Early Looney in America, by Leroy W. Tilton


Looney -Absalom - Branch

                Va.) of Goliad, Texas, and she d. within 11 days.  Judge
                Hunter m. (2)  Pidelia Cook b. 1821, Conn.
        Tuberville 5 Looney b. ca 1820.  See 5th Gen.
        The 1830 census indicates that there were 2 boys in the John
        Warren Looney family b. ca 1821-1824 but not found in 1840.
        Elizabeth Looney b. say 1829, in Texas, m. Frank Ayers and d.
                at birth of 1st child in Atascesa Co., Texas.
        John 5 Warren Looney Jr. b ca 1832.  See 5th Gen.
        Andrew 5 Jackson Looney b. ca 1832.  See 5th Gen.
        Martin 5 Van Buren Looney b. ca 1836.  See 5th Gen.

Absalom 4 Looney (Absalom 3) was born ca 1809 probably in western Hawkins Co. (now Hancock), Tenn., on Little War Creek. He married (lic. 25 Feb.) on 1 March 1826 by A. Bransford, J.P., in Madison Co. Ala., to Alsaderah A. Will who was born ca 1810 in Virginia (Tishomingo Co., Miss., census of 1850). (Possibly Alsaderah was a young sister to Richard Will of Tishomingo Co. Miss. (census of 1840 and 1850) who was b. in Va. 1802. She was a dau. of Benj. Winn and Creasy (Andrews) Win.)

Absalom Looney received title to the west 1/4 of the N.W. quarter of section 35, township 4, range 2 west by deed dated 7 May 1829 from John W. Looney and wife Nancy. (Madison deeds M. 326).

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Looney - Absalom- Branch

Although a consideration of $ 800 was specified, it is probable that his land was transferred in connection with the settlement of the Absalom 3 Looney estate.

At about the same time Charles Betts sued Absalom 4 Looney and John 4 W. Looney and obtained judgement for $67.86. Then in the same month Ferney and Pike obtained judgement and costs against Absalom 4 for $189.42. Consequently the sheriff sold Absalom's land on 19 Nov. 1829.

Absalom 4 Looney is not found listed in the 1830 census of Madison Co., but the listing for his brother John W. Looney indicate that an extra male, 20-30 years, was there, possibly Absalom 4 Looney. No entry that can be considered that of Alsadorah Looney in 1830 has been noticed. Later census records indicate that Absalom 4 continued to live in Alabama until his 3d child was born ca 1836.

At the 1840 census Absalom 4 was in Tishemingo Co., Miss., with wife and 5 children. He was still there in 1850, a farmer holding real estate worth $32,000. From the census records and a letter written by Mrs. J.O. Looney of Nashville, their children were as follows:

        Lowery Becker Looney b. 5 Dec. 1830 Ala.  See 5th Gen.
        Frances Looney b. ca 1832 Ala.
        John 5 Looney b. ca 1836 Ala.; killed in Civil War, Company
                C, C.D. Norman Capt.
        Richard 5 Looney b. ca 1837 Miss.
        Lucretia A. Looney b. ca1838 Miss.; m. (1) 9 July 1856
        Jefferson Waters, Tishomingo Co., Miss. (Mar Bonds, 192).

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Looney -Absalom- Branch

        William 5 Looney b. ca1840 Miss.; killed in Civil War
        Nancy 5 J. Looney b. ca1842 Miss.; on m.b. 4 Oct. 1860,
                Alsadorah Looney gave permission for her dau. Nancy J.
                Looney to m. Wm. H. Looney.  (did Nancy m. J. M. Meyers later?)
        Delva-dela Looney b. ca1844 Miss. (Did she m. Mayers?)
         Mary Looney b. ca1847 Miss. A Margaret Looney m. Dillon
                of Co. A, 2nd Miss. Regt.
        James 5 Looney b. ca1849 Miss.
        Absalom 5 ("Babe") Looney.  In CSA, Co. D,  D. Norman,
                Capt. Went to Texas in eighties.

