Looney - Absalom Branch
Elizabeth Looney b. say 1753, m. ante 1791 David Potts
(or Folk).
Peter 3 Looney b. 24 Nov. 1755. See 3d Gen.
Mary Looney b. say 1757; m. (1) ca 1776 Edwin William
Carvin who was killed by Indians in 1780 4 Mi. east
of Washborough; m. (2) 1781 by the chairman of the
Committee of the Provisional Government to Edward
Swanson. Mary Looney had 2 children, Mary (Carvin)
Rutherford and William Carvin; and then Peter, Richard,
and James Swanson. Mary is said to have died Between
1811 and 1823.
Margaret Looney b. say 1759, m. (Botetourt bond) 5 January
1778 Alexander Caldwell of Knox Co., Tenn. Their dau.
Jessie Caldwell m. 18 March 1821 Benj. 4 Looney, her
1 st cousin, of Hawkins Co. , Tenn.
Jonathan 3 Looney b. say 1761. See 3d Gen.
Absalom 3 Looney b. say 1763. See 3d Gen
Ruth Looney b. say 1765. m. (Botetourt bond) 15 May 1790
John McCormick.
Ann Looney b. say 1767, md (Botetourt Co) 26 October 1786
m. James Harbison b. ca 1763. Ann d. ante September 1825 or
1826 when James Harbison m. (Knox Co., Tenn.) Rachel
Hembree. James Harbison volunteered in the "faul" of
1780 and served until discharged on Dan River, Va. for
details see section on Absalom 3 Looney who accompanied
him. James and Ann (Looney) Harbison lived in Knox Co., Tenn, in
1806 and were taxed on 315 acres. A
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Looney- Absalom Branch
descendant, T. H. Neal of Knox Co., Tenn., says James d.
6 October 1841 in Dubois Co., Ind. They had at least the
following children:
John Harbison.
Aaron Harbison b. 1793
Henry Harbison b. ca 1795
William Pledge Harbison b. 1797
Catherine (Katie) Looney b. say 1769, m. (Botetourt Co) 11
August 1792 John Summerfield.
Prescilla Looney b. say 1771, m. (Botetourt bond) 24 November
1789 Wm. Caldwell. In Giles county, Tenn., in
December 1815, admn. on the estate of Wm. Caldwell
was granted to John Caldwell and Joseph Looney (perhaps
of Jonathan 3 Looney).
Benjamin 3 Looney b. ca 1774. See 3d Gen.
(Reports of a son Donellson in the Absalom 2 Looney family have not been confirmed) Reports of a son John "killed by Indians" may have arisen because Jonathan often wrote his name Jon and Probably was killed by Indians. However, such a John 3 Looney could have been born ca 1760 and have been the John Looney who signed the Cumberland Compact 1 May 1780 with his paternal first cousin Peter 3 Looney, Jr. and the latter's step relative James Cain, all three of whom may have been near the age of 20 years at that time. In any event, such a John 3 Looney had probably died without issue before 28 Sept. 1791 when Absalom 2 Looney made his will without mention of John or of his heirs.
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Looney - Absalom Branch
(Query: Who was the John Looney with Robert Looney, both privates in Capt. Beard's Company of Guards, Territory south of the Ohio, in 1791?)
Michael was in Captain Henry Pauling's Company as No. 30 on the list of those present at the Battle of Point Pleasant, W. Va. in 1774; also in Lord Dunmore's Wat, [War wbl] 1775. Descendants say he claimed Revolutionary War service. His name on the monument at Point Pleasant is spelled Mical Luney. (Hist. of W. Va.): D.A.R. Nos. 287313 and 290259.)
(William 6 Gaines Looney, son of James 5 Gaines Looney, in his MSS says Michael 3 reported himself born in Hagerstown, Md. in 1743. It is established that Robert 1 and Elizabeth Looney lived on the Virginia side of the Potomac River not far from Haberstown from ca. 1735 to ca 1740, and it has been reported that Michael possessed one or more old school books that appeared to have been used at Hagerstown. This may be the source of a tradition that the family came to Virginia from Maryland. Some of Michael's
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Looney - Absalom Branch
uncles may have attended a school at Hagerstown, but in view of census records the idea that Michael was born as early as 1743 must be rejected.)
Descendants say Michael m. in 1890 [1790 wbl] in Botetourt Co, Va., Temperance Cross, daughter of Brittain and Miss____(Cole) Cross, the mother of Brittain Cross being a Miss ____Lane. Tempa is said to have told a different tale: That she ran away from home and followed her lover on a later boat from Ireland but never found him. She worked 3 years at 12 1/2 cents a day to pay for her passage and after that soon met Michael. They probably married somewhat earlier that 1780, say ca 1778, because their 2d child was born 14 January 1781. It is said that Michael brought from Virginia only his gun, and "Tempa" her spinning wheel. They settled on the east fork of big Creek, ca 13 miles east of Rogersville in Stanley's valley, Hawkins County, in what is now East Tennessee. In August 1788 he purchased from Michael Edwards, at 12 1/2 cents per acre, a Stanley claim of 250 acres and a cabin, adjoining McMurray and David Gamble. Some say the purchase price was "a span of horses" or "a spotted horse and a long butcher knife." ) Hawkins Deed 1, p.) The old 2-story log house is said to date from 1782 or 1784.
In 1783 Michael with his younger brother Jonathan and their 1st cousin Benjamin 3 Looney (Robert2), aged ca 32, 22, and 35 years, went on a long hunting trip in Kentucky on which Jonathan was captured and Benjamin killed by Indians near Cumberland Gap. (See Robert 2 Looney, Jr. Branch.)
In 1793 absalom 3 and Michael 3 Looney testified in a suit,
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Looney- Absalom Branch
Simmons vs Tillery and Wilson, Washington District of Tenn. The land in question was on big Creek, Hawkins County, and they proved that Wilson paid 2 horses, seemingly on 1 Sept. 1787 (Bk, 1, page 276, Overton Co., Tenn., records).
In November 1779 Wm. McGraw's judgement vs. Benjamin Looney (Michael's youngest brother) was recorded, and his 158 acres on the north side of Holston river and north side of Big Creek, adjoining Evan Shelby, was sold 22 February 1800. In May 1800 Michael 3 Looney received sheriff's deed for the place.
On 16 April 1808 land on Big Creek was deeded to Michael Looney and the witnesses were Benjamin Looney and A. Looney, Probably Michael's kinsmen Benjamin 4 and Sheriff Absalom 4, sons of Benjamin 3 (Robert 2 Jr), both of whom lived in Stanley Valley at that time.
Michael made a deed to his son John in 1827, to son Absalom 18 May 1829, and to Benjamin Jr in 1830.
Michael 3 is said to have been 5 feet 10 inches in height and to have braided his hair in a queue. James 5 Houston Looney (1828-1900), grandson, said he remembered Michael's death about 1836 to 1839. Miss Sallie Eugenia Brown said he died 1 January 1839. She further says that he died at the home of his son Benjamin on the old home place where Michael had gone to live after Tempa's death. They are buried in the "old Looney grave yard, high up the mountain, on the old place."
Upon reference to census records one finds that in the a 1830 census Michael and a female in same age group are listed as 70-80 (i.e. b. 1755 +/- 5) and are living alone except for a male slave.
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