel Looney was living -- Jane Looney sued him on writ of scirrefacias, but his attorney obtained imparlance until the next court. (Augusta Orders 6,218, 381.)

Very soon thereafter, however, Daniel died and on 19 November 1760 his brother David (2) Looney gave bond as administrator of Dan's estate. The appraisement of Daniel's estate was mentioned as of 18 August 1761 and at this time Jane Evans, late Looney, asked for the administration of her husband's estate, hitherto granted to David Looney. It seems possible that the widow Jane Looney had married Alexander Evans who later, 2 October 1765, purchased 140 acres from Adam (2) and Hannah Looney who were then of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. (Augusta Deeds 13, 92.)

On 18 October 1765 David Looney gave bond with James McDowell as the appointed guardian to Margaret Looney, orphan of Daniel Looney and granddaughter of Robert (1) Looney. (Augusta Wills B3, 433.) In Margaret's name suit was brought to obtain for her the land "across the creek" where her father had lived. Robert's deed of 13 November 1762 to John Bowyer had included Daniel's land. However, Colonel John Smith and Colonel John Buchanan each deposed in May 1765 concerning the fact. Colonel Smith recited

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the circumstances leading to the exchange of lands between Daniel and Absalom. Colon Buchan testifies that Daniel, on his death bed and in the presence of his father Robert, stated that the land was his and was to descend to his daughter; and that Robert did not object or say anything against this. Accordingly, on 19 October 1765 John Bowyer deeded the land to Margaret, heiress and only child of Daniel Looney, Deceased.

Deed records indicate that Margaret Looney married John Miner who on 23 October 1782 received a North Carolina grant of 250 acres on Holston River. On 19 October 1784 John Miner and Margaret of Sullivan County, North Carolina, for 100 pounds sold to John Mills 37 acres on James River below Looney's Mill Creek. (Botetourt Deeds 3, 325.) This is probably a grant of land inherited from her father Daniel Looney.

In Sumner Deeds 1, 424, there is recorded on dated April, 1797 from David Looney of Sullivan County to Margaret Miner, Hannah Turner Miner, Daniel Looney Miner of Sumner County for 320 acres for $500. Again in July 1799 David Looney signed a deed to Margaret Miner for 106 acres for $200. (Deeds 3, 10.)

Among the marriage records of Sumner County, Tennessee, is: Daniel Looney Married Elizabeth Briley 24 October 1805.

Samuel (2) Looney, b ca 1727, d after 1752,- say about 1770. He was not on the muster roll of Augusta County in 1742. He was named on 20 May 1752 in Augusta County to assist William Smith, overseer, on the road along the calf-pasture (river) from Wm. Grey's to Robert McCutcheon's Mill and then to Robert Campbell's. Samuel left widow Ann who administered his estate and married Elijah Cross. (The Looney children were Samuel Jr. and Moses.) Sullivan County, Tennessee census 1840 gives Elijah Cross age 84, living with David L. Cross. Elijah was pensioned for Rev.

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War service 1777, Sullivan County, Tenness. Pension papers of Elijah (Elishe). William and Zacharia Cross state that they were born in Baltimore County, Maryland. (Echoes: East Tennessee Historical Society, May 1958, page 92.) Homer H. Smith, Atty. of Blountville, Tenn., in a letter states: "My mother was Elizabeth Cross and a descendant of Elijah Cross I, and Mrs. Ann Looney, whose husband Samuel Looney was killed by Indians in the early settlement of Sullivan County. This Cross-Looney couple had 5 sons and two daughters." (The two Looney sons were mentioned in the will of Moses Looney, of Knox County, Tenn., in 1823-24.

Query: Who was Margaret Looney who had survey of 250 acres on Looney's Mill Creek in 1755 (Kegley). and who sued Anthony in Bedford County, Virginia, in 1759?

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The Looney Family - Colonial America to Rosebud, Texas by Larry W Johnson, http://home.flash.net/~johnson/

In about 1724, Robert and Elizabeth Looney came to America from the Isle of Man, Great Britain, with their family, settling first in Philadelphia, Pa.and later in colonial Maryland. Soon thereafter they moved west to the new frontier and settled in Augusta County, Virginia on the James River. There on Looney Creek, Robert and Elizabeth raised their family, established the firstferry crossing of the James River, built a mill, grew crops and raised livestock.Due to the constant conflict between France and England, as well as the threat of Indian attack, a Fort was ordered built in 1755 around the LOONEY homesite.This Fort was named FORT LOONEY and was at the junction of LOONEY CREEK and the James River. This Fort was part of a series of Forts ordered built along the frontier to settlers and to keep the French from claiming the territory. FORT LOONEY was visited in 1756 by COLONEL GEORGE WASHINGTON, future PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The LOONEY sons were frontiersmen and pioneers. Some fought and died with the BRITISH against the French and Indians. Some were killed by Indians during frequent frontier raids on settlers while others helped to explore and expand the frontier boundaries first into southwestern Virginia and eventually into Tennessee Indian Territory. The LOONEY sons and grandsons fought against the BRITISH in the WAR OF INDEPENDENCE. JOHN LOONEY was wounded in the siege of Savannah, Georgia in 1779. He was later granted a total disability pension of $8 per month for this service by Special Acts of Congress in 1837.

During the late 1780's, JOHN AND ELIZABETH LOONEY moved from Virginia into Tennessee where they raised their five children. One of their sons, MOSES, was married to Mary Guest and had six children born in Maury County, Tennessee before moving to Lawrence County, Alabama in 1820. Their seventh child was born in 1823. MOSES and MARY'S sixth son, MOSES LOONEY JUNIOR, married SUSAN DEVAULT IN 1841. MOSES JR and SUSAN had five boys and one girl all born in Alabama. After the last child was born, MOSES, SUSAN and their family began moving West. They were in LOUISIANA when the CIVIL WAR began and their two oldest sons, FRANCES ASBURY and GEORGE MARTIN LOONEY, enlisted and served for the CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA with the LOUISIANA INFANTRY. Both lived through the conflict and returned to their family. FRANCES ASBURY LOONEY later married ELIZABETH CRAVY from LOUISIANA.

MOSES JR, SUSAN and all of their children settled in Bosque County, TEXAS in 1866. Four of Moses Jr and Susan's children were married in Bosque County: GEORGE married LOUISA E FIELDS, ROBERT married ELISA J PHILLIPS, MARY ELIZABETH married JOHN H. R. SPENCER and JOHN married ELIZABETH J SCOTT. SUSAN, their Mother, died 10 June 1870 and is buried at the COVE SPRINGS CEMETERY west of Meridian, Texas. MOSES JR died that same year of 1870 in Waco, Texas.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LOONEY BOOK: MOST DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS ON THE AMERICAN FRONTIER. Written by: Madge Looney Crane and Phillip L. Crane

WHAT WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF LOONE'S FORT ?

