Early Looney in America, by Leroy W. Tilton

Robert Looney Jr. Branch
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Clinton(6) Looney (John(5), John(4),. Benjamin(3) ). This is probably the man listed in the 1850 census of Cass Township, Greene County, Mo., as Clinton Looney, born ca.1824 in Tenn., with wife Rebecca b. Tenn. ca.1826.

                The children at that time were:
                Margarette Looney   b. 1847 MO.
                John W. Looney   b. 1849 MO.
                Ben C. Looney   b. 1849 MO.

With the family lived Elizabeth Harp, age 66,   b. Tenn.

It is said that this Clinton Looney started to California during the gold rush and that his family was killed by Indians. He spent 40 years in an asylum in Idaho.

Jesse Looney(6) (John(5), John(4), Benjamin(3)) was born 25 or 26 Nov. 1823 or 1825, in middle Tennessee, died 18 or 19 Mar. 1917 at Swearingen, Texas. He married (1) 15 or 20 Feb. 1844, by Thome J. Kelley, Minister, his second cousin Mary Ann Looney, b. 26 Jan. 1824, daughter of Allen Looney (Isam, Benjamin(3)). He went to Dennison, Texas, in 1850. Jesse married (2) after Mary Ann's death in 1879., E. C. Henry of Dennison, Texas. Children of Jesse and Mary Ann (Looney) Looney were:

        Barton A. Looney   b. ca 1845
        William C. Looney   b. ca 1847
        Benjamin Looney
        Isaac E. Looney   b. in 1849
        John Looney
        Jess Looney
        0. E. Looney., M.D. of Paducah, Texas
        _______ daughter
        _______ daughter

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Susan 6 Looney (Jesse 5, John 4, Benjamin 3) was the oldest child of Jess and his wife Ruby Boad to whom he was married 61 Mar. 1827 in Jackson County, Ala. Presumably she was born there before her parents went to Illinois and Wisconsin preceding their settlement in Missouri. It is reported that Susan rode a white mule and carried a baby sister much of the way on the crossing to Oregon. She married Frederick Steiner in Oregon and they were the parents of at least four children, who were living at the time of his death in 1903. Among these was John F. Steiner, father of U.S Senator Frederick Steiner, b. 13 Oct. 1883, d. 3 Feb. 1939.

David 6 Henry Looney (Jesse 5, John 4, Benjamin 3) was born and lived in Oregon on the 320-acre donation claim on which his father filed when he settled in Chehulpun Valley, soon to become Looney Valley. He became a prominent stockman. David H. Looney married (1) Date Thompson and (2) 12 Oct. 1898 Lona George. He served two years in the Oregon Legislature. Mr. Looney and his wife Lone (George) Looney were the parents of at least one child:

        George Looney, who has a son:  David Looney.

Absalom 6 Looney (Isaac 5, John 4, Benjamin 3) was born 17 Oct. 1822, probably in Jackson County, northern Alabama, and as a small boy went with his parents to Monroe County and/or Ralls County, Mo. And thence to Greene County, when in his early teens. He was the eldest son and in his twenty-first year, when his father, Isaac, died. He married (1) 3 Apr. 1845 (Polk Co., Mo. Mar. Recs.) Isabella Maxeline Pyle, b. ca 1829 in Ky. On 14 Sept. 1850 Absalom and

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Isabella conveyed to (his brother) William Loney, both of Polk County, for $75 their undivided share and interest in the NE Ľ of Sec. 13 and the SE Ľ of Sec. 12 in Twp. 31, R 24, in the counties of Greene and Polk. (Polk Deeds D, p. 514.) Absalom Looney acted at one time as administrator of his father’s will (for which no executor had been named). It was certainly after Sally’s marriage in 1849 when William Marrion Looney became of age. Absalom and Isabella and six children were enumerated at the 1860 census of Polk County. His wife Isabella died 20 Jan. 1864 and Absalom 6 married (2) in Polk County 17 Aug. 1864 Martha Jane Dunnegan with whom (as Martha E. Looney) he joined four other heirs on 5 Mar. 1868 in conveying to William Marion Looney his interest in the Isaac Looney lands in Greene and Polk Counties. (He had already done so for some of that land in 1850 with his first wife, but at that time William M. Looney was slightly under 21.) On 30 Aug. 1869 in Johnson County, Mo., they made a "second acknowledgment" of their signatures to the 1868 deed. Absalom 6 Looney died in Texas 22 June 1906.

