Fishing with Uncle Willie

 Growing up I always felt safe when I was with Uncle Willie.  Whether sitting on the river bank with our fishing poles or floating on the river in one of Dad’s flat bottom boats I was never afraid with him around.  I couldn’t swim a lick, and Mom was terrified of the river, but if I was with Uncle Willie, I could roam from one end of Yellow Hill Bottom to the other.

On summer days, as soon as our chores were done, we would head to the river bank with our poles.  A can of worms could be filled quickly at the spot where the house drain emptied into the garden. We would sit for hours, intently watching our lines.  The birds, frogs and dragonflies were our entertainment.

When I got a little older we were allowed to take Dad's flat-bottom boat out.  We would pole it upriver to near the swinging bridge behind the Rasnicks. The water got too swift there for us to go any farther.  We would then let the boat drift down to just above the shoals behind Aunt Virgie’s.  There we would grab the long wooden poles we used to push the boat and pole back up to the swinging bridge to repeat the circuit.

Drifting downstream we would cast jitterbugs, spoons or spinner baits toward the shoreline trying to entice a bass to come out of hiding.  We seldom caught anything but it was great fun anyway.

Clyde

Knuckleball Memories

The only time I didn't feel safe with Uncle Willie was when I was trying to catch his knuckleball.  When I was 9 or 10 years old I was "big for my age."  Willie was 15 or 16 and playing high school baseball in the spring and American Legion baseball in the summer.  He would find me sitting on Maw Rachel's front porch, one of my favorite places to hide from my little sisters.  He would toss me a catcher's mitt and say, "Let's throw the ball a little bit."  

We would find something to use as a makeshift home plate and put it down in the middle of the dirt (Red Dog) road that ran in front of our houses.  I would squat down behind the plate while he stepped off the distance to the pitcher's mound.

Willie was a really good baseball player, the first one picked if you were choosing up sides for a sandlot game.  He was a starter at shortstop or second base on the high school team and an All-Star for his American Legion squad.  He was a solid infielder but he wanted to pitch.  He had a good fastball, change-up, and a sweeping curveball.  He could control them pretty well and change speeds to keep a hitter guessing.  But he wanted to master the knuckleball.

The problem was that his knuckleball didn't want to be mastered.  He would get a grip on the ball with his fingertips and knuckles, windup, and hurl the ball toward the plate.  You could see the seams on the ball as it streamed toward the catcher's mitt.  They didn't move, there was no spin at all on the ball.  As a result, the ball would dip or rise, curve to the right or left, or some combination of these.  

Willie didn't know what the ball was going to do. The ball didn't know what it was going to do. And I, squatting there with it hurling toward me, sure didn't know what it would do.  Most of the time I could react fast enough to catch it.  Every so often however, a ball would look like it was heading for the center of the strike zone but then it would dip straight down, strike the ground about two feet in front of the plate, and ricochet off one of my shins.

That hurt! A lot. 

I would bite my tongue, retrieve the ball, and toss it back to Willie.  I couldn't yelp or cry or whine. I couldn't let Willie think I wasn't big enough or strong enough to be playing with him.  That would be far worse than any pain in my shin.

That "biting my tongue" thing was an example of the adolescent wisdom I learned from Willie.  I can remember him telling me, "When you stub your toe or hit your thumb with a hammer, just bite down on your tongue real hard. The pain from your toe or thumb won't feel so bad."  I bit my tongue a lot growing up.  Sadly, biting my tongue isn't helping me deal with the pain of him being gone now.

Clyde

Willie Ray Looney 1942 - 2024

 Willie Ray Looney, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and cherished soul departed this world on January 4, 2024.  Surrounded by the love of family and friends, he transitioned gracefully into eternity, leaving behind a legacy that will forever be etched in the hearts of those fortunate enough to have known him.

Born on October 5, 1942, to Rachel Justice and John Looney of Road Creek, in Pike County, he graced our lives with his presence for 81 years. A beacon of warmth and kindness, he navigated life with grace, embodying the virtues of compassion, resilience, and unwavering patience. His departure leaves an indelible void but also serves as a poignant reminder of the beauty and fragility of life.
Willie was the youngest child of divorced parents who loved him dearly. His brothers and sister played an important role in his upbringing and his mother and father continued to be an important part of his life since they both didn’t stray far from Road Creek.

He attended his first four years of school on Road Creek in a little one-room schoolhouse where he learned how to read, one of his favorite hobbies. Later he moved to Marrowbone Bottom, where Rachel ran a country store and spent sunny days fishing on the banks of the Russell Fork.

Willie attended Elkhorn City School until he graduated in 1960. During his time there, he was profoundly touched by the influence of special teachers and an encouraging coach. Katherine Mullins, his English teacher, Eva Powell, his guidance counselor, and Monk Mullins, his baseball coach. He loved playing baseball and would hitchhike from Marrowbone Bottom to Elkhorn for practices and games. Mrs. Mullins inspired him with her reading and writing assignments and encouraged him to polish his skills to perfection. And since he showed remarkable talent in these skills, Mrs. Powell took him under her wing and encouraged him to go to college.

He attended Pikeville College from 1960 to 1962 until his money ran out. He took a summer job in Chicago, Illinois at Rollins Television Factory to make money to pay for tuition. Soon, he returned to Pike County and took a teaching job in a one-room schoolhouse on Buffalo Creek in Floyd County. He taught first through eighth grade, where he had to report on Sunday night to prepare for school on Monday. One of the duties he particularly dreaded was shoveling coal to heat the schoolhouse. He showed up faithfully each Sunday, hauled coal, and made sure the schoolhouse was warmed when his students arrived on Monday morning. Though he never showed his frustration at this task, his adoring students and even the eighth-grade ruffian boys, realized his dedication to them, and later when he arrived on Sunday nights he found the chore already done for him. He finished teaching the boys and girls that year, having saved up enough money for tuition, and then returned to college where he graduated with a double degree in English and Political Science.

