Looney - Absalom Branch

                sisters.  They had 8 children.

        Orville Bradley Looney b. 11 Oct. 1837, killed 19 Sept. 1863
                in the Battle of Chickamauga (unmarried) in the Confederate
                Army.  (the entry "aged 25 years, 10 mos. and 8 days"
                in the Bible must be an error for 25-11-8, because the
                Battle was fought 18-20-Sept. 1863.)  Although named legatee
                in his father's will, he d.s.p. and the home place
                descended to the contingent heirs, his sisters, Margaret,
                Sally, and Susan.

        Susan Starnes Looney b. 10 May 1840, d. 10 Sept. 1905 at
                Narcona, Texas, m. 12 Feb. 1866 in Hawkins Co. the Rev.
                Abraham Melsbee b. 8 July 1835, d. 1910 at Nocena, Texas
                (s. of David Melsbee 1794-1864 who m. Margaret Simmons
                1792-1865).  They moved from Hawkins Co. to Nocona,
                Texas, in October 1887.  Susan inherited 1/3 of the home
                place and sold it to her sister Sarah.  Susan and the Rev.
                David Melsbee had 9 children.

(Data on the family of Absalom 4 David Looney were furnished almost exclusively by Prentiss Price of Rogersville, Hawkins Co., Tenn.)

Benjamin 4 Looney (Michael 3) was born in 1791 (his deposition 1829) or 1792 (census of 1850). He m. (1) 18 March 1821 in Knox Co. Tenn., his cousin Jane ("Jessie") Caldwell of Knox Co., daughter of Alexander Caldwell and his wife Margaret Looney, who, according to William 6 G. Looney, was 1/2 sister to Benjamin's father Michael 3 Looney.

Benjamin 4 and Jessie lived in Hawkins Co. in 1830 and 1840

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Looney - Absalom Branch

where he was known as Benjamin Jr. He dropped the jr. about 1840 and removed to Knox Co. by 1848, there in 1850 he owned land near McWilliam's Station. He was a well-known, prosperous, and substantial citizen. Jessie died in Hawkins Co. and he married (2) Feb. 1835 (Hawkins bond) Jane ("Jennie") Brice b. 14 April 1800, daughter of Bill Brice of the hickory Cove. They separated in 1856 and she d.s.p. 18 July 1876. Benjamin 4 Looney d. 22 Feb. 1868.

His children, all by his first wife Jessie, were:

        Mariah E. Looney (1822-1900) m. 23 Feb. 1839 Hawkins Co.
                Abishalum e. Bean (1802 or 1809-1870).  They lived in
                Hawkins Co. and had 5 ch. in 1860.
        Minerva 5 Anne Looney (ca 1826-ante 1875) m. 23 Nov. 1847 in
                Knox Co. Napoleon b. ("Lucian N.") Brice; they lived in
                Knox Co and had 5 ch. (Several members of this Brice family
                were named Napoleon Bonaparte but were called Lucien.
        Margaret 5 J. ("Peggy") Looney, b. 1828, m. 26 March 1851 in
                Knox Co. Samuel C. Croft;  they lived in Knox Co. and had
                4 ch.
        Mary 5 Looney b. 1830, d. ca 1864, m. 4 Jan. 1853 in Knox Co.
                Dr. Joe Walter woods;  they lived in Hawkins Co. and had
                1 son who d.y.

(The above data of Benjamin 4 and family are chiefly from Prentiss Price).

Michael 4 Looney (Michael 3) was born ca1795 in Stanley Valley, Hawkins Co., Tenn. He served as a private in Capt. James Cummings' Company, Child's Batallion, Mounted Gunmen, East

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Looney -Absalom Branch

Tenn.  Volunteers in War of 1812, from 8 Oct. 1814 to 2 May 1815.
Description;  Age 19, height 5 feet 7 inches, complexion dark, dark hair,
eyes gray.

Michael 4 Looney went early to Indian lands in northern Alabama Territory, but his name does not appear on the petition of the settlers in 1819 to be allowed to remain there. He married Susan or Susannah Matthews ca 1816 or '17. She was the daughter of James Matthews and his wife Elizabeth Hardin who moved from Virginia to northern Alabama Territory via East Tennessee. Susan's brother Jeremiah Matthews b. 1800, m. 27 Dec. 1821 Jennie William b. 1803. These were Michael's nieces, daughters of Sherrod and Polly (Looney) Williams. Thus, Michael may have married in Franklin Co., Tenn. Susan had an uncle John Matthews, perhaps he who was on Indian lands and signed the petition of 1819 in Alabama.

