(Wills C, 457.) The commissioners were: Joseph Givens, Wm. Caldwell, and John Leffil. The estate was settled 26 February 1825 by Elizabeth Reynolds, Administratrix. (Wills D, 176.) The children of John (3) Looney Jr. and Elizabeth (Walker) Looney were:
Joseph (4) Looney b. 1 March 1805. See 4th Gen. John (4) Looney b March 1807. See 4th Gen. Sarah (4) Looney b. ca 1808; m. (Botetourt bond) 20 June 1829 by George Adams, M.N.S. to Jonathan Givens (Wm. E. Reynolds, Gdn.). William (4) Looney b. ca 1810. See 4th Gen.
(Note. At the 1840 census of Botetourt Co., Wm. E Reynolds (40 to 50) is listed with female (50 to 60) who could be Elizabeth (Walker) Looney - Reynolds and with 3 boys and 3 girls.)
David (3) Looney, born ca 1786, married (bond) 6 January 1806 or 1807 Peggy, daughter of Robert Ferrier, by Samuel Phillips, Minister. (Botetourt Mar. Reg. 154, 545.) On 9 June 1807 John (2) Looney deeded to son David Looney 85 acres, part of 271 acres that he had purchased from Adam (2) Looney in 1767, located on Stone Run of Craig’s Creek. (Botetourt Deeds 9, 312.) On 12 February 1810 David (2) deeded this patrimony to his brother Joseph (3) Looney for $700 and Margaret Looney signed the deed. (Botetourt Deeds 10, 35.) David and Margaret seem to have left Botetourt County before the 1810 census; that is, immediately after the sale of the 85 acres.
Robert (3) Looney was born ca 1787, presumably after the death of an older brother Robert, and married (bond) 9 December 1809 Catherine (b. 22 Aug. 1787 in Penna.), daughter of George Stover. The marriage bond in Botetourt County (Mar. Reg. 186) was signed by John Looney Sr. as father. At the 1810 census Robert (3) seems to have been living with his
End page 11
parents (or parents with him), the listing being “John and Robert Looney”; no children in the household.
On 26 June 1813 Robert Looney volunteered in Botetourt County for 3 months and served 2 months or more as Corporal in Captain Joseph Hannah’s Company in the 4th (or 121st) Regiment of Virginia Militia commanded by Colonel James McDowell. He was discarged at Fairfield, near Richmond, on 13 August 1813 (having furnished a substitute). (Bounty-land application papers 76301-40-50; 22807-160-55.)
On 23 March 1816 Robert (3) Looney purchased from his parents 315 acres for 800 pounds. (Botetourt Deeds 12, 98.) It is reported that further evidence is found in Botetourt Deeds 12, page 453, 1 April 1817, that Robert was a son of John and Esther Looney. Probably Robert and Catherine sold the 315 acres at about this time. Certainly by 11 June 1818 Robert was described as of Russell County, Virginia, when he purchased 76 acres there on both sides of Lewis Creek of Clinch River from Martin Honaker and wife Lyddy. On 17 October 1818 he pruchased another tract of 171 acres from the same parties. (Russell Deeds 6, 124, 134, or 174.) This land was perhaps in what is now Buchanan County and Robert must have removed to it soon because his name does not appear in the 1820 census of Botetourt County. In Russell County, however, one finds Robert Luney and wife, both 26-45 with 4 girls and 1 boy under 10 years. On 3 July 1825 Robert (3) Looney bought 100 acres in Russell County on Louisa Creek of Sandy River from John Wilson, attorney for Thomas Wilson. (Russell Deeds 7, 287.) This place was probably N.W. of the other properties and thus nearer to Grundy.
In 1830, from census records of Russell County, it is found that both Robert and wife are aged 40-50 and have at home 1 girl aged 10-15, 1 aged 5-10; also 1 boy 5-10, and 2 boys under 5.
End page 12
On 20 July 1832 Robert (3) and Catherine his wife sold their 247 acres, known as Mill Farm on Louisa Creek, to Harry Smith. A witness was Joseph Looney, J.P. (Russell Deeds 9, 55.) Five months later on 28 December 1832 they sold to Joseph Looney of Russell County their 100 acres on Sandy River. (Russell Deeds 9, 201.) (This Joseph was probably their nephew, Joseph (4) born ca 1805, son of John (3) Looney Jr. Joseph (4) was then or soon to be Robert’s son-in-law.)