During this time, he met and married Carolyn Sue Martin of Beckley, West Virginia. They married in July of 1965, and August moved to Orlando, Florida where he accepted a teaching position at Union Park Elementary. He taught seventh-grade English, but he found the Florida heat less inviting than the fresh mountain air, so when his former mentor Eva Powell called offering him a teaching position at Elkhorn City High, he jumped at the chance, since he and Carolyn were expecting their first child, Jon, in November of 1966. He returned and happily taught English for six years. Several former students still remark on the impact of his teaching, fondly reflecting on how he used to read to them and the special patience he had with them.

By 1968, he and Carolyn had added a daughter, Dawn, and by 1977, another son, William, would complete their family. And with the responsibilities of a growing family, he set out on a new career. He began working for the federal government, first for the Social Security Administration, and later for The Department of Labor, retiring after 30 years of public service, rising to a position of regional director. Throughout this time, he worked to help improve his community through his involvement with several organizations including his service on the Pike County Library Board, where he hoped his service would enrich the lives of others in Pike County.

Throughout his retirement, Willie rekindled his love for hobbies outside of work such as fishing for trout in the Clinch River with his cousin Cliff, golfing with Carolyn and his buddies at Willowbrook, nature walks observing the beauty of the place he called home all his life with Joe Bart, and spending time with his friends and growing family that now included grandchildren. With Carolyn’s encouragement, they also established a residence in South Carolina for more than 20 years, where they welcomed friends and family alike who would visit often, sometimes too often (Dawn).

As he grew older, his love for the simple things in life was only enriched by his time in nature. He became a bird-watching enthusiast, often naming bird species by name on a whim. He enjoyed feeding them in his numerous bird feeders. He loved gardening and would often offer his table garden bounty to his numerous visitors. Though not a fan of the hot Orlando sun, he found the cool breeze and saltwater of the Carolina coast soothing and that is where he retreated with Carolyn and family often. He also loved watching sports, trading stocks, and reading a great book.

Throughout his life, Willie touched the lives of many with his enduring love, charming spirit, and boundless generosity. Whether through his professional endeavors, community involvement, or personal relationships, he left an enduring mark that will continue to inspire and uplift those who follow in his footsteps.

Willie’s legacy extends beyond the tangible, as his children, grandchildren, and friends attest to weaving a tapestry of memories that will be cherished by all who had the privilege of sharing in his life. He will be remembered for countless moments of laughter, wisdom, and shared experiences that defined his time on this earth.
In this time of profound loss, let us come together to celebrate Willie Ray’s remarkable journey and honor the legacy he leaves behind. May we find comfort in the knowledge that his spirit lives on in the hearts of those who were touched by his humanity, and may we draw strength from his lessons of love and generosity.

Willie is preceded in death by his mother Rachel Justice, his father John Looney, two brothers Junice and Joeseph Looney, one sister Gertrude Stalker, a nephew Randy Looney, a great-nephew John Allen Williamson, and his great-niece Traci Ratliff.

Willie is survived by his wife of almost sixty years, Carolyn, his son Jon Walter, daughter-in-law Tiffany, granddaughter Katie, and two grandsons Kendall and Clark, his daughter Dawn Elizabeth McNew, son-in-law Craig, and two grandsons Grant and Jackson, his son William Ashley, and two grandsons Brody and Ashton, special daughter in love, Angela Runyon. His sister-in-law Elizabeth “Kay” Bowling and husband Doug, brother-in-law Walter “Eddie” Martin and wife Judy, his beloved nieces and nephews Clyde Stalker (Jennie), Patricia Slone (Mike), Sandra Williamson (John), Jeffery Ratliff (Randy), Lucille Potter, Michelle Schell (Jim), Sherry Coffey, Danny Looney, Cindy Ashby (Michael), Heather Justice (Danny), Angela Walker and Martin Walker (Windy).

Celebration-of-Life will be held in the Bailey Funeral Home Chapel from 6:00 PM-10:00 PM on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, with a service at 7:00 PM with Jimmy Dale Sanders officiating.

Written by Carolyn Looney and Family

Double First Cousins

 This is a photo of Mom, Gertrude Looney and her double-first-cousin, Aaron Justice, standing.  The younger child in the wagon may be Aaron's brother Olen.

Clyde

Old Photo: The Wards

I was looking through Russell Fork River Basin Area – Pictorial History with Mom a while back and we came across this old photograph:


Mom looked at it intently, pointed to the lady on the right and said excitedly, “Why that’s Ginny!  She was a midwife, she delivered me!”  The Wards lived near the mouth of Road Creek and Ginny apparently delivered many of the babies born there, including Mom.

The other woman in the photo, Melvina, was a relative of our Grandma Angeline.  I’m not sure if she was a half-sister or first cousin or maybe both.  (Get Mom to explain it to you.)

Clyde

Mommy’s Memories

When Luci was here in March she got Mom to talking about how things were when she and Dad first got married.  Here are a couple of memories that Mom shared;

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When Mom and Dad first married, Uncle Miles and Aunt Ida lived across the river near where the old swinging bridge was.  In the summer they would get in a small row boat and go visit them and fish a while on the way.  When Clyde was a baby they took him along. Click on photo to view full size.

