Early Looney in America, by Leroy W. Tilton

Robert Looney JR. Branch
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of a court house. At a court of November 19, 1778 for Washington County, Va., it was ordered that Benjamin Loony and John Loony and others appraise the estate of Archibald McNeil. On February 29, 1780, Wm. Tatum entered 40 acres in Sullivan County, North Carolina, on the branch above Benjamin Looney's and Joseph Kinkaid, including said Looney's sugar camp and the mill seat above Hollis' Cabbin; transferred to John Johnson. (Whitley's Tennessee General Records 4, 31.)

On 28 October 1782 Benjamin Looney had a grant of 200 acres on Sinking Creek in what after 1786 became Hawkins County, Tennessee. (Hawkins Deeds 1, 160.) on 10 October 1783 there was a North Carolina Grant No. 180 of 260 acres on Possum Creek, head of Big Creek, to Benjamin Looney. (Hawkins Deed 1, 118) This was then in Sullivan County, later Hawkins, and in Stanley Valley near a 160 acre tract granted to John 3 Looney 23 October 1782 (Hawkins Deeds 1, 158) and perhaps near a 600 acre tract entered 1784 by David 2 Looney. Benjamin Looney took u 500 acres on 2 December 1782 on Indian Creek, Fayette County, Kentucky. (Perhaps the Indian Creek that flows north into Cumberland River in modern Clinton County about 150 miles west of Moccasin Gap.)

According to an account by William 6 Gaines Looney (Absalom 2 Branch), Michael 3 Looney (ca32), his brother Jonathan 3 Looney (ca22), and Benjamin 3 (about 35) went buffalo hunting northwest of Black Mountain in Harlan County, Kentucky. On their return, when near Cumberland Gap, they noticed some "whet rocks" where they had been exposed by the uprooting of a tree during a storm. It was late in the day and they did not stop, because they suspected the presence of Indians from the behavior of their horses, but pushed on some distance before camping. Next morning while backtracking for the whet rocks they were attacked. Ben was wounded and Jonathan captured. Sometime later

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while Ben was resting, perhaps mortally wounded, an Indian killed him, and Michael escaped with nothing but his flint-lock rifle and on charge which he needed to get food during the three day and night return trip on foot. (Jonathan escaped much later, after he was gradually permitted increased liberty of movement.) Query: Did they go as far as the 500 acre tract on Indian Creek that Benjamin had entered on 2 December 1782?

Judge Ben F. Looney of Greenville and Dallas, Texas, says Benjamin 3 Looney married Mary Johnson (b. 1745 + 5, 1830 census), and was slain by Cherokees at Cumberland Gap in East Tennessee, leaving 5 sons, Benjamin John, Isham, Robert, and Absolom.

On page 12 of the Superior Court Enrollment Docket for Washington District of Tennessee, dated 1788-1804 there is a record of a law suit by William Gardner against the widow of Benjamin Looney who in 1779 lived in Sullivan County, North Carolina, on Sinking Creek and died in 1783, intestate, leaving under age Isham, Robert, and Absalom. (Presumably all children of Benjamin 3 were under age in 1783 when he was killed but in 1793 when the guardian answered there were only 3 minors.) Mary's answer is dated 27 March 1797; an answer by Walter Johnson, guardian for orphans, is dated 16 December 1793. It is stated that Ben had only 12 acres cleared in 1779. Since Mary and Ben had at least 5, probably 6, children they were probably married as early as 1768 when Benjamin was about 20 years old. It can be estimated that Benjamin 3 was born about 1748. The census of 1830 shows that Mary Johnson Looney was born 1745 + 5, and living alone except for one male and one female slave.

Mary Looney, widow of Ben, made a will dated 20 March 1830 in which she emancipated slaves and mentions: grandchildren; children of son Benjamin deceased; son John $5.00; son Isam $10.00; grandchildren, children of son Robert Deceased $1.00 equally between them; Alzina Mullins and Metildy Looney,

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children of son Absalom who was named executor. The witnesses were James Johnson and J. L. Johnson. (Hawkins Wills 1, 320.)

