-6-
James Cain (md. Margaret, widow of Peter(2); with them lived
Peter(3) Looney or Luna, born 1760.)
Richard Gammon (son of George; md. Sarah, daughter of Samuel Gamble.)
Abraham McLelan (brother-in-law of David(2) Looney.)
Michal(3) Looney (of Absalom(2); md. Tempa Cross)
David(2) Looney (of Robert(1) )
Elisha Cross (prob. Elijah, who md. Ann, widow of Samuel(3).)
(The absence of the name of Moses(3) Looney( Robert(2),Jr.) is
unexplained.)
On 9 May 1778, in Washington County, David(2) Loony, et al, were
securities for someone, and both Moses(3) and Samuel(3) (of Robert(2) ),
were appraisers. Then, on 19 May 1778, David Looney and Abraham McClelan
were securities for Jean Keer, the Administratrix of the estate of John
Keer, Washington County. It was ordered that James Brigham, George
Maxwell, Moses Looney, Samuel Looney, and Thomas King, or any three of
them, be appraisers. ( Jean Keer was probably a McClelan, perhaps a
widow before marrying a Keer.)
David Looney was a juror in Washington County, Virginia, as late as 18
August 1779. On that date in the inventory and account of the estate of
Derby Shea, reference was made to cash in the hands of Captain David
Looney. At about this time, it was found that the boundary between
Virginia and North Carolina was further north that it had previously
been thought to be. General Daniel Smith, boundary line Commissioner,
was in that region on Monday, 25 October 1779, and mentioned that he
"lay at John Looney's near Looney's Gap of the Clinch Mountains." (This
was Captain John(3) Looney (of Robert(2).)
Captain David Looney's lands on Muddy Creek, and the lands of many
others who had considered themselves as citizens of Washington County,
Virginia, were found to lie in the state of North Carolina.
-7-
Sullivan County, North Carolina, was erected in 1779, and David Looney
was appointed a Justice of the Peace in that county in February 1780, by
a court held at the house of Moses(3) Looney (Robert(2).) David was
commissioned 19 November 1779, by Governor Caswell, of North Carolina,
as 1st Major of the new county of Sullivan. White, in his "KING'S
MOUNTAIN MEN", credits Major David(2) Looney with service at the Battle
of King's Mountain, which took place 7 October 1780. At that time,
David(2) was about 44 or 45 years old, and Major of Sullivan County. He
also represented Sullivan County in the North Carolina Assembly at
Hillsborough. Thus, his presence at the battle seems to require proof.
It seems more likely that David Looney at King's Mountain was
David(3) Looney, (Adam(2) ), who is known to have enlisted in the 6th
South Carolina Regiment in 1776, and was aged about 22 in 1780.
(Ramsay's "ANNALS OF TENNESSEE", page 189.)
David's name is on the list of allowances at the May session 1780, at
Hillsborough. He was Lt. Colonel of the Sullivan Regiment previous to 1
February 1781, (on which date the North Carolina House received from the
Senate a resolve appointing Anthony Bledsoe to succeed him.) On 20
April 1784, he qualified and was seated at New Bern, North Carolina, in
the House of Commons, as a Representative from Sullivan County.
David's name appears on about 7 record votes during May and June, 1784.
The North Carolina Land Grants show the following entries by David
Looney in Sullivan County:
320 acres, entered 7 October 1779, granted 17 November 1788. This was
probably the home place, and he may have been living there
for years before 1779, when the border was established.
279 acres, entered 15 February 1780. It was from this tract that
210 acres were sold 17 November 1812, by the Executors of David
Looney to John Hamilton and representatives of John Spurgin,decd.
200 acres, entered 6 June 1780, granted 10 November 1784; on
widow Kerr's Mill Creek.
-8-
179 (320) acres, granted 10 October 1783; James Brigham's line.
560 (600) acres, granted 10 November 1784, in Stanley's Valley;
when sold 7 December 1789, to Robert Campbell, it was described
as on both sides of Posson Creek and John Looney's corner was
mentioned.
235 acres, entered 8 August 1780, granted 17 November 1790;
between said Looney's lines and Anthony Sharp's line; H.H.Smith
of Blountville says it was on Muddy Creek, 4 miles from Blount-
ville.
150 acres, entered 31 July 1781, granted 17 November 1790; join-
ing his first survey where he lives.
David(2) Looney, Richard Gammon, Moses(3) Looney, William Gage,
and John Long were Deputies for Sullivan County, at the Jonesboro Conven-
tion, 14 December 1784. Here, Moses Looney voted with the majority for
the formation of a new state of Franklin, separate from the state of
North Carolina, but David Looney and 18 others signed a report of
dissent. In 1785, after the state of Franklin had been launched, Moses
and David Looney represented Sullivan County at the Constitutional
Convention.
David Looney and John Sharpe were seated for Sullivan County at the
time the convention at Hillsborough, N.C., 22 July 1788, called to
consider ratification of the United States Constitution (which they
rejected). About 4 record votes show David's name during August 1788.