By the 1730's white settlers began settling west of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. The earliest settlers -- Adam Miller, John Hite, Jacob Stover, John and Isaac Van Meter, John Lewis, and many others -- made their new homes in areas drained by the Shenandoah River in what was Orange County, Virginia, at the time. Robert Looney (spelled Luna in his survey for 294 acres in 1735) was also one of the first settlers west of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, but his land was along the Potomac River (see "Exactly where and when was Robert Looney's first settlement in Virginia?").
On November 1, 1738, the Virginia General Assembly formed two new counties form the area of Orange County west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Frederick County, which began their own court in 1743, encompassed the areas drained by the Shenandoah River and much of the headwaters of the Potomac River. Augusta County, which formed their own court in 1745, included the areas drained by the head waters of the Shenandoah River, the James River (west of the Blue Ridge Mountains), and all the land to the southwest.
By 1739 - 40 Robert Looney had established his mill on Looney's Mill Creek in the area designated to be Augusta County. By July 30, 1742, Robert Looney received a patent for 250 acres at the mouth of Looney's Mill Creek and Robert Looney Jr. received a patent for 213 acres on the same stream (see "Exactly where was the Looney Land?"). About this time settlers began pouring into Augusta County by the hundreds.
In December of 1742 the whites and the Indians clashed at what is known as the Battle of Augusta. The site of the battle is believed to be at Glasgow, just a few miles east of Natural Bridge in present-day Rockbridge County. Capt. John McDowell and seven of his men in the Augusta County Militia were killed in this battle. Most sources say the Indians were Iroquois (a few say Shawnee), who were traveling along the War Path (Great Road) to fight their southern enemies, the Catawbas. This battle is significant because it show that there were hostilities between the Indians and the whites soon after the formation of Augusta County.
During 1742 there were twelve companies of the Augusta County Militia. The rolls of nine are extant, including Capt. George Robinson's which named 49 men. Five of the men in Robinson's company were Thomas Looney, Robert Looney [Jr.], Daniel Looney, Adam Looney, and Stephen Ranfro (Rentfro). It is believed that this militia roll enabled Leroy W. Tilton to accurately list the order of Robert Looney, Sr.'s oldest children -- Thomas, Robert Jr. , Daniel, and Adam (the order on the roll). Furthermore, this record is probably how he arrived at their approximate birth dates. For example, Adam who must have been just old enough to serve in the militia (say 18-19 years), would have been born about 1725. Daniel, who would have been a little older, was born about 1723. Titlton's estimation dated Robert Jr.'s birth as 1721 and Thomas' as 1718. It is interesting to see how Tilton arrived at these dates, since there were no birth records, Bible accounts, or other records to be more exact.
In 1744 the Treaty of Lancaster (Pennsylvania) was signed by the Virginia delegates and the Iroquois. By the terms of this treaty, the Iroquois relinquished their right to all their claims in Virginia. For most of the next decade, whites poured into Augusta County unchallenged by the Indians. In 1751 Joshua Fry, in his "Report on the back Settlements of Virginia" named Samuel Stalnaker's settlement on the Holston River as the farthest advance of the whites. Within the period from the late 1730's to the early 1750's, whites had pushed the limits of Augusta County well over 200 miles westward. Robert Looney's settlement at the mouth of Looney's Mill Creek was nearly in the center of Augusta County by the early 1750's.
The situation in the British colonies in America began to change by 1753. The Indians, aided by the French, began making attacks on the most exposed frontier settlements. This grew into a major conflict known as the French and Indian War (1754-1763). At first the western most settlements -- those on the Holston, Bluestone, and New Rivers -- were abandoned as the French and Indians ravaged the areas.
On July 9, 1755, General Edward Braddock's British troops were annihilated at the Battle of the Wilderness (also called Monongahela) in Pennsylvania. With one swift blow the French and Indians had opened the way for large scale attacks in Virginia, especially areas west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. During this time Robert Looney fortified his home at the mouth of Looney's Mill Creek. Hugh McAden, a young Presbyterian minister, was traveling through Virginia at the very time Braddock's Army was defeated. On July 16, 1755, he noted in his journal that he took the road to Luny's Ferry where he stayed overnight because "there were a number of men and arms engaged in building a fort, round the house, where they fled with their wives and children."
Looney's Fort was from July 1755 to a few years afterwards one of the most important places in Augusta County. It was a place where settlers and the militia could go in safety, and from there push into the frontier to defeat the enemy. This fort predates official mention of a chain of forts to protect the frontier. Looney's Fort probably played some part as a supply base for the forts in the chain (Fort William and rebuilt Fort Vause).
Col. John Buchanan, writing near the end of June 1756, noted in a letter to Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie "I have Ordered ten Men to Looney's Fort on James River." This is the only document contemporary with the fort that has been located which specifically names Looney's Fort.
Almost as quickly as Looney's fort became famous, the importance of the fort diminished as the French and Indians were defeated and other more remote forts held the line.
Two excavations at the Looney's Mill Creek Archaeological Site (also called the Lipes Site) in 1968-69 have uncovered what is believed to be one of the palisade walls of Looney's Fort. The details of the excavations are fully covered in Most Distinguished Characters on the American Frontier, Robert Looney .... and Some of His Descendants, Vol. 1 pp. 195-208.

  Notes for Elizabeth Llewellen Young:
~continued from husband Robert Looney, Sr's notes~
Abraham McClelland was a brother of the wife of David (2) Looney, and John Looney, who also acted as security for Joseph (2) Looney, the executor, was Robert's son, about 38 years old at that time. John Looney, grandson, was the eldest son of Robert (2) Jr. (deed).) and legal heir by right of primogeniture.

It is unfortunate that Robert (1) Looney did not name all of his children in his will. The muster roll of the Augusta County Militia, Company 8, under Captain George Robinson includes Thomas, Dan, and Adam Looney, in the order mentioned, and the date of this list has been fixed by Waddell as 1742.

Probably Robert (1) was too old for service at that time. This roll is here accepted as a clue to the relative ages of older sons of Robert (1) and Elizabeth. It is surmised that no other sons were as old as 16 in 1742.

With possible exception of Samuel, the above and 6 others are established as sons of Robert (1) Looney by reference to the Augusta County records.

According to Notable Southern Families (Vol. 2, pp. 305, 315) a Louisa Looney married Captain John Shelby of the military organization of Washington County, Virginia. According to a D.A.R. application paper (Lineage 78, 382) John Shelby Sr. (b. 1724 - d. 1794) went to join his brother Moses in North Carolina in 1750 where he met Louisa Looney. He established a station in the Wautauga District known as Shelby's. Their children were: John Jr., married Elizabeth Brigham; David married Sarah Bledsoe; Eban, Thomas, Isaac; Louisa married Wm. McCrab; and Catherine Shelby who married ____ Evan.so, according to D.A.R. lineage Lucy Jane Looney married 1753 Stephen Holston (1729-1776) son of Henry Holston Sr. (Lineage 68, 301; 149, 235.) Among their children was James Henry (1754-1825) who married Lucy Austin (1764-).

End Page 11

Doubtless there were other daughters. It is not unlikely that some of them may have married men named Clark, Crow, Mills, Rowland, or Smith who were closely associated with the Looneys.

Mrs. Edward Spear Atkinson of 1502 Stuart Avenue, Houston, Texas (in 1947) and Mrs. Louisa P. Bosworth of Woodstock, Vermont (in 1945) are interested in various families of early Sullivan County, N.C. In a letter to the compiler from Mrs. Bosworth in 1945 one finds; "Have you any record of the marriage of Abraham McClelland to Julie Ann Looney? Mrs Atkinson says he was married twice, and Julia Ann Looney was his first wife. He (Abraham McClelland) was very evidently the son of John and brother of William who married Barbara Walker, of Mary who married Bobt. (sic) Looney, and of ---(Jane) who md.... (Samuel) Gamble." (David instead of Robert Looney was intended of course.) Then in an undated letter in February or March 1947 Mrs. Atkinson included a list of 9 children of William McClelland who married 22 December 1768 Barbara Walker born 1741. Among those children were:

3) Jane McClelland b. 28 Oct. 1770, married James Looney.
5) Abraham McClelland b. 1 Nov. 1776, m. Julia Ann (or Annis) Looney.

In a later letter Mrs. Atkinson reported that John Wallace born 1750 married (")-----McClelland and being left a widow she m. (2) Captain Wm. Lowry in Blount County, Tenn. They had a son, Abraham Wallace, who married in 1802 his first cousin Ann McClelland, only daughter of Abraham McClelland by his first wife.
The bases of these reports are not known to the compiler and their interpretation with respect to Looney is not clear. As Mrs Atkinson observed, the Abraham McClelland, son of Wm. and Barbara, was not old enough to have a daughter marrying in 1802; but it is plain that Abraham McClelland, brother of Mrs. David Looney was to old to have had a first wife's only daughter that married in 1802; and

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especially so because he had a Rachel who married ca 1759 James Gregg. Thus if weight is given to the Wallace report there remains no implication that Julis Annis Looney was one of the daughters of Robert (1) Looney. There is some possibility that these reports may pertain to the Adam Looney Branch of this family. (See Adam Branch).

There are other questions of early date. One is the identity of Mary Looney who owned land on the south side of Looney's Mill Creek adjacent to the 196 acres (adjoining John Mill's land) that were surveyed for John Looney on March 4, 1768. (Rockingham Co. surveys 1, 137.) With reference to the 196 acres Kegley says, "line of his own land and Mary Looney's Land." Does this indicate that a Mary Looney was married to John Mills at about this time? Professor Taylor thought that Mary, as used here, was an error for Margaret, the widow of Robert Looney J., but Robert Jr. died in 1756 and Margaret was called Renfro as early as 1763. On the other hand, she and her son John (3) did not sell their 213 acres on the Looney Mill Creek until 1773. (See Robert Looney Jr. Branch.)

There was also a Margaret Looney who had a survey of 250 acres on Looney's Mill Creek in 1755, according to Kegley. Peter (2) Looney bought 250 acres on the Creek in 1754, but was not married until ca 1759 and died in 1760. His widow Margaret seems not to have married James McCain before 1767 and thus may have had the land surveyed in 1765 but not in 1755.

The following is a tentative list of the children of Robert (1) and Elizabeth Looney, with Approximate and adjusted best estimates of dates of birth, death, and marriage.


