Peter3 Looney (Peter2) was born in Botetourt County, Virginia, 1 Oct 1760, according to his own statement in his application for U. S. pension. The first record of Peter3 is found in Augusta county Court records, 13 Apr 1760. "Peter Looney, heir-at-law of Peter Looney, deceased, proved to the Court that the said Peter Looney, deceased, served in Captain Smith's Company of Rangers in last war on the frontiers of this colony as a sergeant till he was taken prisoner by the Indians in the year 1756, and that he did not return from them for nearly two years, and that he never proved such service nor obtained any land." This quotation is from Judge Chalkley's work on Augusta County, but this writer found no Court records of April 1760 or 1761. This may have been in April of some other year or perhaps the record has been lost.
On 18 May 1762, Robert Brechenridge was guardian-in-fact to Peter Looney, Jr., for the prosecution of a suit against Peter's grandfather, Robert Looney.
On 15 Mar 1765, Absalum2 (X) Luney and Margaret deeded to Peter Luney, heir-at-law of Peter Luney, deceased, for L80, a tract of 180 acres on Long Run, a branch of James River, adjoining another tract belonging to Peter, formerly in possession of Robert Looney, S. The witnesses were David Looney, etc. This deed was delivered to Peter3 Looney 26 Sep 1783. The other tract may have been the 80 acres that John Bower deeded to Peter Looney, eldest son of Peter Looney, deceased, on 20 Aug 1765, as a result of the judgement earlier obtained when Peter3 in the person of his guardian, Breckenridge, had sued Robert1 and John Bowyer.
Jonathan Smith (who may have married a sister of Peter2 Looney) was on 17 Mar 1868 appointed as guardian to Peter Looney, orphan of Peter Looney; and Jonathan Smith gave bond with Joseph2 Luney. On 8 Dec 1772 Joseph Looney was appointed guardian of Peter Looney, son of Peter Looney, deceased, in place of James McCain and Jonathan Smith who were discharged from that office. George Skillem was security. Then on 15 Nov 1775, with approval of the court, Peter Looney, orphan of Peter Looney, deceased, chose James
End Page 6
Letherdale, Jr. for his guardian. Bond for L500 was made.
In June 1776 a petition was signed by inhabitants of the western part of Fincastle County asking for a division of the county. Only one Peter Looney signed this petition and it was probably not Peter3, Jr. who was slightly less than 16 years of age according to his own statement. The signer was much more likely to have been the adult Peter3 (Absalom2) Looney, later of Sumner County (wife, Rachel), whose descendants give his birth date as 24 Nov 1755. In the same year, 1776, however, there were three men named Peter Looney who served as drovers under Bullockmaster John Looney (Robert Looney, Jr., Branch) in about August to December, probably in southwestern Washington County, Virginia, or in pre-Tennessee, at the close of the Cherokee expedition. One of these three men, perhaps he who served only 33 days and was designated as Peter Looney, Jr., was almost certainly Peter3 Looney of Peter2. Then on 6 Nov 1777, when the inhabitants of lower Washington County, Virginia, protested the erection of a Court House, there was still only one Peter Looney who signed. Again it is likely that this one was the older Peter2 of Sumner County and not Peter3 Jr. of this sketch.
The all-important record evidence in distinguishing the Peter Looneys of Sumner County, Tennessee, is found in the pension application papers of Peter Luna of Lincoln County, Tennessee, dated 16 Oct 1832, 20 Sep 1833, and of Marshall County, 16 Jan 1846. He declares: "I was born in Botetourt county in Virginia on the first day of October 1760 according to the information derived from my mother, but I have no record of my age." He was in the battle of the Long Island of Holston before he enlisted under Captain Wm. Coke. He "volunteered at Long Island of Holstoun in the State of Virginia" for six months. "When he entered the service he lived about fifteen miles above the long Islands on Houlston River." He was a frontier guard during treaty time and was stationed at Long Island until some time after the treaty. He was discharged in 1778 or at least in the year of conclusion of the treaty at the Long Island of Holston. He acted as a scouting party and was not in regular service until in 1779 when he was called into service in captain Anderson's Company for one month to guard Blackmore's Station.
End Page 7
He served under Captain Isaac Bledsoe and Colonel Russell. After this time he "went to Cumberland River and arrived at the where Nashville stands two days before Christmas, 1779, and has lived in the counties of Davidson, Sumner and Lincoln ever since." He volunteered and "went from Cumberland to Kentucky in the year 1782 as well as he recollects" --- and served 14 or 21 days under Colonel Logan against the Indians at Blue Lick. George Blackmore of Lincoln County (1832) certified that Blackmore's Station on Clinch River was built and kept by, and named after, his father, John Blackmore. George was a drummer when Peter Luna was there and they both came to Cumberland in the same year and lived as neighbors ever since, with few exceptions.
His pension (S1554) was granted 19 Nov 1833 commencing 4 Mar 1831. Records of payments show that in September 1836 the name of Peter Luna, Senior, Private and Sergeant, was transferred the Roll for payment a Pulaski, Tennessee.
The Long Island of the Holston River is near Kingsport, Sullivan County, Tennessee. About fifteen miles above Kingsport and just below the mouth of Beaver Creek is land, which, when granted _________ Chrisman, was described as land where James McCain had lived. The Renfrows also lived at the mouth of Beaver Creek.