All the above appear in that order in the census of 1850 except Absalom 5. From the census record it appears that Absalom 4 must have moved almost directly from Alabama to Mississippi. It is reported that he died near Cornish, Miss.

Absalom 4 Looney (Benjamin 3) was born ca1814 and called "Bandy Ap." He was married 18 May 1837 (by R.W. Kinkead, J.P. of Carter's Valley) to Polly Steele born ca 1818, Absalom 4 Looney died after 1870. Their children seem (from census records) to have been:

        A dau. b. ca 1838 (under 5 at 1840 census).
        Mary 5 Looney b. ca1840.
        Orleana Looney b. ca 1842; unm.; issue.
        Rosana Looney b. ca1844.
        Katherine Looney b. ca1846.
        Louisa Looney b. ca1849.
        Sarah c. Looney b. ca1852.
        William 5 Looney b. ca54 (called "Stuttering Bill").
        Matilda Looney b. ca1857.

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Looney -Absalom- Branch

                        Fifth generation (Absalom 2 branch)

----5-------Looney (William 4, Michael 3), It is surmised that a son of William 4 Looney, born say 1802 or 1803, married Theny ________ca 1817 and died ante 1830. Theney was listed in Lawrence Co., Ark, as head of a household in 1830, born 1805 +/- 5, and with her were 2 boys of 10-15 years (perhaps absalom ca12 years old and Jonathan 10); also daughters of 0-5 and 5-10 years. In 1840 in Randolph Co. Thanah Luney (b.1795 +/-5) appears to be living with a married son, probably Jonathan, 15-20 years, and wife of same age group. Thena Looney Sr. still lived with Jonathan Looney and his family in Randolph Co., Ark. at the census of 1850 and she was apparently feeling or looking appreciably older because her birth year was then given as 1794 born in Tenn. It is tentatively assumed that Thena Looney was the mother of at least 2 daughters and of:

        Absalom 6 Looney b. Ark. ca1818, m. ca1841 Mary E.____b.
                ca1822 Tenn.
        They were the parents of the following children as judged by the 1850
        census of Randolph Co., Ark.:
                Henry C. Looney b. 1842.
                William D. Looney b. 1843.
                Francis M. Looney b. 1845.
                Mariah L. Looney b. 1848.
                John Looney b. Sept. 1850.
        The census listed the births of Absalem's 5 children above
                as in Tenn., which seems erroneous.

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Looney -Absalom- Branch

        Jonathan 6 Looney b. Ark. ca1820, m. ca1843 (or earlier) Anna J.______
        b. ca1825 Ind.  Their ch. in Nov. 1850, all b. in Randolph Co., Ark., 
        were as follows:
                        Charity Looney b. 1844.
                        Joseph Looney b. 1846.
                        Thena Looney b. 1847.
                        Matilda Looney b. 1848.
                        Isham Looney b. Oct. 1850.

No trace of Thena Looney or of her progeny was found in the 1850
census of Randolph Co., Ark.

        Epps 5 Looney (William 4, Michael 3)  was born in Ark. ca1820;
                married ca1844 Elizabeth ____, born in Ark. ca1825 and had
                6 children by 1850, as follows;
                        Benjamin F. Looney b. ca1845.
                        Shelby S. Looney b. ca1846
                        Tipton T. Looney b. ca1848.
                        Roda E. Looney b. 1833. (1853? wbl)
                        Rufus B. Looney b. ca1855.
                        Tempa A. Looney b. ca1859.

        William 5 S. Looney  (William 4, Michael3) was born in Ark. ca1822;
was married and listed in Union township of Lawrence Co., Ark. in 1840 but with
no children.  At the 1850 census his wife was Mary and they had a son Erasmus 6
D. Looney born 1848.  William 5 S. seems the only son of William 4 Looney that
remained in the area and was recorded by local historians.  He married (1) 
Pollie Wells

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