Once they went to church and left Clyde with Uncle Jennings and Maw’line.  Mom had put the little stoppers under the nipples of the bottles she left for him. Maw’line didn’t know about them. Clyde screamed for three hours while sucking on those bottles.  That was the only time that Maw’line ever kept Clyde.

Looney Family Traits

I've ran across these Looney Family Traits on a couple of different websites. Thought you might enjoy them...

Militant......A Looney will fight; they have been in every war from Marlboro in Flanders (1689) to Korea. They feud and fight among themselves when there are no wars.
Clannish......Like English Royalty - they marry among themselves; cousins marry cousins; brothers marry girls who are sisters, until whole neighborhoods and school districts become populated by relatives of relatives.
Snobbish......Looneys who have money never claim kin with poor relations.
Stingy......"A Looney will skin a gnat for its hide and tallow."
Contrary......"A Looney will run through a briar patch rather than walk around it, then cuss it for being there."

These sound pretty accurate to me. I think I saw a mason jar about half full of gnat tallow the last time I was in Mom and Dad's basement. I don't know what she does with the hides after she gets them tanned and dried.

John Looney Clipping

This one doesn't need any explanation.  I thought some of you might want a copy for your files.

Interesting Reading

If you've never tried Google Book Search you really should check it out.  I've found lots of good stuff using it.  I recently found a very interesting report from the U.S. Geological Service published in 1908.   It is titled...

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BULLETIN 348

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COAL RESOURCES

OF THE

RUSSELL FORK BASIN

IN KENTUCKY AND VIRGINIA

I know what you are thinking, "Clyde has lost his freakin' mind!  How can a century old government report about coal possibly be interesting?" 

I must admit it isn't bestseller material and it is kinda' boring reading in stretches.  It is a government report after all.  But sprinkled here and there are familiar place names.  Here are places listed in the Table of Contents;

Powell Creek and Millard	Biggs Branch
Daniels Creek	Harless Creek
Jimmie Creek	Road Creek
Ferrell Creek	Beaver Creek
Grassy Creek	Marrowbone Creek
Pond and Jesse Creeks	Little Creek and Moores Branch
Elkhorn Creek

I know what you are thinking, "Yeah, yeah, that's where many of us grew up.  We've heard those names all our lives.  But I still don't want to waste my time reading about a 21 inch seam of coal on Daniels Creek located at an elevation of 975 feet. Blah, blah, blaaah, blah, blah."

OK, I admitted it was kinda' dry reading in places, but consider the following entry from the bottom of Page 43 about coal deposits on Road Creek...

No, that isn't the Joe Looney you knew.  Remember this was published in 1908.  It is based on field work done in 1906.  The Joe Looney mentioned here is Great-Grandpa Joe Looney.

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A little farther up Road Creek we find on Page 44...

That name may not be familiar to some of you.  Marshall Farmer was a brother to our Great- Grandmother Mary Farmer who married George Stalker.  Dad says they pronounced his name MASH' ul.

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Farther up the river is Pond Creek and Jesse Branch.  On the bottom of Page  62 we find...

John Hawkins was a brother of Martha (Hawkins) Bailey, our Great-Great-Grandmother.   Grant Hawkins was John's son and Martha's nephew. 

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In the discussion of coal in the head of Elkhorn Creek we find the following on Page 68...

The Levi Potter and Ben Potter mentioned here are most likely uncles or cousins of Ted Potter's Great-Grandfather William.  The John Wright mentioned is almost certainly the famous 'Bad John Wright'.
There are lots of other names mentioned that could be related to us in some way.  George Belcher mentioned several times in the discussion of Ferrells Creek may be Squire George that married Martha Bailey's daughter Mary Alice, but I don't know for sure.   The many Coleman, Ratliff, Mullins and other names mentioned are, quite likely, distant relatives.  

Interesting isn't it, all that coal under land owned or worked by our forefathers, and the only coal money we got is what Dad earned working in the mines for Republic Steel. 

See, I told you it was interesting.

Looney Creek Photos

I ran across a group of photos on flickr today that show Looney Creek and the area where Robert Looney 1692 operated a ferry, built a fort, etc.

The gentleman who posted the photos also has a website with lots of information about the Looney Family.

Looney's Ferry

One of the landmarks on the Great Wagon Road from Philadelphia to the Carolinas was Looney's Ferry across the James River.

It is indicated on the 1751 Fry-Jefferson map depicting 'The Great Wagon Road to Philadelphia'.

The Library of Congress has the complete map online.

I found it referenced in Emily McMullan Williams' account of John McMullan's Trek from VA:

The wagon trains moved slowly southwest from the counties of Rockingham (formed 1778), Augusta (1745), Rockbridge (1778), through Fincastle (1772-1777) and into Botetourt (1770). Reaching Looney's Ferry was a point of both anticipation and concern. Getting the horses onto the ferry could sometimes be difficult. Would the James River be frozen over? Would they have to wait a day or two for the right conditions to cross? Robert Looney operated the ferry and inn as early as 1745. The ferry license for this crossing was granted by the Orange Court at the time the road was blazed to wagon width.

Looney's Ferry is also mentioned in an article on the Birth of the Frontier Culture at the University of Virginia website...