************************
End Page 13


CHILDREN OF ROBERT AND ELIZABETH LOONEY.
Thomas Looney, b. 1718-1746; d. between 1755-60, married Jane Harmon. Had one child only so far as known - Lovice Looney m. John Brigham.
Robert Jr. Looney, b. 1721-1756; m. ca 1742/43 Margaret Rhea, who later as Robert's widow married Stephen Renfro. (See Robt Jr. Branch)

Daniel Looney, 1723-1760, married Jane Evans.

Adam Looney, 1725-1770, m. Hannah Wright, of N. Carolina. (See Adam Looney Branch)

Samuel Looney, 1727-175- said to have been killed by Indians in 1760. His widow was Ann ---- who adm. estate and married Elijah Cross. Looney children were Samuel Jr. and Moses. (H.H. Smith, Blountville, Tenn. is a descendant of Elijah and Ann Looney Cross.)

Louisa Looney, 1728- married Capt. John Shelby, say 1750-51 in North Carolina.

Absalom Looney, 1729-1796; three years old when brought to the colonies. Married Margaret (Peggy), who was not living at the time he made his will 1791, probated 1796. (See Absalom (2) Branch.)

Lucy Jane Looney, b. 1730- married in 1753 Stephen Holston-(or (Lucy had Henry Holston or Holstein)

John Looney, 1732-1817, m ca 1759 Esther Renfro. (Noah Looney was grand-nephew of John who died at Bachelor's Retreat, S.C.

Peter Looney, b. 1734-1760; (in Philadelphia) m Margaret. In Will Book 4, p. 93 Mch 16 1768 "Margaret" Looney is admix of husband Peter Looney estate, (Augusta Co.) Peter Looney Jr. was only heir, and a minor.

David Looney, b. 1735-1810, married ca 1755 Mary McClelland.

Joseph Looney, b. in Botetourt Co. Va. 1740-1817, married Jean (Jane) Bowen 25 June 1764 in Augusta Co. Va. (license) See will of Lilly Bowan, Washington Co. Va. Book 2, p73.

End Page 14

Thomas (2), and Daniel (2) Looney as above, seem not to have had male progeny. Brief accounts of them will be given here and the other sons of Robert (1) and Elizabeth Looney will be considered later in separate branches, each of which begins with the second generation in America.

Thomas (2) Looney b. 1718, died in Indian raid between 1755-60, was the first of the Looneys named on the muster roll of Augusta County, Virginia, in 1742 and probably the eldest son and heir of Robert and Elizabeth Looney. (Mr. Tilton, the compiler of these records and comments, - gives death of Thomas (2) Looney as based on an entry in Augusta Order Book 1, 26. dated 15 April 1746: Petition of Margaret Lundey -- her clothes taken by David Logan, constable on attachment vs. her deceased husband Thomas Lundey at suit of Daniel Harriss, be returned," (Comment by EWS: Some similarity of names, but why assume Lundey to be meant for Luney? Perhaps there was a Thomas Lundey, decd. whose widow was Margaret. The Thomas (2) Looney (Luney) son of Robert (1) had wife Jane Harmon, - no Margaret mentioned - though she may have been Margaret Jane Harmon. They had daughter Lovice who married John Brigham, according to many records among descendants. Family record of Mrs. Marvin Huff, Evansville, Ind., gives Peter Looney (H). Wife Rachael Harmon, - born in Maryland - associated with John Brigham, husband of Lovice Looney,)

Mrs. W.C. Weaks of Terre Haute, Indiana, and his cousin Miss Mabel Weaks of New York City have a record of the birth about 1745 or 1746 of a Louisa Looney who married James Brigham. They have considered that her mother was Margaret Harmon, daughter of Captain Adam Harmon, and immigrant from Germany credited with being one of the first permanent settlers on New River in the early 1740's. (Harmon Genealogy of Southern Branch, by J.N. Harmon
End page 15
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of Tazwell Va. 1925.) There may have been another child. Mary, orphan of Thomas Lundey, was ordered bound out to William Williams who was about to remove to Carolina. (Order Book 3, 181, 28 August 1751.
Summers in his History of S.W. Virginia, page 51, mentions that the home of Adam Harmon near Englis' Ferry on New River was visited by Indians and furs and skins stolen.

On 19 November 1760 David (2) Luney gave bond as administrator of the estate of Thomas Luney. (Wills 2, 424.) Loues Looney, grandchild of Adam Harmon, obtained judgment against Adam Harmon at November Court 1764 on his 101b. bond dated 28 February 1754 to Loues Looney with lawful interest from 29 July 1746. (Query: Was this the date of birth of Loues Looney? Witnesses were John Crockette and Ann Crockette. Loues Looney deposed by commission on 22 August 1766 and then on 26 December 1766 at Fort Chiswell James Brigham and David Looney addressed the following to Mr. William Thompson at Back Creek: "We your Humble Servants have this day met and compromised the matter in regard to the money attach'd in your hands on behalf of Louicy Looney with Henry Harmon on his leaving Twenty pounds Virginia currency in your hands." (Document 2QQ98, Preston and Va. Papers in Wisc. Hist. Soc.)

According to the views as outlined, Loues was about one year old when her father, Thomas, died, at age 27 about 6 when her sister Mary was bound out to Wm. Williams, about 19 when she obtained judgment against her grandfather, and 21 when she collected her inheritance. Also one understands Why there are no records of other heirs of Thomas Looney.

On the other hand, one may ask why, if he died before 15 Apr. 1764 was Thomas Looney cited on 19 November 1746 to work on a road from Adam Harmon's to the north branch of Roan Oak. Perhaps

End Page 16

his estate was obliged to furnish a man. His name on a delinquent tax list in 1755 could refer to his estate, and David Looney's appointment as administrator on 19 March 1760 could of course, be a replacement, perhaps, after -Margaret's (?) death.

Louice (Looney) and James Brigham were living in lower Washington County on 6 November 1777 when the names James Brigham and Peter Looney are adjacent on a petition protesting plans for the erection of a court house at a location deemed inconvenient. This Peter is considered as Peter (3) (b. 24 Nov. 1755, son of Absalom (2)) who later, with wife Rachel Harmon, settled in Sumner County, Tennessee, as did James Brigham.

James Brigham had grants form the state of North Carolina in 1779, 1781, 1782, 1787, and 1790, etc. Some of the land was in Sullivan County near lands of David Looney, Robert Gray, George Maxwell, and David Maxwell. According to Historic Sullivan, James Brigham operated the first tavern in Blountville, Hawkins County, Virginia. He donated 30 acres in 1792 for the town of Blountville. He was Revolutionary soldier.

The will of James Brigham, wife Louisa, is of record in Book B.B. (1811-1815), page 77, Montgomery County, Tennessee.

Daniel (2) Looney, (b. ca 1723, d. ca 1760) was on the muster roll of Augusta County in 1742. He patented 180 acres on Long Run on 20 August 1748, probably called the Draper Place. He lived there in 1753 or 1754 when Robert asked Absalom (2) and his family to come home and settle because of danger from the Indians at the outlying settlement where Absalom was living on the Bluestone, a branch of New River, Robert asked Daniel to give the 180 acres to Absalom in exchange for some of Robert's land. Daniel made a deed to Abs. on 18 September 1754 for the 180 acres, mentioning a corner of land

End Page 17

of Robert Looney Sr. A witness was Wm. Harbison. (This deed was not delivered until August 1762, but in Chalkley's Augusta Records the grantee's name is printed ABRAHAM and no evidence of a Absalom (2) Looney has been established.) Daniel moved across the creek onto some of Robert's land, but Robert made no deed to Daniel.

Jane (Evans) Looney (probably wife of Daniel) in 1760 sued Daniel Looney in chancery, but suit after several continuances was dismissed on Plaintiff's motion. On 11 October 1759 when Robt. divided his cattle between Peter and David, he reserved 2 horses for his son Daniel. Even as late as 24 May 1760 it is known that Daniel Looney was living -- Jane Looney sued him on writ of scirrefacias, but his attorney obtained imparlance until the next court. (Augusta Orders 6,218, 381.)

Very soon thereafter, however, Daniel died and on 19 November 1760 his brother David (2) Looney gave bond as administrator of Dan's estate. The appraisement of Daniel's estate was mentioned as of 18 August 1761 and at this time Jane Evans, late Looney, asked for the administration of her husband's estate, hitherto granted to David Looney. It seems possible that the widow Jane Looney had married Alexander Evans who later, 2 October 1765, purchased 140 acres from Adam (2) and Hannah Looney who were then of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. (Augusta Deeds 13, 92.)

