Shortly after Sumner County was formed in 1786, the two Peter Looneys began to avoid ambiguity and confusion by slight changes in the signatures. Peter3 Jr. returned to the old style form of Luna and often wrote (P) or Pitman in or after his name and the older Looney, son of Absalom2 Looney, added (H) or Harmon in or after his name. This can be followed in the tax records.
The early tax lists of Sumner County do not show Peter Looney (P) taxed for the 640 acre tracts above mentioned but only for 440 acres from 1787 to 1789, inclusive; for 249 acres from 1790 to 1793, inclusive; and for 889 acres in 1794.
Peter Looney (P) recorded his stock mark in Sumner County, Tennessee, 15 Dec 1790. At the July Court, 1794, both Peter Luna (P) and Peter Looney (H) were appointed for Jury service.
Peter Luna was commissioned Captain of Luna's Company, Sumner County Militia, Territory South of the Ohio, on 14 Jul 1792. He had previously been Ensign. (Territorial Papers U. S. IV, p 451.) His name is found on a pay roll at Knoxville, 21 Jul 1795, as having commanded from 1 to 28 Feb 1794; one month at $40.
Whereas, on the tax lists, the name of Peter Looney H preceded that of Peter Looney P from 1787 to 1789, inclusive, the name Peter Looney (H) followed the entries for (Captain) Peter Looney in 1790 to 1794, inclusive.
On 12 Jan 1796 Peter3 Looney (by James Lauderdale, Jr., his attorney) deeded to John Looney, for L100, 250 acres at head of Meadow Creek, a branch of Craig's Creek in Botetourt County, Virginia. (This was the 250 acres which Peter2 Looney purchased from Colonel Patton in 1754.)
On 25 Dec 1802 Peter Looney of Sumner County sold to Joseph Terry Williams of Wilson County for $340 a tract of 170 acres in Wilson County. On same day he sold land in same county on Looneys's Branch for $300 to Isaac Smith. (Wilson Co. Deeds A, pp 308, 437.) This looks like the sale of one-half of his preemption. (Do Wilson County deeds show other sales of this land granted 16 Jul 1788, perhaps sales by Wooton Luna or his heirs?)
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As late as June 1805, Peter Looney (P) was appointed in Sumner County to assess damages on account of a road. This was indexed as Captain Looney.
On 20 Nov 1800, Peter Looney sold 100 acres in Williamson County, Tennessee, to James Scurlock. In 1810 Peter Looney sold 160 acres on Harpeth River in Williamson County to Nch. Milburn. Also in 1810 he purchased Lot No. 22 in Fayetteville, Lincoln County. (Lincoln Co Minutes 1, p 67.)
Previous to 1814 Peter3 Looney moved from Sumner to Lincoln County, Tennessee, where his cousin Jonathan3 (Absalom2) lived. In the 1820 census there, Peter Loony, Sr., aged over 45 years, and a female in the same county, Peter Luna, Sr., is listed as 60/70 (born 1765 plus or minus 5) with 1 male 20/30 and 14 slaves. Presumably his first wife died between 1820 and 1830. Was she a Pitman or was she a Long as stated by a descendant in the line of James4 Luna? If further investigation is made for the name of his first wife, notice that Peter2 Looney had owned land on Long's Run in Hawkins County, Tennessee. It has been suggested that Peter3 Luna sometimes used the name Pitman because he at one time had lived at or near Pitman's Stations in pre-Sumner County, Tennessee.
In 1840 in Marshall County, just north of Lincoln County, Peter Luna, Sr., is listed as 70/80 with 1 female of same age group and 12 slaves. Peter3 Luna was still an active man and was appointed on 27 Apr 1840 with his son, James4, to view a road. Certainly Peter3 Luna had married again, as indicated by the 1840 census record, and the second wife was of his own age group. This is confirmed by Marshall County Deeds F, p 73, dated 17 May 1843. "For love and affection I entertain for Granville H. Hogan, son of my wife, Elizabeth Hogan (now Elizabeth Luna), I do hereby give and transfer to him, the said G. H. Hogan, one sorrel filley out of a sorrel mare now in his possession by "string", but the children of said Hogan are to have the increase, if any, from filley and also the sorrel mare, mother of said colt in his possession." Signed by Peter Luna, Sr., and witnessed by Asa Holland and Y. T. Adams.
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It is unlikely that Peter3 moved from Linclon to Marshall County between 1830 and 1840. When Marshall County was created it may have merely included that part of Lincoln County in which Peter3 lived. Certainly on 22 Jun 1831 Peter LUNA, senior, sold to Henry Tilley 28 acres on Middle Fork of Cain Creek (Lincoln Co Deeds I, p 224) and mention was made of Peter Loona's tracts of 51 acres and 8 acres. This is in the Petersburg area and close to the county line.
In 1850 census in Marshall County he is listed as Peter LUNA, Esq., aged 91, farmer, born in Virginia, and without family in his household. The last payment on his Revolutionary War pension covered the period from 4 Sep 1850 to 16 Feb 1851 and was made to Wm. P. Chambliss, attorney for the estate. On 9 Jul 1851 the clerk of county court at Lewisburg, Tennessee, certified that Peter Luna, Sr., died in Marshall County, Tennessee, on 16 Feb 1851 leaving no widow but the following children: James Luna (executor of the estate), Peter Luna, Jr., Amy Hogan, Nancy Milam and Dolly Bryant. His second wife, Elizabeth, had died before the census of 1850 had been taken.