In 1744 William Linville's father-in-law Morgan Bryan himself settled near his daughter and her husband. According to Moravian Leonhardt Grubb, who founded Bethabara (Winston-Salem, N.C.) in 1753, Bryan and William Linville were the first to take wagons from the 'Shanidore' to the 'Etkin' [Yadkin]" in 1748. It took them three months to get there. At one point Bryan even removed the wheels of his wagon and hauled it "peacemeal" to the top of a mountain.
Bryan wasn't ferried over James River as Moravian Lenohardt Grubb was in 1753 by Manxman Robert Looney, a Quaker from Conestoga Township, Pa. who prior to 1740 took his family from the Fairfax grant and established a mill on Looney's Creek. Bryan forded the river near where Moravians forded it in 1749 to the music of wolves, and where they found "few houses and no bread." When Grubb passed through in 1753 things had changed. Not only did Looney operate a ferry at Cherry Tree Botton (Buchanan, Va.), there was grain enough for Mrs. Looney to bake bread for the Moravians. Looney's decision to move to Cherry Tree Bottom may have been influenced in part by a 1749 flood that lifted the bed in which his wife and two of their children slept, and carried it about "until they woke up."

In addition to operating the ferry our ancestor Robert Looney and his sons ran an Inn where travelers could spend the night, operated a grist mill, farmed, hunted, and explored the western frontier deep into Indian territory. Due to the threat of Indian attack, a fort was ordered built in 1755 around the Looney homesite. This fort was named Fort Looney and was at the junction of Looney Creek and the James River. This fort was part of a series of forts ordered built along the frontier to protect settlers and to keep the French from claiming the territory. Fort Looney was visited in 1756 by Col. George Washington, future first president of the United States.
Robert Looney and his family defended the fort during the French and Indian War. George Washington references sending troops to the fort in some of his correspondence found in the National Archives. Fort Looney was also referenced in the writings of Col. John Buchanan in his letter of June 1756 to Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie. Col Buchanan wrote: "I have ordered ten men to Looney's Fort on James River." The importance of the fort diminished as the French and Indians were defeated and other more remote forts held the line. In 1758 it was renamed Fort Fauquier in honor of the newly arrived governor of the Colony.
The Looney house and parts of the original fort continued to stand until 1914. Two archaeological excavations were conducted at the "Fort Looney" site in 1968-69. The digs produced a number of artifacts and are discussed in an article by archeologist Howard A. MacCord, Sr. in the Quarterly Bulletin of The Archeological Society of Virginia, Vol. 26, No. 2, December 1971.

...A farm road perpendicular to the river leads from the high ground south of the river valley to the river bank at the western edge of the site. A corresponding road leads north from the north bank of the river. The river between the two ends of the road is still and deep, and here was the only suitable place for miles for ferrying across the river. The present farm roads are the survivors of the "Carolina Road" along which so many pioneers moved during the mid-18th Century, and the ferry is the well-known Looney's Ferry.
Because of the ideal topography of the site and its proximity to the road and ferry site, it was almost inevitable that the site would have been settled at an early date. While the earliest history of the site is unknown, it is certain that on July 30, 1742, Mr. Robert Looney patented the site. Presumably, he also kept a tavern for lodging and feeding the travelers using his ferry and the Carolina Road.

With the growing threat of Indian attacks in 1754-55, Looney was obliged to fortify his homestead. He probably had enough men (he had 5 grown sons) at the tavern-ferry to run the fort for routine guard duty, and he could count on neighbors and travelers to augment this force if an attack came. The fort was already in existence in 1755 and was called Fort Looney. Apparently the fort was never attacked, possibly because it was too strong. In 1758 the fort at Looney's ferry was renamed Fort Faquier in honor of the newly arrived Governor of the Colony. The subsequent history of the fort is uncertain. We know that Robert Looney died in 1769, and one son (Absalom) pioneered into Tazwell County (Stoner, 1962). Looney's house continued to stand, with additions and changes until about 1914, when it was torn down. A solitary pear tree still stands as an indicator that the site was formerly a homestead. In addition, there are people in the neighborhood who can remember the house. The site is now a plowed field, and such debris from more than 175 years of occupation still litters the ground. Where the house formerly stood, the soil is filled with bricks and stones from the old foundations.

Today, the site of "Looney's Ferry " is found just west of Buchanan, VA, and .4 miles east of the crossing of the James River by Interstate 81. There is a historic sign on Route 11 marking the spot. 

The Great Indian Warpath

The Great Indian Warpath — also known as the Great Indian War and Trading Path, or the Seneca Trail — was that part of the network of trails in eastern North America developed and used by Native Americans which ran through the Great Appalachian Valley.

The Great Valley, also called the Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. It is a gigantic trough — a chain of valley lowlands — and the central feature of the Appalachian Mountain system. The trough stretches about 700 miles from Canada to Alabama and has been an important north-south route of travel since prehistoric times.

For white immigrants the Great Valley was a major route for settlement and commerce in the United States along the Great Wagon Road, which began in Philadelphia. In the Shenandoah Valley the road was known as the Valley Pike. The Wilderness Road branched off from the Great Wagon Road at present-day Roanoke, Virginia crossed the Cumberland Gap and led to Kentucky and Tennessee, especially the fertile Bluegrass region and Nashville Basin. Another branch at Roanoke, called the "Carolina Road" led into the Piedmont regions of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Scot-Irish and German settlers traveling down the Wilderness Trail entered Botetourt County VA northeast of present day Buchanan, fording the James River at ferries located in the area. They were following the old Indian trails used for hunting and fighting. The trail followed present day US Route 11 from the Buchanan area through the eastern part of the county, exiting south of Cloverdale. Many of these travelers, seeing the fertile valleys, rolling hillsides and plentiful natural resources, settled in the region, with the first community life being documented in the 1740s. By the 1770s the population was sufficient to create a county government system. Descendants of many of these early families have remained in Botetourt County to the present day, helping to develop the business, industry and commerce that made Botetourt County a thriving community over the past two centuries.