Fort Patrick Henry at Kingsport (then King's Mills) was the starting point in 1779 from which Colonel John Donelson went down the Holston and Tennessee Rivers to established a colony on the site of Nashville in the region which he had purchased from the Indians in March 1775. At the mouth of Clinch River, Colonel Donelson was joined by a party of immigrants under Captain John Blackmore. Peter Looney, Moses Renfroe, James Renfroe and James Cain (probably Junior) are sometimes said (Haywood's History of Tennessee) to have been with Donelson on this trip, and Peter Looney is listed among those who had log cabins at Big Salt Lick on the Cumberland River in April 1780. But Peter3 Looney of this sketch states the he arrived at the site of Nashborough two days before Christmas, 1779. Consequently, he went overland with Robertson's Company and not with Donelson who did no arrive until 24 Apr 1780. Among the 250 or 260 persons who signed the so-called "Cumberland Compact", that is, "Articles of Agreement, or Compact
End Page 8
of Government entered into by settlers on the Cumberland River, 1st May 1780" when Peter Luney, John Luney or Lony, James Cain and John Crow. It seems possible that both Peters were there, one aged 25 and one 22. (It is reported that the name of John Lony on the Compact was indeed that of Jonathan3 abbreviated as Jon.)
Thus there seems to be a very good case for identification of Peter Luna of Lincoln County, Tennessee, as Peter3 Jr. son of Peter2 Looney. On the other hand, in copies of Virginia French and Indian War Land Bounty Certificates, p 524 (Virginia Archives), under date of March 1780, David Clay, Clerk of Botetourt County, certifies "that Peter Looney Heir-at-Law of Peter Looney deceased proved to this Court that the said Peter Looney served in Captains Smith's Company of Rangers last war as Sergeant til he was taken Prisoner by the French and Indians in the year 1756. That --- the Heir is an Inhabitant of this State and that he never before proved such service nor obtained any land in consideration thereof under the King of Great Brittain's Proclamation of 1763." "This certificate issued before but supposed lost." Land office Warrant No. 954, for military service was then issued, addressed to the surveyor of any county in Virginia. A copy of the about is entered at the Land Office and below is written, "200 acres issued to Peter Looney heir-at-law of Peter Looney deceased." NO LAND GRANT, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN FOUND. The certificate issued at the March 1780 term of Botetourt Court probably does not necessarily imply that Peter3 Looney, the Heir, was there in person at that time. The settlers on Cumberland in 1780 were probably considered as inhabitants of Virginia.
A power-of-attorney dated 3 Nov 1783 from Peter3 Looney of Nashborough-on-Cumberland to James Lauderdale of Botetourt County, Virginia, was filed in Botetourt County to collect money due and to sell lands that descended to said Peter by the demise of his father, Peter Looney, in said county. On 8 Feb 1785, Peter Looney, only son and heir-at-law of Peter Looney, late of Botetourt County, sold to Wm. Anderson 180 acres on Long Run, mentioning a corner of another tract formerly in possession of Robert Looney, Sr. (Botetourt Deeds 3, p 318)
End Page 9
Preemption Rights to land were created by Act of Assembly of North Carolina in 1782 for those who were early settlers of Nashborough before 1 Jun 1780. Those who stayed and defended the country were to receive 640 acres without payment. Those who went away received rights but were required to make payments. (Haywood's History of Tennessee, p 218).
Apparently Peter3 Luna decided to purchase 640 acres in addition to his preemption. His purchase was on north side of Cumberland River about one mile southwest of Asher's Station (about five mile south of modern Gallatin, Sumner County, Tennessee) and his preemption was about six miles southwest of his purchase and on the south side of Cumberland, above the mouth of Spencer's Creek. (Some details of the records of these tracts are given below.)
On 14 Jan 1784, a 640 acre tract in Davidson County on Sinking Creek, one mile southwest of Asher's Station, adjoining Jas. Clendenning, was entered (No. 96) and North Carolina Grant No. 79 was issued (by payment) 17 Apr 1786 to Petter Looney (Case No. 105, North Carolina State Library). Part of this land, in Sumner County, (perhaps about 200 acres) was sold very soon, and more (perhaps about 190 acres) by deed acknowledged 12 Jan 1790 by "Peter Pitman Luna" to John Hamilton and Ephraim Pharr; although the deed was signed Peter Luna. (Sumner Ct Min 1, 2, 3.)
On 16 Feb 1784, a 640 acre tract in Davidson County on south side of Cumberland River, above the mouth of Spencer's Creek, was entered (No. 293). North Carolina Grant No. 196 was issued 10 Jul 1788 to Big Petter Looney (Case No. 1232, North Carolina State Library). This land was in Sumner County after 1786 and in Wilson County after 1799. In September 1797 David Shelby entered 274 acres in Sumner county on south side of Cumberland adjoining Peter Looney's preemption. Peter Looney witnessed a deed by Frederich Ward to Jacob Thomas in Wilson County. (Deed Book 1, p 223.) A Peter Looney was on Jury 6 Jul 1784 at Nashborough. (Davidson County Min Bk A, 1783 - 1790 Pt 1, pp 20, 29.)
End Page 10
Continue with Part 6, Peter Looney Branch (NEXT PAGE)
Return to Manuscript INDEX PAGE
Copyright © 1997, T T G