With reference to Johnsons, there is a Fincastle County, Va. deed February 10, 1774, John Johnson, 230 acres on Sinking Creek of Holston River. Walter Johnson of Sullivan County had grant of 260 acres in Stanley Valley 23 June, 1788, adjoining Benjamin Looney and Andrew Forgery, which he soon sold to John Rhea. This must relate to Benjamin 3 deceased. (Hawkins Grants, 16; Deeds 1, 8.)

On 10 August 1802, Isam Looney deeded to Jesse Looney 72 acres in Stanley Valley on Big Creek, part of tract widow Looney lived on. (Prentiss Price, genealogist , of Blountville, Tennessee, considers Jesse was a son of Ben and Mary Looney. He may have been first born and like Benjamin and John considered an adult when suit was instituted by William Gardner and dead before Mary made he will ca 1830.) On 9 September 1809 Isam Looney deeded to Absalom Looney 188 acres in Stanley Valley, both sides of Big Creek, land whereon Mary Looney and said Absalom then lived, reserving to Mary her right of dower.

Thus Benjamin 3 and Mary (Johnson) Looney probably had:
        Jesse 4 Looney b. 1769  See 4th Generation
        Benjamin 4 Looney b. 1771.      See 4th Generation
        John 4 Looney b. 10 Sept. 1772  See 4th Generation
        Isam 4 Looney b. 26 Oct. 1775
        Robert 4 Looney b. say 1778
        Absalom 4 Looney b. say 1782

Samuel 3 Looney

Samuel 3 Looney was born say about 1754, which was two years before his father's death; probably born on Looney's Mill Creek in Augusta County, Va. It is probable that he was named for his uncle Samuel Looney who "worked on

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the road" in 1752 and is not again found of record. Samuel 3 Looney married Ann ___________, perhaps about 1776 and settled on the Holston River one mile below the mouth of Beaver Creek. (Godspeed's East Tennessee, p. 913.) On 6 November 1777 he was supposed to be living in the lower part of Washington County, Va. (Formed from Fincastle County the same year) With brother John 3 and Benjamin 3, Stepfather Stephen Rentfro Sr., Stephen Rentfro Jr., and John Rentfro, etc., he signed a petition protesting the erection of a court house. In May 1778 Samuel Looney's name was included on a list of drovers who served 30 days at 4 shillings per day under his brother Capt. John 3 Looney, bullock master, collecting stray cattle, beginning in August 1776.

On May 19, 1778, with his brother Moses 3 Looney and others he was appointed to appraise the estate of John Keer in Washington County, Va.; David 2 Looney and Abraham McClelan were securities for the administratrix, Jean (McClelan) Keer. Samuel Looney died or was killed soon thereafter and on May 18, 1779, Ann Looney was granted administration by Washington County, Va. on the estate of Samuel Looney, deceased. Within a year thereafter his widow married Elijah Cross, perhaps son of Britttain Cross, possibly of the part of Fincastle County that had become Montgomery County. Mr. H. H. Smith of Blountville, Sullivan County, Tennessee, a descendant of Elijah and Ann Looney Cross, says Samuel Looney was killed while fighting Indians. On May 21, 1780, on motion of Moses Looney in behalf of Ann Cross admx. of Samuel Looney deceased, Washington Court requested Sullivan Court to choose Guardians and settle with the said Admx.

On October 6, 1779, a tract of 394 acres joining "old Renfrow" and including an island in the Holston River, was entered in Washington County for Moses and Samuel Looney, orphans of Samuel Looney, deceased. This was

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surveyed October 26, 1785; the grant from North Carolina is dated July 10, 1788, and recorded July 8, 1814, in Sullivan County, Tennessee. This is the 400 acres entered 1 February 1780 by Anne Looney for Moses and Samuel Looney, orphans of Samuel Looney. It was surveyed 26 October 1785, adjoining Jas. McKain and Stephen Rentfro Sr. (Entry No. 1846, Nashville, Tenn.)

Samuel 3 and Ann Looney were married for about 3 years before he was killed and they had at least two sons:
Moses 4 Looney b. ca 1777. See 4th Generation.
Samuel 4 Looney b. ca 1778. See 4th Generation.

Ann, widow of Samuel 3 Looney, married (2) Elijah Cross and had Elijah, Jane, Zachariah, Abraham, David Looney, Rachel, and Amanda Cross. Elijah and Ann lived, died, and were buried on a farm about five miles from Blountville, Sullivan County, Tennessee, on the South Fork of the Holston River.

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