On 18 October 1765 David Looney gave bond with James McDowell as the appointed guardian to Margaret Looney, orphan of Daniel Looney and granddaughter of Robert (1) Looney. (Augusta Wills B3, 433.) In Margaret's name suit was brought to obtain for her the land "across the creek" where her father had lived. Robert's deed of 13 November 1762 to John Bowyer had included Daniel's land. However, Colonel John Smith and Colonel John Buchanan each deposed in May 1765 concerning the fact. Colonel Smith recited

End Page 18

the circumstances leading to the exchange of lands between Daniel and Absalom. Colon Buchan testifies that Daniel, on his death bed and in the presence of his father Robert, stated that the land was his and was to descend to his daughter; and that Robert did not object or say anything against this. Accordingly, on 19 October 1765 John Bowyer deeded the land to Margaret, heiress and only child of Daniel Looney, Deceased.

Deed records indicate that Margaret Looney married John Miner who on 23 October 1782 received a North Carolina grant of 250 acres on Holston River. On 19 October 1784 John Miner and Margaret of Sullivan County, North Carolina, for 100 pounds sold to John Mills 37 acres on James River below Looney's Mill Creek. (Botetourt Deeds 3, 325.) This is probably a grant of land inherited from her father Daniel Looney.

In Sumner Deeds 1, 424, there is recorded on dated April, 1797 from David Looney of Sullivan County to Margaret Miner, Hannah Turner Miner, Daniel Looney Miner of Sumner County for 320 acres for $500. Again in July 1799 David Looney signed a deed to Margaret Miner for 106 acres for $200. (Deeds 3, 10.)

Among the marriage records of Sumner County, Tennessee, is: Daniel Looney Married Elizabeth Briley 24 October 1805.

Samuel (2) Looney, b ca 1727, d after 1752,- say about 1770. He was not on the muster roll of Augusta County in 1742. He was named on 20 May 1752 in Augusta County to assist William Smith, overseer, on the road along the calf-pasture (river) from Wm. Grey's to Robert McCutcheon's Mill and then to Robert Campbell's. Samuel left widow Ann who administered his estate and married Elijah Cross. (The Looney children were Samuel Jr. and Moses.) Sullivan County, Tennessee census 1840 gives Elijah Cross age 84, living with David L. Cross. Elijah was pensioned for Rev.

End Page 19

War service 1777, Sullivan County, Tenness. Pension papers of Elijah (Elishe). William and Zacharia Cross state that they were born in Baltimore County, Maryland. (Echoes: East Tennessee Historical Society, May 1958, page 92.) Homer H. Smith, Atty. of Blountville, Tenn., in a letter states: "My mother was Elizabeth Cross and a descendant of Elijah Cross I, and Mrs. Ann Looney, whose husband Samuel Looney was killed by Indians in the early settlement of Sullivan County. This Cross-Looney couple had 5 sons and two daughters." (The two Looney sons were mentioned in the will of Moses Looney, of Knox County, Tenn., in 1823-24.

Query: Who was Margaret Looney who had survey of 250 acres on Looney's Mill Creek in 1755 (Kegley). and who sued Anthony in Bedford County, Virginia, in 1759?
----------------------------------------------------------
The End of Tilton's Manuscript, Part 1,
"Robert (1) and Elizabeth Looney's Family"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---------------------
In the Beginning: Robert Looney
Derived from a 1974 article appearing in "The Bulletin of North American Manx Assoc."

Little did Robert Looney, a Manx farmer from Ballagilley, Maughold realize that when he arrived in the New World about 1731, that he and his decendants would be recorded in the annals of their new land as frontiersmen and patriots. Records show that by 1734, Robert Looney and his wife, Elizabeth Llwellyn, and at least seven sons (they were to have 14 sons!) were in Philadelphia where they joined an expedition into the colony of Virginia.

The following year he settled on a patent of 291 acres - for which he was to pay the Crown land rent of one shilling a year- on the south bank of Cohongoronta (Upper Potomac) river, probably near present day Hagerstown, Maryland. By 1739-1740 Robert Looney and his family moved southward through the Shenandoah Valley, finally settling on a grant of 250 acres on the James river, in what was to become Augusta County, where another Manxman, Isreal Christian, had prospered. They later donated lands for the county seat, and became influential in colonial politics.

In 1742 Robert gained another 400 acres in grants, and became one of the most prosperous farmers in the area, with his own mill, orchards, nursery, cattle and horses, and even operated a ferry across what may still be found today not far from Natrual Bridge - Looney's Mill creek. At least three of his sons served in the Augusta County Militia.

One of these sons, Absolem, was of a true frontier spirit, trapping and hunting in the rugged southwest of the colony, Virginia's last frontier. There, while living in caves to avoid the Indians, Absolem discovered a fertile valley, rich in blue grass pastures, to which he led his family and some followers and founded a new settlement, at least four years before that noted frontier explorer, Daniel Boone, arrived in the same area to build a fort only six miles from Absolem's homestead. To this day, the quiet valley, some seventeen miles from Bluefield, Virginia, is known as "Abb's Valley" in honor of its discoverer, Absolem Looney.

Indian attacks on these frontier communities were not uncommon, but soon the Indians were to be joined by a new ally, the French, and the settlers were swept violently into the bloody conflict between the Britsh and the French known as the "Seven Years War" or "French and Indian War". General Braddock, the British commander in Cief, was mortally wounded and his regiment turned to route at the "Battle of the Wilderness". Col George Washington commander of the Virginia Militia lost some of his men in the same engagement. The picture was grim, no regular army, no militia to protect the settlers. Robert Looney's son Peter, was captured by the Indians and held prisoner at Fort Detroit for almost a year, dying three years after his release. Another son, Samuel, was killed by the Indians in 1760, and the homestead of Robert's daughter Lucy Jane, was raided and looted by the Indians. Robert Looney, mindful of his responsibilities to his family and followers, errected a fort (Fort Looney). This was one of the few Forts which withstood capture and provided provisions to the militia until the end of the war in 1763. Absolem, recalled from Abb's Valley with his family to assist his father in building the fort, was to learn that those who remained in his valley settlement had been massacred by the Indians, a fate which would later befall him at Dunkard's Spring, VA between 1791-96.

But the end of the Indian Wars was not to spare the Looney family. During the American Revolution, two of Robert Looney's sons, Absolem and David were to see duty. Absolem in patriotic service under General George Washington and David as a Major in the Notrth Carolina Militia. Three of Absolem's sons, like the offsprings of his brothers, were to serve in the Virginia Militia, with one dying of gunshot wounds in both legs after his role in the American Victory at the Battle of King's Mountain in North Carolina.

Absolem's son Michael, homesteaded after the revolution in eastern Tennessee, where his log cabin stood until 1919 and where the 1,500 acre farm he acquired at a half-shilling an acre is still held by his heirs. Others moved westward into Missouri, and is documented in LeRoy Tilton's "Early Looney's in America". Seven branches of the family founded by Robert Looney's sons have extended into more than fifteen states.

Robert and Elizabeth Looney are presumed buried near the Reed Creek area of Augusta Co. (Botetourt Co.), VA. Another of his sons, Joseph, was a Captian in the Botetort County, Virginia Militia, and is described in a following article. See Joseph Looney.
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More About Robert Looney and Elizabeth Young:
Marriage: 1715344
     
Children of Robert Looney and Elizabeth Young are:
  i.   Moses Looney345, born in Maury Co, TN, USA; died 09 Jan 1855; married Mary Guest in Maury Co, TN, USA; died Unknown.
  Notes for Moses Looney:
In 1783, ABSALOM LOONEY went to survey lands in the Cumberland District, "Wilderness of Tennessee" which was to be set aside for soldiers of the Continental Line and others.The First Court in Sullivan County, Tennessee was established in the home of MOSES LOONEY in 1780. ABSALOM LOONEY was appointed JUSTICE OF THE PEACE for Hawkins County, Tennessee in 1790. As the frontiers moved west and south, the LOONEY families also flourished and expanded to new territories.

During the late 1780's, JOHN AND ELIZABETH LOONEY moved from Virginia into Tennessee where they raised their five children. One of their sons, MOSES, was married to Mary Guest and had six children born in Maury County, Tennessee before moving to Lawrence County, Alabama in 1820. Their seventh child was born in 1823. MOSES and MARY'S sixth son, MOSES LOONEY JUNIOR, married SUSAN DEVAULT IN 1841. MOSES JR and SUSAN had five boys and one girl all born in Alabama. After the last child was born, MOSES, SUSAN and their family began moving West. They were in LOUISIANA when the CIVIL WAR began and their two oldest sons, FRANCES ASBURY and GEORGE MARTIN LOONEY, enlisted and served for the CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA with the LOUISIANA INFANTRY. Both lived through the conflict and returned to their family. FRANCES ASBURY LOONEY later married ELIZABETH CRAVY from LOUISIANA.