Absalom 6 Looney was the father of at least 12 children, according to a descendant, Mrs. Curtis Browning of Visalia, California.

    By first wife, Isabella, 8 children:
        William M. Looney   b. 16 Feb. 1846
        Isaac Looney   b. 13 Sept. 1847
        James C. Looney   b. 30 Nov. 1849
        Nathaniel Gore Looney   b. 8 Jan. 1852 Polk Co., m. Addie Belle
                                                Ruyle and had:
                                                        Bess Looney, m. Curtis Browning
        Sarah Almira Looney   b. 8 June 1854

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        Mary C. Looney   b. 5 Nov. 1856
        (Caroline or) Columbia Bell Looney   b. 11 Feb. 1859
        Jefferson D. Looney   b. 24 July 1861
    By second wife, Martha, four children:
        Laura Alice Looney   b. 18 Aug. 1865
        Francis Ann Looney   b. 17 May 1869
        Martha Jane Looney   b. 23 Mar. 1870
        Caroline Looney   b. 7 July 1872

Benjamin 6 D. Looney (Isaac 5, John 4, Benjamin 3) was born in Monroe County, Mo., 18 June 1827, d. 12 Jan. 1914; married (1) 17 June 1844 (Bible) Martha D. Kelley b. 11 June 1827, d. ca 1869. (Polk Co. Mar. Book A, p. 7: "Benjamin D. Looney to Martha D. Kelley.") Benjamin married (2) 28 Nov. 1869 Mrs. Sarah C. (Reed) Talkington (b. 17 July 1839, d. 21 Mar. 1902), widow of Stephen J. Talkington.

The following list of children was furnished by Mrs. Julius Vandergeide and has been checked and supplemented by the 1860 census of Polk County and the 1870 census of Greene. Children of Benjamin D. Looney:

    By first wife, Martha, eleven children:
        Thomas J. K(elley) Looney  b. 19 Feb. 1847; with parents, Polk Co., 1860
        Mary J. Looney  b. 30 Jan. 1852.  Not listed with parents in 1860.
        Rebecca An Looney  b. 6 Oct. 1853.  Listed with parents 1860, 1870.
        Louisa Looney  b..20 Dec. 1855, d. 4 Dec. 1903; m. 1 May 1880
                             James Mitchell. (Not listed with parents in 1860.)

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        Dorcas Looney  b. 11 Dec. 1857.  With parents 1860, 1870;
                   m.  13 Apr. 1879 Benjamin T. Perryman.
        James C. Looney  b. 9 Feb. 1860.  Listed in 1860.
        Leonidas Looney  b. ca 1861.  Listed in 1870.
        John M. Looney  b. 26 May 1861.  Listed in 1870 as b. ca 1861.
                   Married 26 May 1904, Nora Robinson.  They had:
                        Amy Looney, teacher, Springfield, Mo.
                        ____ Looney, teacher, Springfield, Mo.
        Benjamin F. Looney  b. 17 July 1863.  Not listed in 1870.
        Gemina Alice Looney  b. 14 June 1865, m. John Weir. Listed in 1870.
        Ida Belle Looney  b. 30 Aug. 1818, d. 25 Jan. 1931; m. (1) 9 Jan.
                          1890 John Fite; m.(2) _____ Kinnon.
    By second wife, Sarah C., seven children:
        Mary Ella Looney  b. 18 Sept. 1870, d. 29 Mar. 1930; m. (1) 14 (or
             5)  Jan. 1893 John W. Harris; m. (2) 23 Aug. 1896 John F. Johnson.
        Ammey (Amma) Malissa Looney  b. 31 Aug. 1872, d. 13 Nov. 1872.
        Annie Chella Looney  b. 31 Aug. 1872, d. 24 Apr. 1924; m. 6 Jan.
                1895 James W. Brower, b. 4 Feb. 1866, d. 10
                Apr. 1953. They had five children, including
                Mrs. Ralph (Grace) Cox, Springfield, Mo.
                (who has Bible records).

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