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THIRD GENERATION (DAVID(2) BRANCH)
Robert(3) Looney was born, say, ca.1762, probably on James River
and Looney's Mill Creek, in Augusta (later Botetourt) County, Virginia.
He received only $10.00, by his father's will, and he has been difficult
to trace. According to one report, he went away from home as a young
man about 19 years old. It was probably he who entered 640 acres on Station
Camp Creek, in Davidson (later Sumner) County on 2 May 1785, being "one
of the chain carriers to the Commissioners for laying off the lands
allotted to the Officers and Soldiers of the Continental Line of the
State of North Carolina." The grant (#97) was issued 10 July 1788. Per-
haps it was he who was mentioned 2 January 1786, in Davidson County
Minute Book A, 173 (with William Saffold, David Looney, Lack Bullock,
Mark Mitchell, and others) as among those whose depositions were to be
taken in behalf of John Tygert, who was sued by Joshua Howard. Robert's
name appears many times in the Sumner County Court Minutes, Volumes 1-5,
from 1787 to 1802, especially the jury duty. His name was on the tax
lists from 1789 to 1793. He was guardian for the orphans of Anthony Bled-
soe in 1790, and Administrator of the estate of James McKain in 1793. In
1794, he was security with Peter(3) Looney (Absalom(2)), for Esther Scoby,
Admx. of the estate of David Scoby. ( Who was Joshua Luna, on the Sumner
County jury 8 April 1794?)
Robert(3) sold 224 acres to Hugh Elliott 3 April 1798. He survey-
ed a road from Dixon Springs toward Goose Creek (now in Trousdale County),
in July 1798. On 6 April 1799, he had permission to build a mill on the
West Fork of Station Camp Creek (just west of Gallatin) "where he lived,"
and he gave a bond of $2500.00, in connection therewith.
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On 13 June 1801, Robert Looney was of "Phiatt" (Fayette) County,
Kentucky, and sold 220 acres on the West Fork of Station Camp Creek, in
Sumner County, Tennessee, to James M. Kinsey. The deed was proved by
Hugh Crawford. All tax lists in Fayette County, Kentucky, are missing
for 1801, but Robert's name appears there in 1802, for the first time
and only for 'one white male poll, 21 or over', i.e., himself.
An important deed record involving Robert(3) Looney in Fayette County,
Kentucky, was recorded 29 August 1805 (Fayette Deeds B, 169):
"Abram C. Looney, of Sullivan County, Tennessee, deeded 8 August 1805 to
Robert Looney 'all rights and title to al tract of 200 acres on Station
Camp Creek in Sumner County, Tennessee, which tract my father, David
Looney, did agree to give to Robert Looney in and for the consideration
of a negro boy named Isaac' " . (The will had given the boy, Isaac, to
"Davy"(3) Looney. Abram C.(3) was acting as one of these Executors (just
as he did in a deed 25 August 1802, to Robert Campbell, confirming a
sale made by David(2) in 1789.)
A second land record for Robert(3) Looney soon followed: "On 2 December
1805, Robert Looney purchased 100 acres in Town Fork of Elkhorn
Creek, of Joseph Kyle and wife, Catherine, of Green County, Ohio" ( in
Fayette Circuit Court B, 608). Town Fork was an early settlement in the
Blue Grass region near Lexington, in Fayette County, Kentucky. On 29
September, 1806, John Young appointed Robert Looney Attorney-in-fact "to
settle my business with commissioners in Tennessee as if I were
personally there." (Tennessee Circuit Court Records, 40).
In 1807, Robert Looney was taxed for land (100 acres) for the first
time in Fayette County. In 1808, 1809, 1810, Rebecca Looney is listed
and taxed for this tract and Robert's name is missing. In 1811,
1819, and 1820, it was Robert who was taxed. In 1821 to 1826, it was
listed jointly to Rebecca Looney and Alfred looney, then to Robert again
in 1827, 1828, and 1830. Was Robert absent in Tennessee or elsewhere
from time to time, perhaps with older children? Was Rebecca a second
wife?
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She was in a lower age bracket than Robert at the 1830 census of Maury
County, Tennessee. Did Robert(3) Looney, like his younger brother,
David(3), make long trips to the Illinois country and even farther north?
In Order Book #3,367, in Fayette County, Kentucky, it is found
that Joseph K. Looney, aged 16, was "apprenticed to Lawson McClelland
till (age)21, to learn tailoring, to be sent to school,...13 February
1816." In Deeds N, 367: "On 13 February 1816, Joseph K. Looney, aged
16 years, was apprenticed to Lawson McCullough." The name McClelland
here suggests that Joseph K. Looney may have been a grandson of David(2)
Looney and Mary McClelland. Was he named for Joseph Kyle, who may have
been Rebecca's father?
