Robert Looney Jr. Branch
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In the History of Scott County the name of the Capt. Looney of Blackmore's Fort is given as James, but no other reference to a Capt. James Loony has been found by the compiler. It is certain that John Looney lived in the vicinity of Blackmore's Fort in 1779 when on Monday 25 October General Daniel Smith, boundary line commissioner, "lay at John Looney's", near Looney's Gap of the Clinch Mountains.

On 19 Nov. 1778 John Looney, Benjamin Looney, et al. were ordered by the Court of Washington County, Va., to appraise the estate of Archibald McNeil.

John 3 Looney worked 120 days (at 6 shillings per day) as Bullock Master, collecting lost cattle, etc., during August to December 1776, probably in southern Washington County, Va., and in parts of North Carolina (including pre-Tennessee) after the men under Col. Wm. Christian returned from the Cherokee expedition.

Capt. John Looney's company in the regiment under Arthur Campbell included one Wm. Sympson, later of Green County, Ky., who states in pension papers (S15669) that he enlisted in Sullivan County, N.C. in October 1781 and served a 3 months tour against the Cherokee Indians. They joined Col. Savier at the southwest side of the French Broad River and then crossed the Tennessee River to the Cherokee Towns. On August 5, 1782, Col. Arthur Campbell wrote from Washington County to Col. Davies concerning information just received by Capt. John Looney, "who was captivated last March", about the peaceable disposition of part of the Cherokees on the southern branches of the Tennessee River and stated that the arrival of Capt. Looney had inspired everyone with confidence.

John Looney had a grant from North Carolina of 160 acres on Possum Creek on October 23, 1782. This land was then in Sullivan County but after 1786 in Hawkins County (perhaps in Stanley Valley and near a 600 acre tract entered in 1784 by David 2 Looney).

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On 25 January 1784 Col. Joseph Martin wrote from Sullivan to Governor Martin that Springston had returned from certain Indian Towns with a letter from Arthur Coody dated January 11, 1784 at Chickammoggy about condition in the Towns. Coody says, "There has not been one horse brought into these Towns since the time you say there has been so many taken from the Kentucky road, except them that I left at Capt. Looney's when up last."

Capt. John Looney and perhaps others of the name seem to have had high standing among the Indians as well as the settlers.

In State Papers of North Carolina, Vol. XVII, 11,12,13, one may read about Corporal John Looney, Cherokee Indian (born in 1776, nephew of chief Enolee) who volunteered in the service of the United States under Andrew Jackson against the Creek Indians in December 1813, was wounded at Talladega and pensioned in 1842. In 1856 his widow, Betsey Looney, born ca 1796, declared that she was in 1815 in the Cherokee Nation married to said Looney, that he died 15 May 1846, in Washington, D.C., being there as a delegate, and she applied for bounty land. The History Oklahoma by T. B. Thoburn, p. 133, says the Act of Union was signed on behalf of the Old Settlers by John Looney, Actin Principal Chief, et al.

Another item of interest is the name Ah-tah- Looney, Turkey Town, Ala., listed with a family of 10 "full blooded" Cherokees on p. 16 of the Henderson Roll, the earliest census of Eastern Cherokees, taken in 1835.

North Carolina Warrant No. 1495 was issued 26, Mar. 1785, to William Fowler for 100 acres on north side of Holston River about one-half mile below the mouth of Garman Creek. Possession of the warrant was transferred to John Looney, Sr. by Thos. King, C.S. This land was surveyed by Thos. King, C.S. for John Looney, Jr. on 30 Oct. 1794. The land was in Puncheon Dame Valley of Hawkins County (Grant Book 3, 432; C, 170; 7, 650; at Nashville).

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About 1789 or 1790 John Looney purchased from Mark Chambers 40 acres on the north side of Holston River in Hawkins County near Caldwell's Corner. (Hawkins Deeds 1, 30.) On 16 Nov. 1790 he had a grant on Sinking Creek adjoining Thos. Caldwell. On June 1, 1792, John Looney obtained a grant of 200 acres on the north side of Holston River on both sides of Sinking Creek and joining Thos. Caldwell, Hawkins County. (Hawkins Grants, 341.) Almost immediately thereafter, however, on July 3, 1792, John Looney of Hawkins County sold the 160 acres on Possum Creek to Jno. Wadde and the next day, July 4, sold the 200 acre tract on Sinking Creek to Jno Locksmith. (Hawkins Deeds 2, 20, 32.)