Located near the base of Purgatory Mountain at a bend in the James River was Looney's Ferry, the earliest known ferry crossing in the region. Established around 1742, the ferry license was granted to John Patton (for whom the town of Pattonsburg was named) as a crossing point on the James River of the Wilderness Trail. The Ferry was operated by Robert Looney, who lived nearby. Near this location was established Fort Fauquier (1758), earlier referred to as Looney's Fort, that was established to protect local residents from attacks by Shawnee Indians.

SOURCES: Wikipedia and Botetourt County Tourism.

Joseph Looney 1849

( Clyde's Great Grandfather )

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Joseph LOONEY
Born:   Sept 2, 1849 in Pike Co., KY
Died:    Sept 1, 1939 in Pike Co., KY [Cemetery]
Father:  John Looney
Mother: Mary Ann Childress (Childers)

Joseph married
Elizabeth RATLIFF  March 16, 1873 in Pike County, KY
Born:   Sept. 5, 1857 in Pike Co.KY. (Twin, brother died age 11  days).
Died:    Aug. 5, 1911  [Cemetery] [COD]
Father:   James RATLIFF b: Abt 1835 in Pike Co., KY.
Mother:  Emiline "Emily" RATLIFF b: Abt 1839 in Pike Co., KY.

Joseph and Elizabeth had the following children:

• Miles Looney b: ABT 1875 in Pike Co., KY [COD]

•  Dora Looney b: ABT 1878 in Pike Co., KY

•  Ida Looney b: APR 1884 in Pike Co., KY

•  Hubert Looney b: DEC 1889 in Pike Co., KY [Cemetery]

•  John E. Looney b: SEP 1893 in Pike Co., KY [Obit] [Cemetery]

Notes:

In the Pike County Census of 1880 the household of Joseph Looney is listed as follows:

 

By the Census of 1900 Miles and Dorah have apparently moved into households of their own and Joseph's household now consist of:

Column 11 of this Census recorded ‘Mother of how many children?’ and column 12 recorded the ‘Number of these children living.’   It appears that Elizabeth reported giving birth to 11 children, but that only 5 were still living at the time of the census. 

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If you have additional information or find a correction that needs to be made,
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT.

John Looney 1827

( Clyde's G-G-Grandfather )

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John LOONEY
Born:   ca 1827 in Buchanan County, VA.
Died:    1890 in Pike County, KY.
Father:  Joseph Looney
Mother:  Ruthie Shortridge

John married (1st)
Mary Ann CHILDRESS (CHILDERS)  November 30, 1848.
Born:   1832 in Kentucky
Died:    March 27, 1853
Father:   Flemon Childers
Mother:  Charity Matney

John and Mary Ann had the following children:

• Joseph Looney  b. Sept 2, 1849 in Pike Co., KY

• Jacob Looney

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John married (2nd)
Emeretta ROWE   October 6, 1853.
Born:  
Died:    Abt. 1870
Father:  
Mother: 

John and Emeretta had the following children:

• Polly J. Looney

• Sarah E. Looney: Married: George Washington Ramey Pike County KY.

• Madison Looney

• Henderson Looney

• Malinda Looney

• Miles D. Looney

• William H. Looney

• Spotford Hickman Looney

• Gilbert Looney (foster son?)

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John married (3rd)
Elizabeth JACKSON   May 15, 1872.
Born:  
Died:   
Father:  
Mother: 

John and Elizabeth had the following children:

• Ulysses Preston Looney

• Alex H. Looney

• Walter Solomon Looney

• James G. Jackson (Stepson)

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Notes:

Pike County Census Data provides a few glimpses at John Looney’s household.

1850 Census of Pike County KY: John Looney   age 23              born in VA Mary A.             age 18               born in KY Joseph               age 9 mo.         born in VA

 

1870 Census of Pike County KY: JOHN LOONEY        age 42       born 1827 in VA Children all Born in KY Joseph                        age 21 Sarah E.                      age 15 Malinda E                  age 14 Madison F.                age 13 Henderson                age 11 Sarah H.                     age   7 Henry H.                    age   6 Miles D                        age   5 William H.                 age   4 Spotford H                age   6 mo. ( NOTE: Emeretta is not listed, she may have died in childbirth or afterward in 1870 with son Spotford )

 

1880 Census of Pike County KY: John Looney                   age 53 Elizabeth Looney          age 32 Miles D Looney              age 15 William H. Looney        age 12 Spotford H.                      age 10 James G. Jackson          age 10 (stepson) Ulysses P. Looney          age   7 Alexander Looney        age   4 Walter                                 age   1

 

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If you have additional information or find a correction that needs to be made,
PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT.

Robert Looney 1692

( Clyde's G-G-G-G-G-G-Grandfather )

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Robert LOONEY
Born: Abt.1692 Ballagilley Farm, Maughold Parish, Isle of Mann, Ireland/England
Died: Bef Nov 1770 Looney's Mill Creek, Botetourt County, VA
Father:
Mother:

Robert married
Elizabeth STOVER
Born: Abt. 1696 Sheading, Kirk Lonan, Isle of Mann, Ireland
Died: 1770 Reed Creek area, Botetourt County, Virginia
Father:
Mother:

Notes:

About 1731, Robert and Elizabeth came to America from the Isle of Mann, Great Britain, with their family, settling first in Philadelphia, PA and later in colonial Maryland. In 1739 - 40, they moved west to the new frontier and settled in Augusta County, VA on the James River. There on Looney Creek, Robert and Elizabeth raised their family, established the first ferry crossing of the James River, built a mill, grew crops and raised livestock.