MOSES JR, SUSAN and all of their children settled in Bosque County, TEXAS in 1866. Four of Moses Jr and Susan's children were married in Bosque County: GEORGE married LOUISA E FIELDS, ROBERT married ELISA J PHILLIPS, MARY ELIZABETH married JOHN H. R. SPENCER and JOHN married ELIZABETH J SCOTT. SUSAN, their Mother, died 10 June 1870 and is buried at the COVE SPRINGS CEMETERY west of Meridian, Texas. MOSES JR died that same year of 1870 in Waco, Texas.

  More About Moses Looney and Mary Guest:
Marriage: Maury Co, TN, USA

  ii.   Benjamin Michael Looney345, died Unknown.
  iii.   James Looney345, died Unknown.
  iv.   Thomas Looney346, born 1718 in Sheading, Kirk Lonan, Isle of Man, Ireland; died 15 Apr 1746 in Augusta Co, VA, USA; married Jane Harmon; died Unknown.
  More About Thomas Looney:
Cause of Death: In an Indian Raid

  v.   Robert Looney, Jr346, born 1721 in Isle of Man, IRELAND; died 15 Feb 1756 in Reed Creek, East of Kings Mills, TN347; married Margaret Rhea 1742 in Augusta, VA, USA; born 1722 in Augusta Co, VA, USA; died 1803.
  Notes for Robert Looney, Jr:
"EARLY LOONEYS IN AMERICA"
by Leroy W. Tilton
Part 2
Robert Looney Jr. Branch
(Second Generation)
Robert 2 Looney Jr., son of Robert 1 and Elizabeth Looney of Looney's Mill Creek of James River in what is now Botetourt Co., Va., was born about 1721, probably in the Isle of Man. He was on the muster roll of Augusta Co. in 1742. (Stephen Rentfro also was on this roll.) It was this Robert Looney Jr. who on July 30, 1742 received a grant of 213 acres beginning at the South side of Luney's Mill Creek and extending to Beaver Dam Swamp. Robert Looney Jr. was a surety on Eleanor Draper's bond of May 17, 1749, for her administration of George Draper's estate. (Probably the George Draper who went hunting and never returned. His wife was killed by Indians in July 1755 at Draper's Meadow on New or Wood's River) On Nov. 27, 1755, Robert Looney Jr. and John Mills were processioners for Looney's Creek and the waters thereof. In Feb. of 1756 Robert Looney was killed by the enemy at Reed Creek, "nigh Alex Sawyer's" east of Kings Mills, later Kingsport, Tenn. (Wm. Preston's Journal.)
Margaret Looney gave bond as administratrix 17 Mar. 1756. John Looney and Robert Rowland were sureties. (Was Margaret related to Robert Rowland?) This John Looney was a younger brother to Robert Jr. and at about this time he became son-in-law to Stephen Rentfro. The Robert Looney Jr. estate was appraised 15 May 1756 by John Bowen, Hugh Caruthers, Robert Rowland, and Wm. Harbison. Margaret Looney may have been identical with the Margaret Looney who in Bedford Co., Va., in 1759 sued Anthony (Fee Book) when Anthony sued Looney & Co. (Order Book).End Page -1-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robert 2 Looney Jr. is identical with Robert Looney who, according to family records of Judge Ben F. Looney of Greenville and Dallas, Texas, married Margaret Rhea and had sons John 3, Moses 3, Samuel 3, and Benjamin 3 Looney. Also, a daughter Mary who married _________ Grimes. Judge Looney states that his information was taken from the Bible of his grandfather, Absalom 4 Looney, youngest son of Benjamin 3 and Mary Johnson Looney. This seems the only available evidence for the wife and children of Robert 2 Looney Jr.

Since Robert Looney Jr. was killed in Feb. 1756 and had at least five children, it seems that he married Margaret Rhea about 1742 or 1743. The will of Moses 3 Looney names his siblings or their heirs in the order John, Benjamin, Samuel, and Mary. Since Benjamin 3 had at least five children and was slain in the 1783, he must have been married by 1770 and this makes it unlikely that he was the youngest son of Robert 2, killed in 1756. Therefore the order of birth indicated by the will of Moses 3 will be followed in estimating births of the children of Robert 2 and Margaret (Rhea) Looney. This permits an estimate of birth for Benjamin of 1748 and allows for a child that may have died young:


John 3 Looney b. say 1743 See 3rd Generation
Moses 3 Looney b. say 1745 See 3rd Generation
Benjamin 3 Looney b. say 1748 See 3rd Generation
A child perhaps b. say 1751
Samuel Looney b. say 1754 See 3rd Generation
Mary Looney b. say 1756; md.___________ Grimes

End Page -3-
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The Looney Family - Colonial America to Rosebud, Texas
In about 1724, Robert and Elizabeth Looney came to America from the Isle of Man, Great Britain, with their family, settling first in Philadelphia, Pa. and later in colonial Maryland. Soon thereafter they moved west to the new frontier and settled in Augusta County, Virginia on the James River. There on Looney Creek, Robert and Elizabeth raised their family, established the first ferry crossing of the James River, built a mill, grew crops and raised livestock.
Due to the constant conflict between France and England, as well as the threat of
Indian attack, a Fort was ordered built in 1755 around the Looney homesite. This Fort was named "Fort Looney" and was at the junction of Looney Creek and the James River. This fort was part of a series of Forts ordered built along the frontier to protect settlers and to keep the French from claiming the Territory. Fort Looney was visited in 1756 by Col. George Washington, future first president of the United States.

The Looney sons were frontiersmen and pioneers. Some fought and died with the
British against the French and Indians. Some were killed by Indians during frequent frontier raids on settlers while others helped to explore and expand the frontier boundaries first into southwestern Virginia and eventually intoTennessee Indian Territory. The Looney sons and grandsons fought against the British in the War of Independence. John Looney was wounded in the siege of Savannah, Georgia in 1779. He was later granted a total disability pension of $8.00 per month for this service by special Act of Congress in 1837.

In 1783, Absalom Looney went to survey lands in the Cumberland District,
"Wilderness", of Tennessee which were to be set aside for soldiers of the
Continental Line and others. The first court in Sullivan County, Tennessee was established in the home of Moses Looney in 1780. Absalom Looney was appointed Justice of the Peace for Hawkins County, Tennessee in 1790. As the frontiers moved west and south, the Looney families also flourished and expanded to new territories.

During the late 1780s', John and Elizabeth Looney moved from Virginia into
Tennessee where they raised their five children. One of their sons, Moses was married to Mary Guest and had six children born in Maury County, Tennessee before moving to Lawrence County, Alabama in 1820. Their seventh child wasborn 1823. Moses and Mary's sixth son, Moses Looney Junior, married Susan Devault in 1841. Moses Jr. and Susan had five boys and one girl all born in Alabama. After the last child was born, Moses, Susan and their family began moving west. They were in Louisiana when the Civil War began and their two oldest sons, Frances Asbury and George Martin, enlisted and served for the Confederate States of America with the Louisiana Infantry. Both lived through the conflict and returned to their family. Frances later married Elizabeth Cravy from Louisiana.

Moses Jr., Susan and all their children settled in Bosque County, Texas in 1866.
Four of Moses Jr. and Susan's children were married in Bosque County. George
married Louisa E. Fields, Robert married Elisa J. Phillips, Mary Elizabeth married John H. R. Spencer and John married Elizabeth J. Scott. Susan, their mother, died June 10, 1870 and is buried at the Cove Springs Cemetery west of Meridian, Texas. Moses Jr., their father, died that same year in Waco, Texas.

Frances and Elizabeth had their first child, Dennis Asbury, November 28, 1872
at Whitt (now Whitney), Texas. They also had Sim, born 1876, Mary, born 1878,
Minnie, born 1880 and Elizabeth, born 1883. In November, 1888, they moved to the site where Rosebud is now located. In December, 1888, Joe was born and in February, 1890, John was born. They left Rosebud in 1891. John was kicked by
a pet pony and died September, 1903 and Mary died of measles the following
year at Saretoga. Always on the move, this family returned and left the Rosebud area a total of six times.

