David 2 Looney Branch
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County, and in 1770, or earlier, they were in the Holston District which
was opened for settlement after treaties with the Indians in 1768 and
1769. By 1774, they lived on Muddy Creek, about two miles north of the
Holston River, in what was then Washington County, Virginia, but became,
in 1779, Sullivan County, North Carolina. In 1785, it formed part of
the State of Franklin, but soon reverted to North Carolina. In 1796, it
became Sullivan County, Tennessee.(The Looneys lived in four states
without once moving from their home on Muddy Creek!)
David Looney and his relatives were associated with the families of Isaac and Anthony Bledsoe, James Brigham, Elisha Cross, John Crawford, William Gage, Samuel Gamble, Richard Gammon, Robert and James Gray, James and Samuel Gregg, John Hamilton, Walter Johnson, John Kerr, Thomas and David King, John Long, Daniel, George and Jesse Maxwell, James McCain, Abraham McClelland, John Miner, William Prince, William Purviance, Stephen Rentfro, Edward, John and Anthony Sharp, Derby Shea, Daniel Smith, William White and Robert Young."
"David Looney's death may have occurred prior to 25 August, 1802, when Abraham Looney, Executor of the Estate of David Looney, deceased , made deed to Robert Campbell for land in Stanley Valley, Hawkins County, Tennessee."
Mr. Tilton only provided exerpts from the will of David Looney. The genealogical column, DROPPED STITCHES, printed a copy of the will which was submitted to them by "R.T.", which likely means the same Rupert Taylor who provided the will copy to Mr. Tilton. This is the entire text of the will printed in the column:
"Following is a copy of a certified copy of the Will of David Looney, Sr., of Sullivan County, Tennessee;
In the Name of God, Amen. I, David Looney, Senr., of Sullivan County and State of Tennessee , being in a declining state of health, but of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and publish my last will and testament in manner following that is to say I commit my soul to God and as to such worldly property as I possess, I dispose of the same in the manner following. I desire that all my just debts be paid within one year after my decease by my executors herin after named. I bequeath to my
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wife, the whole of the plantation I now live on together with my negro
man, Dick, his wife Fan and their children during the natural life of my
wife to be entirely at her disposal together with the dwelling house and
furniture, also the stock of every kind that may be on the plantation at
my decease, I leave also to my said wife during her natural llife and
from and immediately after her decease I will that all the land that
shall belong to my estate as aforesaid in Sullivan County do be the
property of my two sons Abraham and Joseph, share and share alike, my
negro man Peter, I leave entirely to the disposal of my wife to be dold,
or given away by her in her lifetime, or disposed of by her by will in
any manner she may think fit, and as to the stock that may be on the
plantation at the time of my wife's decease, it is my will that the same
be equally divided between my three sons, David, Abraham and Joseph
share and share alike. I bequeath to my son David the tract of land
which I own in Goose Creek, in Cumberland settlement, being 411 acres,
be the same more or less; the land I own on Duck River, I bequeath to
Isaac Acuff Looney, my grandson. I give and bequeath two hundred acres
of my said Duck River lands to be equal in value according to quantity
with the rest of the tract and to be laid off as my executors shall
think just and equitable; the remainder of said tract I devise to my
three sons, David, Abraham (apparently Joseph was omitted here, but he
shared in the land division in 1811, says Tilton), share and share alike
according to quantity and quality. I will that out of the land which I
own on the Caney Fork of Cumberland River, one hundred acres by given to
David Taylor, son of my son-in-law, Jeremiah Taylor, the remainder to
become the property of my said son-in-law, Jeremiah Taylor, and as to
the land for which I have purchased near a town called the Eddy, near
Cumberland, in the estate of Kentucky, I will that the same shall be
divided between my said three sons, David, Abraham and Joseph, share and
share alike according to quantity and quality. I give and bequeath to
my son Davy, a negro boy, Isaac, to become his property from and
immediately after my decease. I give and bequeath to my daughter Annis,
the wife of Hugh Crawford, the sum of Ten dollars, to my son Robert,
Ten dollars, to my daughter, Elizabeth, the wife of John Vaughan, the
sum of Ten dollars, to my daughter Jane, the wife of Samuel Carruthers,
the sum of Ten dollars, to my daughter Mary, the wife of Jeremiah
Taylor, the sum
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of Ten dollars, all of which said sums of Ten Dollars together with my
just debts and funeral expenses I will and direct the same be paid and
dischared out of the debts due and owing unto me, the rest residue and
remainder of such debts as are justly due and owing unto me I bequeath
to my said three sons David, Abraham and Joseph share and share alike;
as to what leyder (lead) and gunpowder may remain mine immediately
before my decease, I will that the same be divided immediately after my
decease among or between my said three sons David, Abraham and Joseph,
share and share alike and I do hereby constitute my son Abraham Looney,
John Spurgin, Esquire and Mary Looney, my said wife, joint Executors of
this my last will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and seal the first day of May, 1801.
David Looney (seal)
Signed ,seal, published and declared by the testator as his last will
and Testament in our presence and in the presence of each other
subscribed our names as witnesses thereto.