Due to the constant conflict between France and England, as well as the threat of Indian attacks, a fort was ordered built in 1755 around the Looney home site. This fort was named Fort Looney and was at the junction of Looney Creek and the James River. This fort was part of a series of forts ordered built along the frontier to protect settlers and to keep the French from claiming the territory. Fort Looney was visited in 1756 by Col. George Washington, future first president of the United States.

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Robert and Elizabeth had the following children:

• Thomas Looney, b. 1718-1746; d. between 1755-60, married Jane Harmon. Had one child only so far as known.
  
  
• Lovice Looney m. John Brigham.
  
  
• Robert Jr. Looney, b. 1721-1756; m. ca 1742/43 Margaret Rhea, who later as Robert's widow married Stephen Renfro.
  
  
• Daniel Looney, 1723-1760, married Jane Evans.
  
  
• Adam Looney, 1725-1770, m. Hannah Wright, of N. Carolina.
  
  
• Samuel Looney, 1727-175- said to have been killed by Indians in 1760. His widow was Ann ---- who adm. estate and married Elijah Cross.
  
  
• Louisa Looney, 1728- married Capt. John Shelby, Abt. 1750-51 in North Carolina.
  
  
• Absalom Looney, 1729-1796; was three years old when the family moved to America. Married Margaret (Peggy), who was not living at the time he made his will 1791, probated 1796.
  
  
• Lucy Jane Looney, b. 1730- married in 1753 Stephen Holston.
  
  
• John Looney, 1732-1817, m ca 1759 Esther Renfro.
  
  
• Peter Looney, b. 1734-1760; (in Philadelphia) m Margaret.
  
  
• David Looney, b. 1735-1810, married ca 1755 Mary McClelland.
  
  
• Joseph Looney, b. in Botetourt County VA. 1740-1817, married Jean (Jane) Bowen 25 June 1764 in Augusta County VA.

Notes:

The Looney sons were frontiersmen and pioneers. Some fought and died with the British against the French and Indians. Some were killed by Indians during frequent frontier raids on settlers while others helped to explore and expand the frontier boundaries first into southwestern Virginia and eventually into Tennessee Indian Territory. The Looney sons and grandsons fought against the British in the War of Independence.

SOURCES: Website "The Looney Family" and "Looney Family".

 

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Joseph Looney 1805

( Clyde's G-G-G-Grandfather )

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Joseph LOONEY
Born:  March 6, 1805, in Botetourt County, VA
Died:  December 10, 1884 in Buchanan County, VA 
Father: John Looney, Jr.
Mother: Elizabeth Walker

Notes:
Joseph Looney, oldest child of Elizabeth (Walker) and John Looney, Jr., was born March 6, 1805, in Botetourt County, Virginia. He was probably nine years of age when his father's estate was appraised and continued to live with his mother and step father until about 1823, when he, with his brother John, left home to follow their Uncle Robert and his family who had moved from Botetourt to Russell County, a few years before. In 1826, when he deeded his share of his father's inheritance to his step father, William E. Reynolds, he was living in Russell County. He was a Justice of the Peace in this county, in 1832, when he witnessed the deed of his father-in-law, Robert Looney to Harry Smith for 247 acres. Joseph himself purchased 100 acres on Sandy River, near Grundy, Virginia from Robert on December 28, 1832. He died in this part of Buchanan County on December 10, 1884. It should be noted here that the present day Buchanan County was formed in 1858, from Russell and Tazewell Counties and although the land is recorded in Russell County, it actually lies in the present day Buchanan County.

Joseph was married first to Ruthie Shortridge who died after having a family of' three children.  Then on June 14, 1829, in Pike County, Kentucky, he married next his first cousin, Polly Looney. She was the daughter of Robert and Catherine (Stover) Looney, born November 23, 1810. She too died, March 30, 1852, and Joseph was married for the third time on November 3, 1853, to Melissa Shortridge, the sister of his first wife, Ruthie. Joseph was almost 80 years old when he died December 10, 1884, and is buried in a cemetery at Vansant, Virginia. To these three unions,twenty-two children were born. Three by the first marriage, nine by the second marriage and ten by the third marriage.

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Joseph married ( 1st )
Ruthie Shortridge
Born: 
Died: 
Father: 
Mother:

Joseph and Ruthie had the following children:

1. Elizabeth (Betty) Looney, born in 1824, in Tazewell (now Buchanan) County, Virginia, died September 24, 1904, in the same area. She was married January 29, 1846, in Vansant, Virginia, to Walter Matney who was born in 1820, in Tazewell County, the son of Walter and Charity (Charlotte) Alatney He died December 12, 1881, in Buchanan County. They were the parents of' eleven children, all born in what is now Buchanan County.

2. Joseph Looney, Jr., born November 26, 1826, was the second child of Joseph, Jr., and Ruthie (Shortridge) Looney. He died September 24, 1898, at Conaway, Virginia He married first, November 17, 1848, in Pike County, Kentucky, to Louisa (Vicey) Childress. She was born about 1831, and was the mother of four children. He married second, to-Lucy (Elswick) Looney, the widow of his first cousin, John Looney. Lucy was born about 1838, and died April 25, 1919, at Big Rock, Virginia. Joseph was a farmer and a member of the Baptist Church at Conaway, the church services being held in his home many times. He also was clerk of the congregation for many years. His wives were also members, as well as his sons.

3. John Looney, was probably born in 1827, since he is listed in the 1860 Census, aged thirty-three years of age. He died about 1890, in Pike County, Kentucky, where he lived. He married three wives from this county, the first occurring November 30, 1848, to Mary Ann Childress, the daughter of Flem Childress; the second occurring October 6, 1853, to Emertie Rowe who is believed to be a daughter of' Jacob Rowe; and the third, occurring May 15, 1872, to Elizabeth Bentley_ ~ Jackson, the daughter of' Benjamin and Anna Ramey (Bentley)(Jackson.~) There were two children by the first marriage, nine by the second marriage and four by the third marriage.