In "Early Travels in the Tennessee Country", p.341, it is stated that Andrew Michaux, French Botanist, took lodgings on 10, Mar. 1796, in the house of Captain Loune near the Cumberland River. A footnote says the river was really Holston River and the place was Knoxville. If the footnote is relevant it does not credit to Michaux. It is possible, however, that the Cumberland was meant and the host could have been Capt. John 3 Looney who probably crossed the Cumberland Mountains at about this time or earlier in progress toward Middle Tennessee. Certain it is that he purchased 240 acres on 1 Jan. 1797, on the north side of the Cumberland River in Sumner County from Henry Tourney (update). (Sumner Deeds A, 90.) Sumner at that time included a very large area with eastern boundary at the Cumberland Mountains. Perhaps this land was in or near what in 1799 became Smith County. However, when John Looney sold 200 acres of it to Edward Sanders on 13 Dec. 1800, the transfer was recorded in Sumner County. The name John Looney is on a Sumner County petition dated 30 Sept. 1800, concerning the new county.

John 3 Looney was prominent in Smith County, Tennessee at least as early as 1800 when in Order Book 2, p.52, there is reference to a road from

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John Looney, Esq., to Esq. Kavanaugh's; and John Looney attended court as Justice in June 1802 (p.63). On 3 Feb. 1806, he purchased, from Enoch Enochs, 100 acres in Smith County on Clear Fork Branch of Smith's Fork. (Smith Deeds B, 328.) This place was sold on 23 Feb. 1808 by John Looney, Sr. to Thos. Whaley, and on the same day John Looney, Sr. of Smith County sold to Josiah Dunkin 220 acres on Smith's Fork of Caney Fork in Smith County, the witnesses being John Looney, Jr. and John Rentfro. (Smith Deeds 3, 99, 101.) John 3 Looney was a Justice of the Peace in 1809 Smith County.

White County came from Smith in 1806 and in the first Minute Book, p. 23, 63, are records of a suit John Looney vs. Michael Looney.

Warren County was erected in 1807 from White County. The Bill for Warren County states that "The court shall be held at the home of Joseph Westmoreland on the South side of Barren Fork River near a large spring on Looney's trace." This trace could still be seen in 1941 where it traversed a farm owned by Thos. J. Barnes of McMinnville, Warren County, Tennessee. Either John Looney or his son John obtained a North Carolina grant of 200 acres in Warren County on the waters of Collins River, as assignee of Sutton Trulock who had performed military service to the State of North Carolina. Grant No. 1641, under the Trulock Warrant No. 1446, dated 20 Nov. 1784, was surveyed to John Looney 19 Dec. 1807. (Warren Deeds A, 144.) Perhaps John Looney was an absentee owner, because on 25 Aug. 1810, he is described as of Smith County when he sold this whole tract of 200 acres to John Strimett of Warren County. (Warren Deeds A, 153-4.) Thos. J. Barnes, who owned this tract in 1941, states that John Looney lived in Smith County in 1813.

The Minute Book of Smith County, 1808-1811, has numerous entries related to John Looney, Esq., one of the Justices of the Court, and others concerning Capt. John Looney's Company. The Justice was probably John 3 Looney, Senior, and the Captain was John 4 Looney, Junior.

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On 6 June 1808 John and Stephen Renfro, orphans, chose John Looney as their Guardian. When the Justices were ordered to take lists of tithables for 1809, John Looney, Esq., made returns on 7 Mar. 1809 of a list in Capt. John Looney's Company. At about these times there were several actions in court against John Looney for debt, but in some cases the plaintiffs declined to prosecute. Certain it is, however, John 3 Looney, Sr. once lived in Warren County and that he died before 15 Feb. 1819 when John 4 Looney of St. Clair County, Alabama, deeded to Elisha Dodson the plantation in Warren County, Tennessee, on Barren Fork of Collins River "where John Looney Sr. formerly lived". Witnesses were Isaac Martin and Wm. Barnes. (Warren Deeds D, 128.)

There are grants and other conveyances of land in Smith, Warren and many other counties of Tennessee between 1810 and 1818, some of which may be acts of John 3 Looney and some the acts of John 4 Looney.

It seems probable that John 3 Looney died in Smith County, Tennessee. On p. 374, 375 of Maury County Circuit Court Minute Book, 24 June 1820, in the case of Thomas Hopkins vs. John Looney, Garnishee:

"John Derryberry being summoned as Garnishee and duly sworn deposeth... he is executor of the estate of John Looney who was father to the Defendant and as executor of said estate has collected some money that the amount of the sales of said estate is $1720, that there is collected $30, or $40, that $70 are to be taken out of said $1720 that the balance of said $1720, is to be divided into 6 shares to 1/6 part of which the Defendant is entitled agreeably to the will of John Looney, Sr."

This is followed by a similar statement by John Graham who says he is the executor of John Looney, etc.

In 1941 the Register of Maury County could find no evidence either in County or Circuit Court records of said will, or that said deponents were appointed by Maury County courts. It is reported from McMinnville, Warren County, that no will could be found of record. In 1962 the Register of Smith County reported no record of John Looney other than deeds.

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