Person Page - 5

     Robert was born in 1828. He was the son of Joseph Barclay Sr. Looney and Nancy Hendrixson or Hendrickson.

     John was born in 1732. He was the son of Robert Looney and Elizabeth Stover? (Barabar). He married Esther Hettie Renfro circa 1759. John died in 1817.

     It is worth noting that if her birth date is correct, she was either born before either of her mother's possible marriages or her listed parents are incorrect. Esther was born at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, circa 1739. She was the daughter of Stephen Renfro and Margaret Rhea. She married John Sr. Looney circa 1759. As of circa 1759,her married name was Looney. Esther died on 26 February 1821.

     Stephen died. Stephen was born at Augusta Co., Virginia, USA, in 1760. Possibly Botetourt County.. He was the son of John Sr. Looney and Esther Hettie Renfro.

     Jane died. Jane was born at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, in 1761. She was the daughter of John Sr. Looney and Esther Hettie Renfro. She married Stephen Holston at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 1 June 1781. As of 1 June 1781,her married name was Holston.

     He married Jane Lucy Looney at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 1 June 1781.

     Peter was born at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, in 1763. He was the son of John Sr. Looney and Esther Hettie Renfro.

     Mary died. Mary was born circa 1765. She was the daughter of John Sr. Looney and Esther Hettie Renfro. She married Henry Castle at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 6 July 1786. As of 6 July 1786,her married name was Castle.

     He married Mary Looney at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 6 July 1786.

     Esther died. Esther was born at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, in 1769. She was the daughter of John Sr. Looney and Esther Hettie Renfro. She married John Jackie Walker at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 14 June 1802. As of 14 June 1802,her married name was Walker.

     He married Esther Looney at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 14 June 1802.

     David died. David was born at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, in 1773. He was the son of John Sr. Looney and Esther Hettie Renfro. He married Margaret (Peggy) Ferrier at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 6 January 1806.

     Margaret died. Margaret was born at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, circa 1786. May have been born in Ireland.. She was the daughter of Robert Ferrier and Margaret unknown. She married David Looney at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 6 January 1806. As of 6 January 1806,her married name was Looney.

     Sarah died. Sarah was born at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, in 1779. She was the daughter of John Sr. Looney and Esther Hettie Renfro. She married Jonathon Givens at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 18 June 1828. As of 18 June 1828,her married name was Givens.

     He married Sarah Looney at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 18 June 1828.

     Elender was born at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, in 1780. She was the daughter of John Sr. Looney and Esther Hettie Renfro. She married Elender Looney at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 18 December 1805. She married Elender Looney and George W. Walker at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 18 December 1805. Elender died on 28 August 1835 at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA.

     He married Elender Looney at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 18 December 1805.

     John was born in 1784. He was the son of John Sr. Looney and Esther Hettie Renfro. He married Elizabeth Walker at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 29 March 1804. John died circa 1817.

     She married John Jr. Looney at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 29 March 1804. As of 29 March 1804,her married name was Looney.

     Robert died. Robert was born at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 22 February 1786. He was the son of John Sr. Looney and Esther Hettie Renfro. He married Catherine Stover at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 9 December 1809.

     She married Robert Looney at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA, on 9 December 1809. As of 9 December 1809,her married name was Looney.

     Robert was born at Ballagilley, Isle of Mann, circa 1692. He was the son of John Looney and Elizabeth Llewellen. He married Elizabeth Stover? (Barabar) circa 1715. From the Original Court Records of Augusta Co, VA. 1745-1800 Robt. Breckinridge appointed guardian to Peter Looney, an infant, to prosecute suit in Chancery against his grandfather, Robert Looney.

Robert Looney exempted from County levy.

In 1759 Peter Looney and David Looney bought land from their father, Robert Looney. Peter Looney is dead (1763), leaving Peter Looney, an infant, his son and heir, but Robert made a deed to the land to John Bowyer. Robert answers that at the time of making the contract he was drunk.

May 11, 1764. John Smith gives his deposition. He was present when the proposals were made that Robert Looney and wife desired to have confirmed. Some time after Colonel Buchanan was sent for to draw the articles, and Buchanan's statements are punctually true. The articles were lodged with the deponent.

Shortly afterwards the defendant and his wife made a demand of Peter Looney (now deceased) and David Looney of the house and land. Peter Looney immediately answered (which David agreed to), "choose the spot for the house and it shall be builtl, and show the land, and Colonel Buchanan and Colonel Smith shall lay it off". They insisted to have land over the creek, but Peter and David refused because it was contrary to the agreement.

Then Robert and wife made a second demand of David Looney. The old woman said she chose to have the land in the orchard, which he agreed to, and further said if they chose to have the house where his barn stood, he would remove the barn. The widow Looney sent off for cattle to winter in consequence of the bargain.

The first winter after the bargain David Looney wintered Robert Looney's cattle, and the deponent several times saw David drawing firewood to the said Robert, and he saw widow Looney send a hand to cut wood for him.

Derived from a 1974 article appearing in "The Bulletin of North American Manx Assoc."
Little did Robert Looney, a Manx farmer from Ballagilley, Maughold, Ireland realize when he arrived in the New World about 1731, that he and his descendants would be recorded in the annals of their new land as frontiermen and patriots. Records show that by 1734, Robert Looney and his wife, Elizabeth Llwellyn, and at least seven sons (they were to have 14 sons!) were in Philadelphia where they joined an expedition into the colony of Virginia.