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Joseph married ( 2nd )
Polly Looney
Born: 
Died: 
Father:  Robert Looney
Mother: Catherine Stover

Joseph and Polly had the following children:

4. William Looney, born March 27, 1830, in Tazewell County, Virginia, (now Buchanan), was the first child of Joseph and his second wife, Polly (Looney) Looney. His marriage May 15, 1856, to Elizabeth Jane Yates, born in 1831, daughter of Richard and Sally Yates, is recorded in the Tazewell County Courthouse. Elizabeth died June 10, 1921. They lived on Slate Creek, near Grundy, and courthouse records show that William served as President of the board of Supervisors for the first meeting after the fire which consumed and destroyed the Buchanan County Courthouse in 1885. They had a family of four children.

5. Henry Looney, born November 24, 1831, in Buchanan County, Virginia, was the i'ifth child of Joseph and the second child of Polly (Looney) Looney. He lived all his life in the Vansant area where he died on March 21, 1897. He was married January 20, 1853, in Tazewell County (now Buchanan), to his first cousin, Elizabeth Looney who was born January 2, 1835, the daughter of John (Jackie) and Cynthia (Deskins) Looney. Elizabeth died December 8, 1914, and is buried at Vansant, Virginia with her husband. Henry was in the Civil War. Both he and Elizabeth were baptized by John Wallis and were members of the Old Primitive Baptist Church at Big Prater. Henry was a Farmer and alter his death, suit was instituted in 1897, to partition his 1296 acres of land among his ten children.

6. Mathias Looney, born June 16, 1833, was married January 17, 1861, in Buchanan County, to Sallie Shortridge who was born June 21, 1841, in the same county. They had eight children.

7. Malinda Looney, born December 21, 1834, died in 1874, in Buchanan County, Virginla. She was the seventh child of Joseph Looney and the fifth child of his second wile, Polly Looney. She was married May 7, 1857, in Tazewell County, Virginia, now Buchanan, to Julius Ratliii who was born in 1834, and died September 27, 1886. He was the son of Abednego and Louisa (Vicey Matney) Ratlili. They had a family of live children, all born in Buchanan County, Virginia.

8. Catherine Looney, born April 16, 1837, was married September 6, 1859, in Buchanan County, Virginia, to John Sherman Ratliff, who was born about 1818, in Tazewell County, Virginia, and probably died in 1891, since the probation of his will began February 18, 1891. John was the son of Richard and Lydia Ratliff. They were the parents of six children.

9. Sarah (Sallie) Looney, born December 14, 1840, died July 21, 1841.

10. Robert Looney, born June 13, 1842, was the tenth child of Joseph and the seventh child of Polly Looney. He probably died in 1914, since his will was probated April 21, 1914. He married Courtney Yates who was born May 6, 1884, and they had a family at six children, all of whom were born in Buchanan County, Virginia.

11. Daniel Looney, born February 5, 1844, the eleventh child of Joseph and the eighth child of' Polly Loony married Amy Yates and they had a family of eleven children.

12. Emoline Looney, born in August of 1848, died in Monroe County, West Virginia, and is buried in Sinks Grove, West Virginia. She was the ninth and last child of Polly Looney. She married Jacob Vandyke who was born March 11, 1849. They were the parents of five children.

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Joseph married ( 3rd )
Melissa Shortridge
Born: 
Died: 
Father: 
Mother:

Joseph and Melissa had the following children:

13. James Looney, born August 21, 1856, was the first child of Melissa and Joseph Looney. He married Virginia Yates, first, and had a son, then he married again on June 11, 1894, in Buchanan County, Virginia to Isabel Stanley. He was married for the third time on October 12, 1910, in the same county, to Nancy Margaret Honaker. There were two children by the first marriage and three by the second marriage, but no issue by the third marriage.

14. Silket (Silk) Looney, born December 24, 1855, died May 22, 1939, at Vanaant, Virginia. He was married to Pricy Jane Slone and they had nine children, all born near Vansant, Virginia.

15. Polly Looney, born August 4, 1857, died June 23, 1859.

16. Mary Jane Looney, born March 7, 1859, fourth child of Melissa Looney, was married January 15, 1874, in Buchanan County, to Robert Yates who was born March 25, 1850. They had a family of ten children.

17. Nancy Looney, born March 29, 1861, died March 18, 1862.

18. Miles Harvey Looney, born April 3, 1863, attended medical school in Louisville, Kentucky. His tuition was paid with money he acquired by running timber and rafting logs out of Buchanan County. He came back to the county, and married Lettie C. Slone, who was born August 10, 1865, and they were the parents of fourteen children. Dr. Looney practiced medicine for over thirty years in the Deskins, Leemaster, Prater, Garden Creek, Hurricane and Vansant areas. He traveled on horseback throughout the area, day and night, to care for the sick. During the influenza epidemic of 1918, it is said that he lost only two patients on his list of over three-hundred. Dr. Looney died on January 15, 1920, and was buried at Dry Fork Cemetery located on the property deeded for use as a cemetery by his father.

19. Perlina Looney, born April 7, 1865, the seventh child of Melissa and Joseph Looney, died May 11, 1896, in Buchanan County, Virginia. She was married about 1882, in Buchanan County, to J. L. (Dow) Perkins, who was born March 8, 1858, the son of Harvey and Lucinda Perkins. They had a family of eight children, all born in Buchanan County.