In December 1820, Robert Looney came into court and "proved that
he had been charged with $10,000.00 worth of property more that he actu-
ally had." Apparently, he was not a poor man! The census taken in 1820,
found Robert(3) Looney in Fayette County, Kentucky (where he was taxed in
that year). He was over 45 with eldest female also over 45. They had a
boy and a girl under 10, two girls from 18-26, and one woman (perhaps a
widowed daughter) age 26-45.
On 20 November 1828, Robert Looney of Fayette County,Kentucky, deeded
one-half the land on which he lived for one dollar to Peter Shields, in
trust for the said Robert Looney. Also, he deeded to Nathan-
iel Payne, in trust for his wife, Rebecca, the other half "for love and
affection ", to his wife, Rebecca, for one dollar. He gave to Mary
Magruder one negro, Sarah Ann; to his granddaughter, Amanda Samuel Ma-
gruder, a negro, Anna Mariah, the slaves to said children to be held
forever (sic).
The year 1830, is one of those in which Robert(3) is taxed for the 100
acres in Fayette County, Kentucky. Possibly, the census taker
caught him there as Robt. Luney, 60 to 70 years, living alone, except for
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two male and one female slaves, or he may be simply an absentee head of
that household. The location or district was "between roads leading from
Lexington to Georgetown, and from Lexington to the mouth of Tates Creek,
Lexington excluded." Perhaps Robert and his wife, Rebecca, were removing
at about this time to Maury County, Tennessee. Certain it is that the
1830 census taken there also enumerated the family of Robert Looney, 60
to 70, with wife, 50 to 60, and six others, possibly children and gand-
children. Maury was the county in which David(2) Looney had held lands
on Duck River,near Columbia, that were bequeathed to "grandson Isaac
Acuff(4) Looney" and to David(3), Abraham(3), and Joseph(3) Looney.
...
Note on other Looneys or Loneys in Fayette County, Kentucky: In 1820, in
Fayette County, one finds Thomas Loney, over 45, with a family; also Hugh
Loney, 16 to 26, with female of the same age group, and one girl under
10. In 1840, Hugh Lonney is 40-50, etc., and in 1850, Hugh is 51, born
in Ireland, grocer, with Nancy, 31, born in Kentucky. In this household
are Maryia Loney, 26; Catharine Loney, 22; William Loney, 19, grocer;
Hugh Loney, 17, machinist; Thomas, 12; Edward, 11; James, 9; Elizabeth,7;
I.K.R., 5 female; U.A.D.,5 male; and Rebecca, 3; all born in Kentucky.
Searches for Looneys in Kentucky should take into account these Loneys.
...
How long Robert(3) Looney remained in Maury County, Tennessee, after the
census of 1830, is unknown to the compiler. He may have had a child
living there. Certainly, by 25 January 1838, he was living in Sum-
ner County, Tennessee, and signed papers there: "Whereas I, Robert
Looney, of County of Sumner, State of Tennessee, several years since
made a deed of trust to one Peter Shields, then of Fayette County,
Kentucky, etc ... the place where the family of Alfred Looney now lives,
slaves,
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personal property...for maintenance during my natural life, and said
trustee has violated said trust, etc.,...and has dispossessed and squan-
dered same...and for confidence and trust I have in my son-in-law, James
S. Hogg, of Hancock County, Kentucky, I appoint him my Attorney-in-fact,
etc.,..."(Fayette Deeds 14, 397).
A few weeks later: "I, Robert Looney, of Sumner County, Tennes-
see, for love and affection to my daughter, Jane C. Hogg, of Hancock
County, Kentucky, etc.,...deed a tract of land in Fayette County, Kentuc-
ky, on Townfork of Elkhorn, 100 acres conveyed to said Robert Looney by
one Samuel Kyle, and one half to Nathan Payne for my wife Rebecca Looney
and one half to Peter Shields for Robert Looney, etc.,...said Robert
Looney reserves a life estate for himself and for Rebecca Looney."
(Fayette Deeds 15, 378)
Finally, on 21 September 1840: "Clayton Skirvin and Elizabeth Mc-
Millan, lawful heirs of Robert Looney, satisfied that Robert Looney con-
veyed to his daughter, Jane Hogg, all his estate in Kentucky, we convey
title and claim and relinquishment to said Jas. Hogg."
Hence, it appears that Robert(3) Looney was deceased by 21 Septem-
ber 1840, and that Clayton Skirvin and Elizabeth McMillan had been asked
for a quit claim deed to further insure good title to Jane C. Hogg and
her husband, James S. Hogg, of Hancock County, Kentucky. Elizabeth, the
eldest daughter of Robert(3), had married (2) James McMullen, and perhaps
Elizabeth had some claim upon the land, but it is not clear why Clayton
Skirvin had an interest. (Possibly further search may reveal other quit
claims deeds.) Mrs. Seitz thought Skirvin a son-in-law.
It seems likely that Rebecca Looney, wife of Robert(3) Looney, died in
Maury County, Tennessee, before 25 January 1838, and that Robert
himself died before 21 September 1840.
Continue with Part 7, David (2) Looney Branch (NEXT PAGE)
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