David was on the list of civil officers of Sullivan County about October
or December 1788, and was a Justice of the Peace there in 1790,
commissioned 25 October . (TENNESSEE PAPERS U.S. IV,434)
The North Carolina Land Grants show the following entries by David
Looney other than in Sullivan County. (note that all entries were made
before creation of the "Territory South of the River Ohio", on 26 May
1790, following the ceding of the western lands by North Carolina to the
United States on 25 February.):
640 acres, Davidson County, entered 16 February 1784, granted 17
April 1786; on west fork of Station Camp Creek; this was in what
became Sumner County in 1786. Payment of 1 Pound for 10 acres was
made.
-9-
640 acres, Davidson County, entered 16 February 1784, granted 17
April 1786; on west fork of Station Camp Creek; David was "assig-
nee of Jonathon Looney." This also became Sumner Co., 1786.
(Jonathon(3) Looney of Absalom(2). )
640 acres, Sumner County, entered 21 November 1784, granted 20
May 1793; on north side of Cumberland River. This was granted on
a Military Warrant, but David was only the assignee; this is true
also of the following below:
411 acres, Sumner County, entered 26 January 1785, granted 27
April 1793; on upper fork of Goose Creek; this land was willed to
son David(3) Looney. It was located in eastern part of Sumner
County that became Smith County 1799.(later Mason, then Trousdale
County)
350 (357) acres, Sumner County, entered 21 September 1787, granted
11 July 1788; on Waters of Caney Fork. Probably in what became
Smith County in 1799. This was also on a military warrant (David
Looney was assignee of Thomas Cole.) Of this land, 257 acres was
willed to Jeremiah Taylor, husband od David's daughter, Mary(3)
Looney, and 100 acres to David Looney Taylor, David's(2) grandson.
On 7 July 1785, in the Davidson County Minute Book for that period,
there is record of a deed from the Commissioners of Nashville, to
David Looney. In Sumner County, there are records of sales by David(2)
Looney (several of them being by Power of Attorney) to Samuel Grag on 5
October 1795; to John Josey on 1 June 1796; to William Cage on 19
November 1796 (640 acres); 320 acres on Station Camp Creek, April 1797,
to Margaret Miner, Hannah Turner Miner, and David Looney Miner; 106 and
1/3 acres on west fork of Station Camp Creek 18 July 1799 to Margaret
Miner, and same acreage on same date in same location to Daniel Looney
Miner. ( Daniel Loone Miner was grandson of Daniel(2) Looney. Also on 18
July 1799, there was a conveyance to James Briggance.)
After the State of Tennessee was organized by the Constitutional
Convention at Knoxville on 11 January 1796, David(2) Looney was elected
6 February 1796, as the first delegate from Sullivan County, Tennessee,
to the House of Representatives of Tennessee, which assembled on 28 March.
Tennessee was admitted to the Union on 1 June 1796.
Regardless of David's titles of Major and Lt. Colonel, he was better
known as Captain Looney and was so designated in Hawkins County,
Tennessee, as late as 26 January 1799, when John Weddle sold land in
Stanley Valley.
-10-
David Looney,Senr., made his will in Sullivan County,Tennessee,
dated 1 May 1801. He left the home plantation with slaves, furniture,
and stock to his wife during her life. Afterwards, the land went to sons
Abraham and Joseph, and the stock to sons David, Abraham and Joseph. Son
David received 411 acres on Goose Creek in Cumberland settlement
(perhaps near Hartsville in present Trousdale County ). Grandson, Isaac Acuff
Looney, received 200 acres on Duck River lands (probably near Columbia
in present Maury County). The remainder of the Duck River lands (perhaps
200 acres) went to "my three sons," David, Abraham (and doubtless Joseph,
but the third name is missing in the copy at this place). (Certainly
Joseph participated when the Duck River lands were divided in 1811.) To
David Taylor, son of Jeremiah Taylor, went 100 acres on Caney Fork of the Cum-
berland River (perhaps in Smith County), and the remainder of the lands
on Caney Fork (probably 257 acres) was given to son-in-law, Jeremiah
Taylor. Lands at Eddy, near Cumberland, in Kentucky were to be divided
among "my said three sons, David, Abraham and Joseph." To son, Davy,
was given a negro boy named Isaac; to daughter Annis, wife of Hugh
Crawford, ten dollars; and likewise ten dollars to each of the
following: son Robert; daughter Sarah, wife of Samuel Gregg; daughter
Elizabeth, wife of John Vaughan; daughter Jane, wife of Samuel
Carruthers; and daughter Mary, wife of Jeremiah Taylor. The remainder
of the estate was willed to "said three sons, David, Abraham and
Joseph." The joint Executors were son Abraham Looney, John Spurgin,
Esq., and wife, Mary Looney. The witnesses were Alexander Greer and
John Williams.
A certified copy of the will was made at Blountville, on 15 Dec-
ember 1829, by G.W.Netherland, D.Clerk, and addressed to Captain David
L.Taylor, Hartsville, Sumner County, Tennessee. This copy is now in the
possession of Professor Rupert Taylor, a great-grandson of Jeremiah and
Mary(3) Looney Taylor. (In 1968, Professor Taylor is in a nursing home in
Continue with Part 7, David (2) Looney Branch (NEXT PAGE)
Return to Manuscript INDEX PAGE
Copyright © 1997, T T G