20. Lydia Margaret Looney, born July 1, 1867, died October 1, 1957, was the eighth child of Melissa and Joseph Looney. She was married to John Witt Elswick who was born October 8, 1863, and died February 7, 1931, at Dry Fork on Big Prater Mountain. They had nine children.

21. David Looney, ninth child of Melissa and Joseph Looney, was born on November 20, 1869, at Big Prater Creek, in Buchanan County, and died March 18, 1934, at Coopersville, Ohio, after a long illness. He was married November 8, 1889, to Mary Catherine Vandyke who was born on November 27, 1871, the daughter of Frederick and Nickeytie Vandyke. Mary died May 4, 1951, seventeen years after the death of her husband. David and his wife spent the greater part of their lives at Vansant, Virginia, moving to Ohio in 1917. They were the parents of thirteen children, all born at Vansant, Virginia.

22. Caroline Looney, the last child of Malissa and Joseph Looney, was born February 20, 1872, and died September 27, 1875.

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Source: 'Then Along Came Joe - A Walker Family History" - Wilma Walker Dunlap

 

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John Looney Sr. 1732

( Clyde's G-G-G-G-G-Grandfather )

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John LOONEY Sr. Born: 1732 probably in PA Died: 1817 in Botetourt Co., VA Father: Robert Looney Mother: Elizabeth Looney

John married Ester RENFRO Born: 1739 or 1740 Died: 26 February 1821 in Sinking Creek, VA. Father: Stephen Renfro Sr Mother:

Notes:

Ester is said to have been in 1739 or 1740 the first white female born west of the James River in that part of Virginia that later was to become part of Botetourt County. (Nat’l Intelligencer, Wash., D.C., 12 July 1821.)

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John and Ester had the following children:

• John Looney b. ca 1757.
• Stephen Looney b. ca 1758.
• Robert Looney b. ca 1760.
• Peter Looney b. ca 1761.
• Jane Looney b. ca 1763.
• Mary Looney b. ca 1766. Probably the Mary Looney who m. Henry Cartill 4 July 1786. Bond signed by John Looney as witness and surety. (Botetourt Mar. Reg., 30.)
• Martha Looney b. ca 1769. Married a Cuningham.
• Possibly a child b. 1773.
• John Looney Jr. b. 1784 Augusta County Va. He is presumed to be born after the first John died. ( our branch )

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Notes:

At the 1810 census of Botetourt County John Looney appears, over 45, with female over 45, living with Robert Looney, 16 to 26, female 16 to 26, and no children; the name of head of household being listed "Jno. & Robt. Looney." On 23 March 1816 John Looney and Esther his wife deeded 315 acres to Robert Looney for 800 pounds. (Botetourt Co. Deeds 12, 98.) On 13 April 1817 a tract of John Looney’s in Botetourt County was divided between his sons David Looney (85 acres) and Joseph Looney (82 acres). (Survey Book 3, 407.) John’s son Robert sold his land and removed from Botetourt at about this time. The name of John Looney is not found in the 1820 census of Botetourt County.

Esther, widow of John Looney, died on 26 February 1821 in her 82d year, on Sinking Creek, Virginia. (Natl. Intellingencer, Washington, D.C., 12 July 1821.)

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Sarah Elizabeth Looney Research
• Levisa River Chapter DAR

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John Looney Jr. 1784

( Clyde's G-G-G-G-Grandfather )

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John LOONEY Jr.
Born: 1784 Augusta County VA
Died:
Father:  John Looney Sr.
Mother: Esther Renfro

John Jr. married
Elizabeth WALKER March 29, 1804, in Botetourt county
Born:   February 5, 1787 in Pennsylvania
Died:
Father:  George Walker Sr.
Mother: Margaret (Hefner) Walker

Notes for Elizabeth:
Elizabeth (Walker) Looney later, in 1817 married William E. Reynolds.

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John Jr. and Elizabeth had the following children:

• Joseph Looney b. 1 March 1805.

• John Looney b March 1807.

• Sarah Looney b. ca 1808; m. (Botetourt bond) 20 June 1829 by George Adams, M.N.S. to Jonathan Givens (Wm. E. Reynolds, Gdn.).

• William Looney b. ca 1810.

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Notes:

John Looney Jr. was born ca 1784, presumably after the death of a younger brother John, and married 29 March 1804 Elizabeth daughter of George Walker Sr. in Botetourt County, Virginia. (Botetourt Mar. Reg. 540; John Helms, minister.)

On 9 June 1807 John Looney Jr. received from his father John Looney Sr., for love and affection and five dollars, 200 acres in the valley of Sinking Creek, mention being made of a corner of the grant to Peter Looney on Stone Run of Craig's Creek. (For plots see Surveyor’s Book 3, 408, 447, 460; Botetourt Deeds 9, 309.)

At the 1810 census of Botetourt County John Looney Jr., aged 26-45, with female 16-26, had 3 males and 1 female all under 10 years.

There is a record of a John (3) Looney serving in the War of 1812 with Robert and Joseph Looney. The Pay Rolls of Militia in the Virginia Archives for the 121st Regiment, Botetourt County, commanded by Colonel James McDowell show that John Walker, Ensign, John Looney, Corp. and "Robert Looney Corp. (or Joseph)" were on the payroll during 11 July to 28 September 1813.

An appraisement and inventory of John’s estate was reported at May Court, 1814. (Botetourt Wills B, 422.) The widow Elizabeth Looney was married to William E. Reynolds (bond 26 June 1817. Botetourt Mar. Reg. 246.) In December 1825 John Looney’s land was divided, naming the heirs.

 

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