In 1902, Frances and his son Dennis opened a confectioner store at Gladys and made good for a few months but then made the mistake of moving to Spindle Top and
went broke by giving too much credit. In 1903, Dennis married Emma McBride at
Sour Lake near Spindle Top oil field. In 1904, they moved to Pleasant Grove near Rosebud where Zola May (Guest) was born in 1905, Fountain in 1907 and Annie (Drake) in 1908. The family was blessed with more children including Susie born at Marlin, 1910 (lived only one year), John Dennis (J.D.) born at Seadrift, 1911, Alma (Jones) born at Rosebud, 1914, Gladys (Blume) born at Humble, 1916, Margarette born at Houston, 1917, Theo born near Rosebud, 1920, Opal (Bacher), 1923 and Eula Bea (Johnson), 1925 both in Rosebud.

Frances and Dennis made their living primarily as farmers either working "on the halves" as share croppers and at times farming their own land. Frances lived with Dennis's family until his death in January, 1914. Dennis's children were primarily raised on farms around Rosebud, Pleasant Grove and the Cedar Springs area. Dennis and Emma attended the Rosebud Church of Christ. Dennis died of a heart attack at his home in Rosebud, February, 1956. Emma died at Rosebud, April, 1979 and was buried with Dennis, Frances, John D. along with her family (the McBrides) in the Powers Chapel Cemetery.

The three boys, Fountain, John D. and Theo served with the Army during WWII.
Fountain married Faye Fikes of Rosebud, has two sons, Ray and Roy, ran a salvage business and was a preacher at the Rosebud Methodist Church until his death in 1966. John D. died at Houston soon after the end of the war. Theo married Eulaha Davis of Rosebud, has two sons, Nelson and Dale, worked construction jobs, worked on the pipeline all the way from Texas to Minnesota, was remarried at Austin and has another son, John. Theo lived near Wilderville, Texas when he died August, 1988.

Zola May has three boys, John, Robert, and Donald. She currently lives in Granbury, Texas near her sister Eula. Annie has two sons, Leonard and Allen. She
currently lives in Rosebud. Alma has two sons, Douglas and Richard, and a daughter, Mina. She also lives at Lake Granbury. Gladys has two daughters, Mary Helen and Thelma and a son, Billy. Gladys spent most of her life raising a family "in the sand" near Pleasant Grove. She lived in Rosebud at the time of her death in November, 1987. Margarette lived in Rosebud most of her life and currently lives with her sister Opal in Burleson. Opal has a daughter, Dianne and a son, Dennis. Eula has two sons, Larry and Charles and two daughters, Jeanette and Debra. She owns and operates a "country collectibles shop" on the Granbury Town Square and lives at Lake Granbury near Alma.

There are at least two additional generations of Looney Descendants following
those mentioned above. We have such fond memories of our lives in Rosebud.
Destiny brought the Looneys to the Rosebud area in the beginning, but there seems to be a certain magic which always draws us back. Is it the longing for the good old days, the sand between our toes, the pleasant small town atmosphere, or maybe the good people who care for one another? Whatever it is that makes Rosebud special, no one has ever found a way to take it with them. We always have to come back in order to get a recharge of that "Magic".
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  More About Robert Looney, Jr:
Civil War Soldiers Record: 1742, Muster Roll of Augusta Co, VA

  Notes for Margaret Rhea:
"EARLY LOONEYS IN AMERICA"
by Leroy W. Tilton
Part 2
Robert Looney Jr. Branch
(Second Generation)
Excerpt:
Notes on the Rhea Family. Matthew Rhea of Donegal, Ireland, had 4 sons (and perhaps some daughters) by his first wife and 4 sons and a daughter by his second wife, Elizabeth McClain. Several of these children came to America "early" and settled in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. among these who came early were William of Chester County, Pennsylvania, and Isaac also of Pennsylvania. Their half-brother, the Rev. Joseph Rhea (1715-1777), with wife Elizabeth McIlevaine, came to Philadelphia in 1769 with children John, Mathew IV who later married Jane Preston, William, Joseph, and a daughter. They lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Taneytown, Maryland, but he died before he could move his family to Sullivan County in East Tennessee, where he had bought land on Beaver Creek of the Holston River. Mathew IV (1755-1816) who married Mary Looney b. 1801, daughter of Abrham 3 (David 2) and Elizabeth (Gammon) Looney. The compiler suggests that Margaret Rhea, whose marriage to Robert 2 Looney Jr. must have taken place about 1742 or 1743 (very soon after Robert 1 Looney and family removed from northern Virginia to the James River settlement in Augusta County), must have been a sister or half-sister to Rev. Joseph Rhea.

Ref. "Some East Tennessee Families" by Nelson.
"Notable Southern Families" by Zella Armstrong.
"Dawn of Tennessee Valley and Tennessee History" by S.C. Williams.

End Page -4-

  More About Robert Looney and Margaret Rhea:
Marriage: 1742, Augusta, VA, USA

  vi.   Daniel Looney348, born 1723 in Isle of Man, IRELAND; died 09 Nov 1769; married Margaret Jane Evans; died Unknown.
  vii.   Adam Looney348, born 1725 in Isle of Man, IRELAND; died 04 Jul 1770 in Tryon, Craven Co, SC; married Hannah Wright; died Unknown.
  viii.   Samuel Looney349, born 1727 in Kirk Lonan, Isle of Man, IRELAND; died 1760; married Ann Unknown; died Unknown.
  More About Samuel Looney:
Cause of Death: Killed by Indians
Cause of Death (Facts Pg): Indians

  ix.   Louisa Looney349, born 1728 in Isle of Man, IRELAND; died 1796 in TN, USA; married (1) James Brigham; died Unknown; married (2) John Shelby 1751 in NC, USA; born 1724; died 1794.
  x.   Absalom Abraham Looney349, born 1729 in IRELAND; died 28 Sep 1791 in Dunkard's Spring or Bluefield, Botetourt Co, VA; married Margaret Elenor Moore 1750 in Augusta Co, VA, USA; died Bef. 1791.
  Notes for Absalom Abraham Looney:
In 1783, ABSALOM LOONEY went to survey lands in the Cumberland District, "Wilderness of Tennessee" which was to be set aside for soldiers of the Continental Line and others.The First Court in Sullivan County, Tennessee was established in the home of MOSES LOONEY in 1780. ABSALOM LOONEY was appointed JUSTICE OF THE PEACE for Hawkins County, Tennessee in 1790. As the frontiers moved west and south, the LOONEY families also flourished and expanded to new territories.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One of these sons, ABSALOM, was a true frontier spirit, trapping and hunting in the rugged southwest of the Colony, Virginia's last frontier. There, while living in caves to avoid the Indians, ABSALOM discovered a fertile valley, rich in blue grass pastures, to which he led his family and some followers and founded a new settlement, at least four years before that noted frontier explorer, DANIEL BOONE, arrived in the same area to build a Fort, only six miles from Absolem's homestead. To this day, the quiet valley, some seventeen miles from Bluefield, Virginia, is known as "Abb's Valley" in honor of its discoverer, ABSALOM LOONEY.
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  More About Absalom Abraham Looney:
Occupation: 1780, Justice of the Peace, Hawkins Co, TN

  More About Absalom Looney and Margaret Moore:
Marriage: 1750, Augusta Co, VA, USA

  xi.   Lucy Jane Looney, born 1730; died Unknown; married Stephen Holston 1753; died Unknown.
  More About Stephen Holston and Lucy Looney:
Marriage: 1753

  xii.   John Looney II349, born 1732; died 1817 in TN, USA; married Esther Hettie Renfro Abt. 1759; born 1739; died 1821.
  Notes for John Looney II:
Early Looneys in America
by Leroy W. Tilton
JOHN (2) LOONEY Branch
John (2) Looney, son of Robert (1) and Elizabeth Looney of Looney’s Mill Creek of James River in Augusta (now Botetourt) County, Virginia, was born about 1732 +-2, probably just before the family came to America.

In 1749 his name was on the tax list there (possibly taxed for a hourse only, and thus not necessarily over 16 years old). John (2) was married about 1756 or 1757 to Esther, daughter of Stephen Rnefro Sr. (Will (1802-1804), Estate Book 1, Knox Co., Tenn., 149.) She is said to have been in 1739 or 1740 the first white female born west of the James River in that part of Virginia that later was to become part of Botetourt County. (Nat’l Intelligencer, Wash., D.C., 12 July 1921.)