The descendants of Michael 4 Looney and his wife Susan Matthews are reported as:

        William 5 Eldridge Looney b. 4 July 1818.  See 5th Gen.
        John 5 Calvin Looney b. 13 Nov. 1820. See 5th Gen.
        Carrell 5 C. Looney b. 1824.  See 5th Gen.

Michael 4 Looney died in Jackson Co., Ala., on Crow Creek near Anderson Station, presumably reasonably soon after the birth of his son (Carrell C. Looney in 1824, and descendants say that Susan (Matthews) Looney m (2) Jesse Rodgers by whom she had (3) sons. (See 1850 census, Jackson Co., Ala.) However in Hawkins Co. Deed Book 17, p. 26, it appears that on 16 Oct. 1838 William Mathews and Susannah Sutton, Executor and Executrix of the estate of

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Looney - Absalom Branch

Michael Looney, decd., of the Co. of Jackson and state of Alabama, deeded to Lewis Davis of Hawkins Co. for $400 two tracts of Land, 130 acres and 145 acres, granted to Jesse McWilliams by Tenn. Grant #3647 in Hawkins Co., on the waters of Big Creek; James Johnston, John Vance, and Thomas Gilliam, witnesses; proved 4 Oct, 1839 by Johnston and Gilliam and recorded 26 Dec. 1839. William Matthews Executor was probably Susan's brother above mentioned, but how could settlement of the estate be so long delayed? Was this merely a belated action in Hawkins Co. to clear title to these tracts?

John 4 Looney (Michael 3) was born 2 Oct. 1799 in Stanley Valley, Tenn., where he always lived. He married Elizabeth Johnson b. 3 Aug. 1798, daughter of James Johnson b. Va., near Abingdon. John 4 and Elizabeth Looney spent their lives on the Michael 3 Looney farm. He was known as Judge Looney. His death occurred 8 Aug. 1880 and that of his wife in 1882. Their children were;

        Mary Ann Looney b. 2 Aug. 1825; m. William E. Carmack
                (1820-1896).
        Michael 5 Jackson Looney (b. 1826/7, d. 1911), m. Susan Carmack b. 1830.
                Their children were;
                Virginia E. Looney b. 1850.
                Elizabeth Looney b. 1856.
                Julia Looney b. 1859.
        With this family in 1850 lived William 5 Looney, s. of Julia 4 Looney 
        and g.s. of Benjamin 3 and Bettie (McClure) Looney.

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pg 45
Looney - Absalom Branch

        James 5 Houston Looney b. 7 April 1828;  attended Washington
                College, Wash. Co., Tenn., 1 year and then returned to the
                home farm; was known as Judge Looney.  He removed to the
                vicinity of Boliver, Mo., ca1855 and settled on Sentinel
                Prairie; to Sedalia, Mo., in March 1865; and m. Lanthe
                D. McClain at Bolivar, Mo.  He d. 1 Feb. 1900 and she d. 23
                Oct. 1914 at Sedalia.  Their children included Mack 6 Dixon
                Looney who corresponded widely concerning the Looneys
                and visited the Isle of Mann in quest of information.

        Matilda Looney b. ca1829, m. David Lyons Jr.  She d. in the
                sixties and family moved to Mo.

        Absalom 5 David Looney b. ca1831.  He m. (1) Nancy Ann Harless
                and lived in Monroe Co., Tenn., in 1870.  He m. (2)
                ------Johnson and lived at Sweetwater, Tenn., where
                he died 1900 or 1902.

        Joseph 5 P. Looney b. ca1833/4, m. (1) Betty Johnson (dau.
                of Dr. Robert Johnson), and m. (2) Jane Bean.

        John 5 S. Looney b. 1835 Hawkins Co. to Bolivar ante 1861;
                d. there 1915 or 1918.  He and wife Catherine (Long) Looney
                are buried in the Boliver City cemetery.

        Jane Looney b. ca1838, m. (1) ---Johnson, and m. (2) C.C.
                Brice (d. in C.S.A. Army).  She d. 1894 in Stanley Valley.

        Orville 5 B. Looney b. ca1840, m. Betty Larkin and lived on
                old homestead many years.  They removed to the State of
                Washington to Join their only child John 6 Looney.

        Rachel Looney b. ca1842.

The will of John 4 Looney, dated 13 July 1875, pvd. Sot. 1880,

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