Early Looney in America, by Leroy W. Tilton

1818, daughter of Jacob Huffman. John and Phoebe Looney probably lived first in Craig County near the present West Virginia line because it is reported (obituary of John Madison Looney) that thier youngest son was born in 1856 in the present Monroe County, West Virginia. The family has not been found listed in the 1850 census of Craig County, Virginia. The family migrated to Roane County, West Virginia, about 1856 it is said. In 1860, certainly, John and Phoebe Looney, both born in Virginia, are listed as householders No. 337 in Roane County, West Virginia. (No other information was copied.)

According to Coyd A. Looney (as to Henry M.) and the History of Roane County by Bishop (as to others), the children of John and Phoebe Looney were:

	Henry (5) M. Looney.  See 5th Gen.
	David Giles Looney.
	Nancy M. Looney.
	Mary A. Looney.
	Permelia D. Looney.
	Lewis W. Looney  b. 20 Feb. 1856, “Tazwell Co.”
	John (5) Madison Looney  b. 1856 (Obituary).  See 5th Gen.

David (4) Looney (Joseph3) was born 26 October 1819 and on 27 March 1845 (Botetourt Mar. Reg. 660) was married to Mary Jane Leffle born ca 1823, daughter of John Leffle. They lived in Botetourt County in 1850 and in Craig County in 1860 and had:

	Joseph B. Looney  b. 1846.
	Elizabeth A. Looney  b. 1847 or 8.
	Samuel J. Looney  b. 1850.
	Nancy E. Looney  b. 1852.
	John H. Looney  b. 1855.
	William L. Looney  b. 1859

End page 16

Joseph (4) B. Looney (Joseph3) was born 9 March 1822. He married on 3 March 1842 in Tazwell County, Virginia, Lavinia Day (Tazwell Marriages). In the 1850 census for the Western District of Botetourt County, he is styled Joseph Looney Jr. born 1822 with “Melvina”: born 1828. According to the 1860 census of Craig County, “Melvina” was born in 1824.

Concerning the children of Joseph (4) B. Looney and Melvina (Day) Looney, three sources of information are used: (1) Coyd (6) A. Looney’s MSS (and letters to the writer), (2) the 1850 census of Botetourt County, and (3) the 1860 census of Craig County, Virginia.

	Name		Year of Birth		Spouse, Residense
(1), (2), (3)		(1)	(2)	(3)	Chiefly (1)
Sarah Margaret		1842	1845	1843	d. unm.
Joseph Bartley		1844	1845	1845	m. Ann Jones
Nancy Luvisa		1846	1847	1846	m. ___ Craft; Texas
Christina Elizabeth	1846	1848	1848	m. ____ Craft
John P.			1848	1849	1849	m. Mattie Reynolds
David5 Andrew	22 Mar 1852		1849	See 5th Gen.
Henry J.		1856		1852	m. Annie Crawford
Martha Mattie		1850		1855	m. McDowell Crawford
Mary Louvesta		1854		1858	m. John Fisher
Joshua	1858					m. Rebecca Helms
Louvenia		1864			m. Preston Lavender; Idaho
McDowell		1867			m. Mary ___; Idaho

(Supposed to be at least one set of twins in this family 
(b. 1846), but these data do not establish definately.)

End page 17

Joseph (4) Looney (John3) was born 1 March 1805 in Botetourt County. He was about 9 when his father’s estate was appraised in 1814 and 12 when his mother, Elizabeth (Walker) Looney, married William E. Reynolds. A collateral descendant (Mrs. Elsie Looney Sayers of Grundy, Virginia) reports that Joseph (4) and his brother John (4) left home about 1823 and probably followed their Uncle Robert (3) and his family who had removed from Botetourt to Russell County about 1817 or 1818.

On 6 March 1826 Joseph Looney of Russell County, Virginia, conveyed to William E. Reynolds his share of the John (3) Looney Estate. (Botetourt Deeds 17, 107.) Joseph received 20 1/2 acres when his father’s lands were divided in 1823.