John (2) Looney was security with Robert Rowland on 17 March 1756 when his sister-in-law, Margaret (Rhea) Looney, administered on the estate of her deceased husband, Robert (2) Looney Jr. On 11 October 1759 by the terms of an agreement recorded in May 1765 between Robert (1) and some of his sons, John (2) was to receive the hourses (except 2) and 1/3 of the cows (except 3). On 6 May 1761 John Luney witnessed a power-of-attorney from Charles Milliken of Orange County, North Carolina, to John Buchanan. (Augusta Deeds A, 277.) On 17 February 1762 he assisted in the appraisement of the estate of Christian Hicks. (Augusta Wills 3, 113.) In 1765 J. Looney on Sinking Spring was mentioned as a processioner (but this could be Joseph (2) Looney).

On 27 September 1767 John (2) Looney purchased of his older brother Adam (2) Looney the 271 acres known as the Meadow Run or Bryan’s Creek tract which Adam had bought from Colonel James Patton in 1752. On 4 March 1768

End page 1

John Looney had 250 acres surveyed on Looney’s Mill Creek along his own patent line; also 196 acres adjoining John Mill’s land. (Rockingham Co. Surveys 1, 137.) The 250 acres were pruchased from his nephew Peter (3) Looney, but the deed was not made or recorded until 12 January 1796. (Botetourt Deeds 5, 347.)

When Joseph (2) Looney proved the will of Robert (1) Looney in Botetourt County on 13 November 1770, John (2) Looney was security with Abraham McClellan. On that day both John (2) and Joseph (2) were on the Gand Jury in Botetourt County, and John was named as “one of the most capable freeholders of this County.” On 14 May 1771 John (2) Looney succeeded John Mills as overseer of roads, and was again on the Grand Jury. On 13 November 1771 John (2) was on a jury. On 9 September 1772 John Looney and Henry Smith made bond for Jonathan Smith. On the following day John and Joseph Looney were on a jury.

On 12 September 1772 Adam, Joseph, and John Looney were on a jury. On 15 September 1773 Wm. Crow, John Looney, and John Mills Jr. were ordered to allot to Margaret McClain, late Margaret Looney, wife of Peter Looney deceased, her dower in the lands of which her husband was possessed. The next day John and Joseph Looney were again on a jury.

John (2) Looney (assignee of John Perston (who was assignee of George Slaughter) had a survey of 147 acres (64 by entry of 13 June 1781 and 83 by entry of 1791) all on a branch of Stone Creek, waters of Craig’s Creek in Sinking Creek Valley, joining his own tract and his tract known as Peter Looney’s place. (Botetourt Survey Book 3, 28; begining entry 1799.) The grant was dated 25 March 1801. (Grants I, 47, 572.) On 14 December 1796, with others, John Looney witnessed a deed to Walter McDonald from Joseph (2) Looney (of Knox Co., pre Tenn.) for 304 acres in 3 surveys on James River. On 12 February 1805 John Looney purchased 183 acres, the

End page 2

Flaggy Spring tract on waters of Craig Creek, from John Tanlor and wife Mary. (Botetourt Deeds 8, 537.)

Then on 8 and 9 June 1807, by a series of 6 deeds, John Looney (joined by his wife Esther in one instance) gave land for love and affection or nominal fees to his children Eleanor, Jane, John, Joseph, David, and Esther. (Botetourt Deeds 9, 306-313.)

At the 1810 census of Botetourt County John (2) Looney appears, over 45, with female over 45, living with Robert Looney, 16 to 26, female 16 to 26, and no children; the name of head of householed being listed “Jno. & Robt. Looney.” On 25 January 1810 John (2) Looney deposed (record in Augusta Co.) concerning George Roepack who settled on Sinking Creek of New River (later Giles Co.) in 1754. On 23 March 1816 John Looney and Esther his wife deeded 315 acres to Robert Looney for 800 pounds. (Botetourt Co. Deeds 12, 98.) On 13 April 1817 a tract of John Looney’s in Botetourt County was divided between his sons David Looney (85 acres) and Joseph Looney (82 acres). (Survey Book 3, 407.) John’s son Robert sold his land and removed from Botetourt at about this time. Did John (2) Looney die about 1817? The name of John (2) Looney is not found in the 1820 census of Botetourt County.

Esther, widow of John Looney, died on 26 February 1821 in her 82d year, on Sinking Creek, Virginia. (Natl. Intellingencer, Washington, D.C., 12 July 1821.) (Search of the 1820 census record of Botetourt County should show a female aged 80 to 90 in the family of some descendant.)

The family records of Benjamin (6) F. Looney (Robert Looney Jr. Branch), onetime Attorney General of the State of Texas, state that John (2) and Hetty (Renfro) Looney had 4 sons, to wit: John, Stephen, Robert, and Peter. (Hetty was a nickname for Hester or Esther.) The Botetourt County deeds as cited above show daughters Jane, Esther, Eleanor, and

End page 3

sons Joseph, John, David. That Robert was a son is proved by his marriage bond in 1809, signed by John Looney Sr. as father. In correspondence with the writer, Coyd A. Looney named Mary and Martha as daughters in this family.

In order to assign estimated birth dates to the children of John (2) Looney, the mother’s age is accepted as given in the printed death notice, it has been assumed that the older sons are listed by Judge Ben F. Looney in order of their ages, some marriage dates are available, several census records give approximate ages, the bounty-land papers give the ages for Joseph and Robert, and a precise birth date for Joseph is given by Coyd A. Looney. With dates as adjusted or the whole family, the children of John (2) and Esther (Renfro) Looney would seem to be:
      John (3) Looney b. ca 1757. See 3rd Gen.
      Stephen (3) Looney b. ca 1758. No trace except Judge Ben F. Looney’s
            report of his existance.
      Robert (3) Looney b. ca 1760. See 3rd Gen.
      Peter (3) Looney b. ca 1761. See 3rd Gen.
      Jane (3) Looney b. ca 1763. See 3rd Gen.
      Mary (3) Looney b. ca 1766. Probably the Mary Looney who m. Henry Cartill 4 July 1786. Bond signed by John Looney as witness and surety.
      (Botetourt Mar. Reg., 30.)
      Martha (3) Looney b. ca 1769. Coyd A. Looney said: “Married a Cuningham.”
      Possibly a child b. 1773. Was this the Rebecca or Elizabeth who m. Robert or James Bloomer and had dau. Mary Bloomer b. ca 1798, m. ca 1815 Wm.
Garrison of Tazewell and removed from Russell Co., Va., to Ozark, Mo., in 1834? A descendant is Mrs. Pearl Blankenship Weddle.
End page 4
Esther (3) Looney b. ca 1777. Esther m. John Walker; bond 14 June 1802 signed by John Looney Sr., father, and by John Looney Jr., brother. George Walker was witness and surety. (Botetourt Mar. Reg., 127.) On 9 June 1807 Esther and John Walker, her husband, received 125 acres by deed from her father John (2) Looney, same being a part of the Peter Looney land. (Botetourt Deeds 9, 313.)

Eleanor (3) Looney b. ca 1780, m. (Botetourt bond) 18 Dec. 1805 George Walker Jr. (Botetourt Mar. Reg., 153.) She d. ante 8 June 1807 when her parents, John (2) and Esther Looney, deeded the Flaggy Spring tract of 183 acres on Sinking Creek to son-in-law George Walker and the late ----- Looney, his wife. (Botetourt Deeds 9, 306.)

      Joseph (3) Looney b. 4 Jan. 1783. See 3rd Gen.
      John (3) Looney b. ca 1784. See 3rd Gen.
      David (3) Looney b. ca 1786. See 3rd Gen.
      Robert (3) Looney b. ca 1787. See 3rd Gen.
End page 5

  More About John Looney and Esther Renfro:
Marriage: Abt. 1759

  1532 xiii.   Peter Grancer Looney, Sr, born 1734 in Philadelphia, PA; died 13 Mar 1760 in Augusta or Bolecourt Co, VA; married Margaret Lauderdale 11 Oct 1759 in Augusta Co, VA.
  xiv.   David Looney349, born 1735 in Augusta Co, VA; died 01 May 1810 in Blountsville, Sullivan Co, TN; married Mary Ann McClellan Abt. 1755; died Unknown.
  More About David Looney and Mary McClellan:
Marriage: Abt. 1755

  xv.   Joseph B Looney I349, born 1740 in Looney's Mill Creek, Botetourt, VA, USA; died 05 Nov 1816 in Kingston, Roane Co, VA; married Elizabeth Jean Bowen 25 Jun 1764 in Augusta Co, VA, USA; died Unknown.
  Notes for Joseph B Looney I:
Looney Family of Augusta County, Virginia
JOSEPH LOONEY BRANCH
(Compiled by Leroy W. Tilton, 1949)
Joseph (2) Looney, youngest son of Robert (1) and Elizabeth Looney, was born about 1740, perhaps just about the time that his parents removed from the home on the South bank of the Potomac, near Hagerstown, Md., to the Looney's Mill Creek section on James River in what had become Augusta County in 1738 and was to become Botetourt County in 1770.
Robert (1) Luna gave to Jeremiah Jack a deed to the Potomac River property and the recording was ordered by the Orange County Court on 22 March 1739. Apparently however, the deed was lost for in 1766 a new deed was recorded in Frederick County (which had been taken from Orange). The first record of land surveyed to the family in the new location was dated April, 1740, to Robert Looney, Jr. and land later granted to Robert (1) Looney was surveyed in June 1740 (Baylor's Book of Surveys at Frederick County Court House). These grants were dated 1742.

