"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).

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On April 7, 1763, Stephen Rentfro and Margaret Looney witnessed a deed from David and Mary Looney to Amos Potts and John Potts, Jr. (David Looney was a younger brother of Robert Looney Jr.) Margaret Rentfro, late Looney, was mentioned as administratrix of her deceased husband on June 22, 1763, when Robert Rowland asked countersecurity. In Feb. 1763 (probably 1764) there was reference to a judgment obtained on Jan 18, 1763 (probably 1764) by Margaret Rentfro, late Margaret Looney, vs. John Crank (Stephen Rentfro mentioned). On Nov. 10, 1773 (Botetourt County, Va.), John Looney and wife Elizabeth, Stephen Rentfro and Margaret Rentfro (mother of John Looney) deeded to John Paxton 213 acres on Looney's Mill Creek, branch of the James River. This land was patented to Robert Looney Jr. in 1742 and this deed shows that John Looney was the eldest son and heir of Robert Looney Jr. and Margaret Looney because it recites title by "inheritance in fee simple". Moreover, a separate deed to Margaret Rentfro for a slave shows definitely by its tenor that she signed because of dower rights.

This group soon migrated southward (apparently) together with Moses 3 Looney, David 2 Looney, some of the children of Absalom 2 Looney, and others, and it is this John 3 Looney, who with brother Samuel 3 Looney, Stephen Rentfro Sr., Stephen Rentfro Jr., John Rentfro, etc., signed on Nov. 6, 1777 a petition by the inhabitants of t he lower part of Washington County, Va., protesting the erection of a court house.

Stephen Rentfro entered 200 acres at the mouth of the Boxer, 31 Jan. 1780, and he moved there in 1782 when it was surveyed. This was probably on Holston River in what is now Sullivan County, Tenn. where (Deed Book 6, p. 416) there is mention, Feb. 1780, of a Looney line joining "old Renfrow" and Jas. McKain. The will of Stephen Rentfro, dated 19 Dec. 1802, and proved in July 1804, is recorded in Knox County, Tenn. (Estate Book I, p.149.)

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It mentions lawful heirs of son John and son Stephen, both deceased, who are to receive an equal share with Elizabeth Looney and Easter Looney, and with Moses Looney, "son of my wife." The last is named executor.

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

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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.

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Third Generation Robert 2 Branch

John 3 Looney must, as the eldest of 5 children, have been born about 1743, which is 13 years before his father's death. As John Looney Jr. he received one shilling according to the will of his grandfather, Robert 1 Looney dated 1769 and this may indicate that at that time he was the next in line as legal heir by primogeniture. (This was of course after the death, about 1746, of Thomas 2 Looney, without issue, and the death of Robert 2 in 1756.) It was he who as John Looney Jr. assisted with the inventory of Robert 1 in 1771. When John May & Co. sued the heirs of Robert Looney in Botetourt County, Va. court 12 Feb. 1773, John 3 Looney was the first of four defendants.

John 3 Looney married Elizabeth, daughter of Stephen Rentfro, certainly well before 10 Nov. 1773 when in Botetourt County, Va., with Elizabeth and with Stephen and Margaret Rentfro, he deeded to John Paxton the 213 acres which he inherited. Their marriage is estimated as in 1770.

John 3 Looney lived in the lower part of Washington county, Va. in 1777 and signed the protest of 6 Nov. It is not unlikely that this is the "Capt. Looney" mentioned in the letters of Maj. Arthur Campbell to Col. William Preston dated at Royal Oak, Aug. 10, 19, Oct. 6 etc. 1774. Capt. Looney was in command at Blackmore's Fort, lowest on the Clinch River, at the mouth of Stony Creek, back of Moccasin Gap in Fincastle County, (later Scott County, Va.) in the latter part of September. Moccasin Gap was about 10 miles north of his neighbors, the Roberts family, were killed by Indians on 24 September and Capt. Looney went home leaving Sergeant Moore and 16 men of "Fincastle Regiment" at Blackmore's. On 9 October the Indians attacked suddenly and killed Dale Carter. (Dunmore's War p. 219.)

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