Joseph (4) Looney married (1) Ruthie Shortridge; (2) ca 1828 or 9 Polly Looney born 23 November 1810, his 1st cousin, daughter of Robert (3) and Catherine (Stover) Looney. Polly died 30 March 1852 and Joseph (4) married (3) Malissa Shortridge. Joseph (4) was a Justice of the Peace in Russell County in 1832 when he witnessed the deed of his father-in-law Robert (3) Looney to Harry Smith for 247 acres. Joseph (4) himself purchased Robert’s 100 acres on Sandy River, near Grundy, Virginia, on 28 December 1832. He died in that vicinity in Buchanan County on 10 December 1884. Joseph (4) had the following children:

By (1) Ruthie, 3 children Elizabeth Looney b. ca 1824, d. 24 Sept. 1904; m. (Tazwell, now Buchanan Co.) 29 Jan 1846 Walter Matney d. 12 Dec. 1881. They had 11 ch.: Joseph Matney Polly Matney William G. Matney Walter Matney Henry Matney Vicy Matney Nancy Matney Mary Matney Malinda Matney Lydia Matney John Matney End page 18 Joseph (5) Looney See 5th Gen. John (5) Looney b. ca 1827. See 5th Gen. By (2) Polly, 9 children William (5) Looney b. 21 March 1830. See 5th Gen. Henry (5) Looney b. 24 Nov. 1831. See 5th Gen. Mathias (5) Looney b. 16 June 1833. See 5th Gen. Malinda Looney b. 20 Dec. 1834; m. Julius Ratliff b. ca 1834, son of Abednego and Louisa Ratliff. They had: Mary Ratliff Eliza Ratliff Margaret Ratliff John W. Ratliff Vicy Ratliff Catherine Looney b. 16 April 1838; m. 6 Sept. 1859 John S. Ratliff, son of Richard and Lydia Ratliff. He was a farmer and treasurer of Buchanan Co., Va. Their children were:

Joseph C. Ratliff Rosa Ellen Ratliff William Floyd Ratliff John K. Ratliff Sarah (Sallie) Looney b. 14 Dec. 1840, d. 21 July 1841. Robert (5) Looney b. 13 June 1842. See 5th Gen. Daniel (5) Looney b. 5 Feb. 1844. See 5th Gen. Emoline Looney b. 7 Aug. 1848; m. Jacob Vandyke b. 11 March 1849. Children: Lydia Margaret Vandyke Joseph Vandyke Henry Vandyke Reece Vandyke Patty Vandyke By (3) Malissa, 10 children Silk (5) Looney b. 24 Dec. 1855; m. Pricy Jane Slone. 8 ch. James (5) Looney b. 21 Aug. 1856, d. 1932; m. (1) Jennie, (2) Isabel Stanley, (3) 12 Oct. 1910 Nancy Margaret Honaker. (Reg. 3, 49.) Polly Looney b. 4 Aug. 1857, d. 23 June 1859. Mary Jane Looney b. 7 March 1859; m. 15 Jan. 1874 Robert Yates b. 25 March 1850. Their Children: End page 19 George W. Yates Henry J. Yates Joseph Yates John Yates Dock W. Yates James Robert Yates M. Wallace Yates Ada Yates Andrew V. Yates Canzy Ella Yates Nancy Looney b. 29 March 1861, d. 18 March 1862. Miles (5) Harve Looney b. 3 April 1863. See 5th Gen. Perlina Looney b. 7 April 1865; m. J.L.D. Perkins and had at least: C.B. Perkins Bessie Perkins Polly Perkins Lydia C. Perkins Lydia Margaret Looney b. 1 June 1867; m. John W. Elswick b. 8 Oct. 1862. David (5) Looney b. 20 March 1869. See 5th Gen. Caroline Looney b. 20 Feb. 1872, d. 27 Sept. 1875.

Note that there were in this family 22 children in 3 sets, all born in what is now Buchanan County, Virginia, and there were at least 116 grandchildren.

John (4) Looney (John3) was born in March 1807 in Botetourt County, Virginia. He was called “Jackie.” With his brother Joseph (4) he left home at an early age, perhaps soon after his mother’s second marriage to William E. Reynolds in 1817. He was soon with or near his uncle Robert (3) in Russell County, Virginia. On 1 March 1828 John and Sinthy Looney of Russell County conveyed to William E. Reynolds his part of the John Looney Jr. estate. (Botetourt Deeds 18, 382.) This was brobably the 20 1/2 acres that he received when the lands were divided in 1823. John (4) Luney is listed in Russell County at the 1830 census with wife in same age group of 20 to 30 years, and 1 boy and 1 girl both under 5.

End page 20

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