Joseph (2) Looney had license to marry in Botetourt County 25 June 1764. (Believe this Augusta County as Botetourt founded in 1770. E. Looney 1967) His wife was Jane Bowen, dau. of John and Lilly Bowen. On 20 Nov. 1764 Robert (1) Looney deeded to son Joseph (2) Looney for L20 160 acres at Sinking Spring on west side of James River. Joseph (2) Looney was a witness on 28 Feb. 1767 when John Smith sold slaves to Jonathan Smith; and again a witness on 27 July 1768 to John Bowen's will. On 14 July 1769 Joseph (2) Looney patented 60 A. in Augusta County on South side of James adjoining his former survey. In this same year, he

(End Page 1)

Joseph Looney - Page 2

obtained from the County Clerk a copy of the agreement of 11 Oct. 1759 between his father Robert (1) and Robert's sons. Joseph was named executor with his mother Elizabeth in his father's will dated 14 Sept. 1769. Joseph was also named the residual legatee after the death of his mother. He proved the will in Botetourt County on 13 Nov. 1770. Joseph (2) viewed a road on 10 April 1770 and was on a Grand Jury in Botetourt County 13 Nov. 1770, and was on a Grand Jury in Botetourt County 13 Nov. 1770 as one of the most capable freeholders of this County."

Joseph Looney and Jane Looney his wife deeded 160 acres at Sinking Spring to Conrad Wall on 13 Aug. 1771. Joseph was on the Grand Jury again 12 Nov. 1771. In April 1772, as assignee of Jno. Smith he sued Robert Looney and Jas. Lidderdale (Lauderdale correct) for debt. On 20 June 1772 Joseph patented 85 A. on Stone Run of Craig's Creek in Botetourt County. Joseph, Adam and John Looney served on a Jury 12 Sept. 1772. On 8 Dec. 1772 Joseph (2) Looney was appointed guardian to Peter (3) Looney son of Peter (2) Looney deceased in room of James McCain and Jonathan Smith.

On 11 Feb. 1773 Jos. Lonny and Jean his wife deeded to Jas. Gilmer the 60 A on South side of James River patented on 14 July 1769. Joseph (2) Looney was on Jury on 16 Sept. 1773 with John (2) Loney, his brother. The will of Lilly Bowen, 4 April 1780, Washington County, Va. names child Jean Looney.

(End Page 2)

Page 3 - Joseph Looney

In 1781 Capt. Joseph Looney, Lt. Tosh (Toch?) and Ensign Wm. McClenachan marched a company to Yorktown and Fiatt Wyson, one of the men, states that he was present at the surrender. Capt. Joseph Looney is listed as present at Guilford C. H. On 9 Narch 1784 Joseph Looney and others were sureties for Pat Lockhart, Sheriff. On 14 Sept. 1784 Joseph Looney was appointed to take lists of all white persons in each family within the bounds of his company of militia, etc., on or before 1 March 1785.

On Nov. 1784 Andrew Lewis of Botetourt County agreed to give an acre lot in the town of Point Pleasant, then being settled, to each of 18 men including Joseph Looney if they continued to defend the place. On 12 Sept. 1786 he was again named to take lists of tithables in his company of militia. Joseph Looney was Commissioner of the Peace in 1779, 1782, and 1786 and 1788. On the Virginia tax rolls of 1782-1787 Joseph Luney appears in Botetourt County with 1 poll and 5 slaves.

Joseph (2) Looney seems to have left Botetourt County, VA. about 1790/2 and settled in Knox County, Tenn. In 1792 he was Justice of the Peace in Knox County. Jos. Looney of Knox Co. of Territory South of the Ohio River, on 14 Dec. 1798 sold to Walter McDonald of Botetourt Co., 304 A on Craig's Creek of James River (three surveys). Witnesses were John (2) Looney, Sr., Peter Looney, Benj. (3)(of Absalom (2) Looney), Wm. Caldwell, Hugh Caldwell, Henry Walker. Joseph (2) Looney, Sr. was in Knox County in Apr. 1802 when he sued Wm. Murphy in court of pleas and quarter sessions. Joseph Looney, Jr., was mentioned.

(End Page 3)

Page 4 - Joseph Looney

The will of Joseph (2) Looney was dated 5 Nov. 1816 and proved in Jan. 1818 in Roane County, Tenn. The will mentions dau. Elizabeth Mansfield; dau. Jane Bogard and her eldest child, Betty Bogard; and son Joseph (3) Looney named executor. The will also mentions land purchased from George and Moses Preston, heirs of George Preston.

Joseph (2) Looney and his wife, Jean (Bowen) Looney were the parents of:

JEAN (3) LOONEY (Sometimes shown as JANE, E. Looney's note):
b. say 1766; m. in Botetourt Co., Va., 1786 or 1787 to George Preston; Joseph Luney's name mentioned. George Preston resided in Capt. Richard Oliver's Company in 1802. Jane and George Preston had sons George and Moses Preston.

When Kingston was established in 1799, George Preston was among those appointed commissioners. Roane County was established by Act of 1 Nov. 1801. Jane Preston administered on the estate of George Preston in Roane County in June 1808. She m. 2nd on Jan. 4, 1812, Wm. Bogart. (Believe this was meant for Abraham Bogart. E. Looney's note 3/2/67). Their daughter Betty Bogard was born ante 1816. Also at least one other child.

JOSEPH (3) LOONEY
Born say 1770, was mentioned in Knox County as on Jury in Oct. 1795; also again on 26 April, 1796. He was again mentioned there when his father sued Wrn. Murphy in 1802. At that time he was living in Roane Co. in Capt. Richard Oliver's Company. Joseph was mentioned (named, rather) as executor of his father's will, dated 5 Nov. 1816. At the 1830 Census of Roane County he is listed as b. 1765 / 5 with wife b. 1775 /5, 3 boys 15 to 20, 2 boys 10 to 15; 2 females 20 to 30, and 1 girl under 5. In 1838 there is a deed from Joseph Looney to Cravens. Then in 1848 in same Roane Co., LeRoy Looney, administrator of the estate of Joseph Looney, deeds land to Cravens. Leroy Looney was in Bledsoe Co., West of Rhea at the 1830 Census; b. 1805 / 5, wife in same age group with 2 boys and 1 girl all under 10 years of age.

(End Page 4)

Page 5 - Joseph Looney

ELIZABETH (3) LOONEY
b.say 1773, m. in Knox Co., Tenn. 30 Oct. 1795, Nicholas Mansfield, who resided in Capt. Richard Oliver's Company in Roane Co., Tenn. in 1802. Both were living on 5 Nov. 1816.

PETER (3) LOONEY
Possible son of Joseph (2) Looney. Perhaps b. about 1768. Could be the Peter Looney who witnessed the deed by Joseph (2) Looney in 1796; also he who m. Mary Thorp in Jefferson County, Tenn. 10 May 1794. There was a Peter Looney in Knox Co. in 1799, 1804, and 1806. He may have died before 5 Nov. 1816 when Joseph (2) Looney made his will.

(End Page 5)

End of Leroy W. Tilton Study
Prentiss Price says Peter was not son of Joseph (2) Looney; however, no proof has been offered either way. Elizabeth Looney has found a Peter Looney in Missouri who could possibly be the Peter Looney mentioned above; however, no mention of his parentage is known. She is still trying to ascertain more information. Informant say the Peter in Buffalo, Missouri was married four times!
(E. Looney's note of 3/2/67)

============================
http://members.aol.com/jsully7/biograph.htm
THE LOONEY REVIEW
Will was date 14-sep-1769 and proved 13-nov-1770. Left estate to wife Elizabeth. At her death to youngest son Joseph Luna.

  More About Joseph Looney and Elizabeth Bowen:
Marriage: 25 Jun 1764, Augusta Co, VA, USA



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