The following year he settled on a patent of 291 acres - for which he was to pay the Crown land rent of one shilling a year - on the south bank of Cohongoronta (Upper Potomac) river, probably near present day Hagerstown, Maryland. By 1739 - 1740, Robert Looney and his family moved southward through the Shenandoah valley, finally settling on a grant of 250 acres on the James river, in what was to become Augusta county, where another Manxman, Isreal Christian, had prospered. They later donated lands to the county seat, and became influential in colonial politics.

In 1742 Robert gained another 400 acres in grants, and became one of the most prosperous farmers in the area, with his own mill, orchards, nursery, cattle and horses, even operated a ferry across what may still be found today not far from Natural Bridge - Looney's Mill Creek. At least three of his sons served in the Augusta County militia.

One of these sons, Absalom, was a true frontier spirit, trapping and hunting in the rugged southwest of the colony, Virginia's last frontier. There, while living in caves to avoid the Indians, Absalom discovered a fertile valley, rich in blue grass pastures, to which he led his family and some followers and founded a new settlement, at least four years before that noted frontier explorer, Daniel Boone, arrived in the same area to build a fort only six miles from Absalom's homestead. To This day, the quiet valley, some seventeen miles from Bluefield, Viginia is known as "Abb's Valley" in honor of its discoverer, Absalom Looney.

Indian attacks on these frontier communities were not uncommon, but soon the Indians were to be joined by a new ally, the French, and the settlers were swept violently into the bloody conflict between the British and the French known as the "Seven Years War" of "French and Indian War". General Braddock, the British Commander in Chief, was mortally wounded and his regiment turned to route at the "Battle of the Wilderness". Col. George Washington, commander of the Virginia Militia, lost some of his men in the same engagement.

The picture was grim; no regular army and no militia to protect the settlers. Robert Looney's son Peter was captured by Indians and held prisoner at Fort Detroit for almost a year, dying three years after his release. Another son, Samuel, was killed by the Indians in 1760, and the homestead of Robert's daughter, Lucy Jane, was raided and looted by the Indians. Robert Looney, mindful of his responsibilities to his family and followers, erected a fort (Fort Looney). This was one of the few forts which withstood capture and provided provisions to the militia until the end of the war in 1763.

Absalom, recalled from Abb's Valley with his family to assist his father in building the fort, was to learn later that those who remained in his valley settlement had been massacred by Indians, a fate which would later befall him at Dunkard's Spring, Virginia between 1791 and 1796.

The end of the Indian Wars was not to spare the Looney family. During the American Revolution, two of Robert Looney's sons, Absalom and David, were to see duty. Absalom in patriotic service under General George Washington and David as Major in the North Carolina Militia. Three of Absalom's sons, like the offspring of his brothers, were to serve in the Virginia Militia, with one dying of gunshot wounds to both legs after his role int he American Victory at the Battle of King's Mountain in North Carolina.

Robert and Elizabeth Looney are presumed buried near the Reed Creek area of Augusta County (Botetourt Co.) VA.¹ Robert died on 4 September 1769 at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA.

     Elizabeth, wife of Robert Looney, aged and infirm. Comn. to take testimony. 1745. Elizabeth was born at Sheading, Kirk Lonan, Isle of Mann, circa 1696. She married Robert Looney circa 1715. As of circa 1715,her married name was Looney (Barabar). Elizabeth died circa 1770 at Botetourt Co., Virginia, USA.

     In 1745 a road was ordered built from Adam Harmon's to the River and No. Branch of Roan Oak. Adam Harmon was the overseer and Thomas was one of the workers.

When he died of unknown causes in 1746 he was only 28 years old. Thomas was born in 1718. He was the son of Robert Looney and Elizabeth Stover? (Barabar). Thomas died on 15 April 1746.

     Robert was born at Virginia, USA, in 1721. He was the son of Robert Looney and Elizabeth Stover? (Barabar). He married Margaret Rhea circa 1743. Robert died in February 1756 at Knox Co., Tennesee, USA. May have died in Reed Creek, Augusta Co., VA..

     From the Augusta County Court records 1745-1800. Margaret Looney qualified Admx. of her deceased husband, Robert Looney Jr. Robert died in 1756. Margaret died. She married Robert Jr. Looney circa 1743. As of circa 1743,her married name was Looney.

     Daniel was born in 1723. He was the son of Robert Looney and Elizabeth Stover? (Barabar). He married Margaret Jane Evans circa 1743. Daniel died on 19 November 1769.

     From the Original Court Records of Augusta Co, VA 1745-1800 Jane Evans, late Jane Looney, prays for admn. on her husband's estate, heretofore granted to David Looney, and David summoned. Daniel died in 1769. She married Daniel Looney circa 1743. As of circa 1743,her married name was Looney.

     From the Augusta County, VA Original Court Records Nathaniel Phipps, servant of Adam Looney. Adam was born in 1725. He was the son of Robert Looney and Elizabeth Stover? (Barabar). He married Hannah Wright in 1746. Adam died on 4 July 1770 at Tryon, Craven Co., South Carolina, USA.

     She married Adam Sr. Looney in 1746. As of 1746,her married name was Looney.