Bishop’s History of Roane County states that in or about 1839 Robert and Catherine Looney removed to a location near the present Looneyville and Walton, south of Spencer, in what is now Roane County, West Virginia. The Roan County Reporter, Spencer, West Virginia, in a obituary of one of Robert’s daughters, Sallie Vineyard, states that the family moved from Buchanan County, Virginia, to Roane County, West Virginia, in 1837. Since Robert sold his lands on the wathers of Clinch and Sandy Rivers in 1832, it would seem that the removal occurred about 5 to 7 years earlier than thus reported. Bishop’s History is in error in giving Joseph Looney as the name of Robert’s father.
According to traditions in Buchanan County, Virgina, Robert made a dugout boat of canoe 51 feet long and 4 feet wide from a very large tree and took his family and possessions by water down the Louisa and Sandy to the Kanawha, a distance of nearly 100 miles, and then some 30 or 40 miles up the Main Branch of Poca, a northern tributary of the Kanawha.
In 1850 this region was within the bounds of Kanawha County, Virginia, and the Federal Census lists Robert Looney 63, blacksmith, born Virginia; and Catherine 63, born Pennsylvania. With them lived David Looney 22, laborer, born Virginia, and Abraham Looney 69, laborer, born Virginia. A neighbor was Jennetta A. Looney 20, with Frances O. Looney 3 months old.
End page 13
Robert’s bounty-land application papers were dated 21 May 1852 in Kanawha County and 22 June 1855, also in Kanawaha. A witness in 1855 was his son Daniel Looney.
Grave markers on the farm of their son Abraham (4), on the Upper Flat Fork of Poca, show that Robert (3) died 6 Jnauary 1870 and Catherine died 14 March 1865.
Robert and Catherine (Stover) Looney were the parents of more children than the 5 concerning who information is available from Roane County:
Polly Looney b. 23 Nov. 1810, d. 30 March 1852; m. Joseph (4) Looney (John (3) Jr.) See 4th Gen. Dau. b. say 1812. See 1820 census of Russell Co., Va. (This was Deliah who m. Davidson Atkins.) Son b. say 1814. See 1820 census of Russell Co., Va. Dau. b. say 1815. See 1820 census of Russell Co., Va. (This was Betsy who m. ___ Haynes.) Sarah Looney b. Botetourt Co. 1817, d. Looneyville, W.Va., 2 July 1911; m. 28 July 1840 William Vineyard (son of Presley and Cynthia Vineyard) and lived south of Looneyville on 1018 acres on Vineyard Run. Issue: Elizabeth Vineyard. Robert Vineyard. Rachel Vineyard m. Claudius P. Kelly Presley Vineyard m. Julia A. Combs. Peter C. Vineyard. Samuel Vineyard. Emma Vineyard. Roxie Vineyard m. G. W. Graves. Peter C. Looney b. 28 March 1823. See 4th Gen. Daniel Looney b. 8 Jan. 1827. See 4th Gen. Abraham Looney b. Nov. 1830. See 4th Gen. (For possible additional information, see Hardesty’s History of Roane County, West Virginia.) End page 14
Elisha (4) Looney (Peter3) was styled “son of Judith” on 6 February 1843 when he was married by John Bowman, minister, to Nancy Burchett, daughter of Jane, in Franklin County, Virginia. Nathaniel Oxlay was surety. (Mar. Bonds, Franklin Co., Va.) He could be the boy, under 10 years of age, listed at the 1820 census of Franklin County, Virginia, in Judith Looney’s family. Peter (3) died about 1812 and thus Elisha could have been aged about 30 when married. Query: Did Elisha predecease his mother or had he “gone away” before April 1847 when his sisters sold their interest in the home place of 120 acres?
Moses (4) Looney (Joseph3) was born 1807 in Botetourt County, Virginia, and married there (bond) 17 January 1832 Jane Caldwell who was born ca 1810 in Virginia. (Botetourt Mar. Reg. 622.) From the censuses of 1850 Botetourt and 1860 Craig County, it appears that their children were:
Alexander (5) Looney b. 1832 See 5th Gen. Nicholas (5) Looney b. 1834 See 5th Gen. Martha Looney b. 1839. Nancy J. Looney b. 1859. (Grandchild?)
Henry (4) Looney (Joseph3) was born 5 February 1809 in Botetourt County and was married (lic.) 21 May 1841 to Nancy Caldwell. (Botetourt Mar. Reg. 427.) No children are listed in 1850, but Harriet Rock, born ca 1838, was with them in 1850 in Botetourt. The 1860 census of Craig County shows the same child a Harriet R. Looney, Domestic; and also listed was:
James (5) G. Looney b. ca 1854.
John (4) Looney (Joseph3) was born 14 January 1814 in Botetourt (later Craig) County, Virginia, and married Phoebe Huffman, born 16 February
End page 15
Continue with Part 5, John (2) Looney Branch (NEXT PAGE)
Return to Manuscript INDEX PAGE
Copyright © 1997, T T G