On 5 Jan 1852 a list of notes due the estate of Peter Luna and a short list of articles sold (perhaps privately) was presented to the Court by J. J. Elliott, D. C. Among the pruchasers are the names J. L. Bryant (possibly a son-in-law) and Sarah Johns (probably a grand-daughter). In DeKalb County census in 1860 Sarah Johns (36) with Mary A. (2) was living in family of Elisha5 Luna (34).
A mush larger list of purchasers at the sale for Peter Luna, deceased, was filed without date. Over 200 entries were made, including slaves and livestock. The daughter, Nancy Milam, made deveral purchases. (Her mane has not yet been found in census records.) Many Luna names appear, also Mary Briant (perhaps a daughter) several times. (In Lincoln County in 1850 lived Wm. N. Bryant (22) with Mary Bryant (24) both born in Tennessee.) The list was signed by James Luna and he says "One small bed plus furniture and two chairs are not sold yet. There is a bill filed against them in Chancery Court at McMinville for them." (Warren County records should be consulted for this item.)
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On 16 Feb 1853, James Luna, executor of Peter Luna, deceased, presented an account showing total receipts of $7,911.55 and expenditures of $2, 854.82, leaving a balance on hand of $5,056.73 due the estate.
After years of searching by various persons, the unindexed will of Peter3 Luna of Marshall County was found by James L. Bryant at Lewisburg, Tennessee, in Will Book A, pp 250 to 264. It was dated 14 Dec 1846, with a codicil of 25 Mar 1848. The witnesses were David McGahey, Jr. and Alexander Biggers, Jr. First named in the original willis the wife, Elizabeth, who was to receive the use of one-third of the lands and buildings and other considerations, but she died before the codicil was added. Peter names sons Elisha (deceased), James (executor), Peter and John C. Luna (deceased); also daughters Peggy (Luna) Hogan (deceased), Jenny (or Amy) Hogan (wife of Anthony Hogan), Nancy Milam, Polly (or Dolly) Bryant (wife of Gray Bryant). One grand-daughter, Polly, the wife of James Luna and daughter of Peggy Luna was named. After the wife's decease the lands were to be divided between four sons or their heirs, two daughters and Polly, the daughter of deceased daughter, Peggy (Luna) Hogan (excluding Jenny, the wife of Anthony Hogan, who was to receive $5).
When the codicil was signed, the wife, Elizabeth, was still living but son, John C. Luna, and died. The codicil provided for a new division of all the land to James and Peter after the wife's death, and confirmed to the heirs of Elisha and of John C., their father's share of the personal property.
Among his descendants for generations Captain Peter3 Luna was known as "old Grancer". Among his contemporaries he was called "Big Pete".
Nothing has been found to connect Peter3 Luna with Wooton Luna of Wilson County (1820 census) or with William Luny whose 1280 acres in Wilson County were sold for taxes in 1806 or with James Lewney of the 1830 census in Wilson County.
The following is a reconstructed outline of the family of Peter3 Luna (only child of Peter2 Looney) and Peter's unknown first wife who died between 1820 and 1830.
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Dates of birth are (with one exception) simply best adjusted estimates from all known data:
Elisha4 Luna b. ca. 1784. Heirs received 1/7 of paternal grandfather's personal estate. See FOURTH GENERATION.
James4 Luna b. ca 1787; d ante 10 Dec 1846; m. ________Hogan and had daughter, Polly Hogan who m. her first cousin, James5 K. Looney ca 1839, son of James4 Luna. She inherited 1/7 of her maternal grandfathers's personal estate but died leaving four orphans whose guardian was A. H. Luna, appointed at the April term of Court in Marshall County, 1852. See James K. Looney, FIFTH GENERATION.
Peter4 Luna, Jr. b. ca 1788. Received 1/7 of father's personal estate and 1/2 of lands. See FOURTH GENERATION.
Jenny4 (or Amy) Luna b. ca 1792. Second (?) wife of Anthony Hogan ante 14 Dec 1846; living 1851. Received only $5 by father's will. Have been unable to determine Anthony Hogan's children.
Nancy4 Luna b. ca 1794, m. ___________ Milam ante 14 Dec 1846; living 1851. Received 1/7 of father's personal estate. As Nancy Milem (or Milam) she purchased several items at the sales of Peter Looney's estate.
John4 C. Luna b. ca 1797. Heirs received 1/7 of paternal grandfather's personal estate. See FOURTH GENERATION.
Polly4 (or Dolly) Luna b. ca 1802; wife of Gray Bryant ante 14 Dec 1846. Received 1/7 of father's personal estate. It is thought that Dolly m (2) Wm. Bryant and lived in Wilson County at 1850 census.
(Note: Mrs. Evelyn Duran, 801 South Third, McAlester, Oklahoma 74501, may have further information about Anthony Hogan and his children and lawsuits vs. Peter3 Luna.
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