Alexander Greer
John Williams
State of Tennessee,
Sullivan County.
I, Richard Netherland, Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions
for said county, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of
the Last Will and Testament of David Looney, Deceased, which is of
record in my office.
Given at Blountville, the 15th day of December, 1829."
There is one more daughter named in the Will than appears in the biography above quoted, Jane Looney. She is identified by David, her father, as 'Jane, the wife of Samuel Carruthers.'
Records for some of the children of David and Mary McClelland Looney are followed, but many of the daughters of the family have no history I have found.
The children of David and Mary McClelland Looney were;
1. David Looney, Jr.
2. Abraham Looney.
3. John L. Looney.
4. Sarah Looney.
5. Joseph Looney.
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6. Robert Looney.
7. Annis Looney.
8. Elizabeth Looney.
9. Jane Looney.
10. Mary Looney.
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1. David Looney, Jr. Born__, died 7 July, 1828, in Leadville, Wi. He
married Jane Spurgeon/Spurgin. Issue;
Matilda Looney. Married Charles H. Marsh. Issue;
Lillian Marsh, who married Pearl L. Wing.
Abraham Looney. Married Elizabeth Wright. Issue;
Merrill M. Looney. Married Mary. M. Moore. Issue;
Susan Looney.
2. Abraham Looney. Born 1776, in Sullivan County, NC. He died October 14,
1841, in Maury County, Tennessee, at the age of 65. Abraham was
the son who cast his fortunes with the people of Maury County. He
moved as a young man to Columbia, Tennessee. He was a man of
benevolence, courtesy and education. He was a farmer, a Whig,
and a Presbyterian, wielding wide influence because of high char-
acter and splendid sense. He married in Sullivan County, Miss
Elizabeth Gammon, the daughter of the Honorable Richard Gammon
and his wife, Sarah Gamble Gammon. The book, TENNESSEE & TENN-
ESSEANS, by Hale and Merrill, says that "Richard Gammon was born
in the city of London, England, and became one of the first settlers
in Sullivan County, where he was prominent in industrial and
social development as well as in public affairs. Richard Gammon
served as a member of the First Constitutional Convention, of
Tennessee." Abraham and Elizabeth Gammon Looney had six sons and
six daughters listed below. They were buried in Greenwood Cemetary
in Maury County, Tennessee. Issue:
A. Mary (Polly) Looney. Born June, 1803. This date ia arrived at
by the death entry in the Rhea Family Bible, which states she
died on November 11th, 1884, at the age of 80 years and 5 mo.
Mary Looney married Matthew Rhea IV, in Sullivan County, in
1818. Issue;
(a)Margaret Jane Rhea. Born 1/25/1820. Died 5/17/1880.
Married 1st:Nicholas Long, in 1848. Issue;
Nicholas Long, born 7/27/1849.
Married 2nd: James Dysart Rhea
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on 10/28/1858.
(b) Elizabeth Looney Rhea. Born 3/4/1822. Married John
Rhea, 12/22/1840.
(c) Ellen Preston Rhea. Born 2/15/1824. Died 6/20/1843.
(d) Sarah Lucinda Rhea. Born 2/28/1828. Married S.A.
Miller, 8/28/1849.
(e) Abraham Looney Rhea. Born 2/25/1830. Married Emma L.
Cross, 11/10/1869.
(f) Matthew Rhea,VI. Born 3/8/1833. Died at the Battle of
Belmont, 11/7/1861, at age 28. Married Mrs. Harriet H.
Beard.
(g) Mary Annis Rhea. Born 9/2/1835. Died 10/21/1843.
(h) Samuel Doak Rhea. Born 11/17/1837. Died 1843.
(i) Jeannette Preston Rhea. Born 2/8/1840. Died 1840.
(j) Walter Preston Rhea. Born 7/28/1841. Died 11/30/1880.
Married Jane (Jennie) Bowen Edmondson, 6/29/1870. Issue;
(1) Hugh Preston Rhea.
(2) William Edmondson Rhea.
(3) Susan Bowen Rhea.
(4) Mary (Mamie) Looney Rhea.
(5) Walter Preston Rhea II.
(k) Ella Preston Rhea.Born after the death of sister,
Ellen, on 9/2/1844. Married Hunsdon Cary.
(1) Nellie Cary. Born 12/22/1884.
(l) Mary Frances Rhea. Born 6/13/1848. Married James T.
Rhea, 5/20/1875.
(m) John William Rhea. Born -. Died 9/5/1873. Married
Italia G. Porter.
(There is a great deal of information available for the descendants of
this Looney-Rhea marriage, which I would be happy to share with others.)
B. Sarah Gammon Looney. Born 1806. Married Judge Edward Dillahunty.
One child who died in infancy.
C. David Looney, Jr. Born ca. 1802, in Tennessee. He died 8/10/
1874, in Memphis, Tennessee and buried at Can Hill Cemetary,
Louisville, Kentucky. He was a lawyer, and real estate dealer,
as a young man, moved from Columbia, Tn., to Memphis, then to
Louisville.
Continue with Part 7, David Looney Branch (NEXT PAGE)
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