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The exact birth date and place for Robert Looney is unproven. Extensive searches of the historic Baptism, Marriage, Burial, Rent Rolls, Land and Estate records for the Isle of Man have be performed without any positive result. However, Y-DNA testing does show that the descendants of Robert Looney in America are closely related to other Looney descendants who can positively trace their Looney family line back to the Isle of Man. Some want to claim that Robert Looney was born and raised on the Ballagilley Farm in Maughold Parish on the Isle of Man, but there is absolutely no proof to support such claims. The truth is, historical records show that Ballagilley Farm did not come into possession of the Looney family until well after Robert Looney arrived in the American Colonies. Someone apparently visited Maughold Parish, Isle of Man and saw some Looney headstones in the local church cemetery. From that finding they simply speculated on the origins of Robert Looney and from that others have speculated on who Robert Looney's parents were. The fact is, records of the Looney family can be found in almost every Parish on the Isle of Man with the earliest records indicating the Looney family originated in Lonan Parish living on Abby Lands in the early 1500s. Will and Estate records on the Isle of Man from as early as 1600 contain no trace of the Robert Looney who arrived in America prior to 1724. While there are some records that indicate that various members of the Looney family left the Island for other parts of the world, Ireland, England, Wales, Australia, New Zealand and the American Colonies, including a few who went to the Island of Barbados. The Isle of Man did not keep records specifically for the people who left the Island, but we do know there were some like our Robert Looney who did leave and never returned. The fact is, it may actually have been Robert Looney's parents who left the Isle of Man for Ireland and Robert was born along the way before he arrived in America. By Larry W Johnson, Looney Family Historian [1]
In about 1724, Robert and Elizabeth Looney came to America from the Isle of Man, Great Britain, with their family, settling first in Philadelphia, PA and later in colonial Maryland. Soon thereafter they moved west to the new frontier and settled in Augusta County, Virginia 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 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. [Note: Location would be Looney Creek mouth at James River in Buchanan, Virginia, now Boutetourt County which was formed from the southern part of historic Augusta County. There is a Mill Creek tributary of Looney Creek, and the former has historical names of Looney Mill Creek or Looney's Mill Creek.] 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.
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 Tenneessee Indian Territory. The Looney sons and grandsons fought against the British in the War of Independence.
Little did Robert Looney, a Manx farmer from Ballagilley, Maughold realize that when he arrived in the New World about 1731, that he and his decendants would be recorded in the annals of their new land as frontiersmen 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 for 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, and 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."[2]
"One of these sons, Absolem, was of 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, Absolem 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 Absolem's homestead. To this day, the quiet valley, some seventeen miles from Bluefield, Virginia, is known as "Abb's Valley" in honor of its discoverer, Absolem 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 Britsh and the French known as the "Seven Years War" or "French and Indian War". General Braddock, the British commander in Cief, 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, no militia to protect the settlers. Robert Looney's son Peter, was captured by the 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, errected 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. Absolem, recalled from Abb's Valley with his family to assist his father in building the fort, was to learn that those who remained in his valley settlement had been massacred by the Indians, a fate which would later befall him at Dunkard's Spring, VA between 1791-96."
"But the end of the Indian Wars was not to spare the Looney family. During the American Revolution, two of Robert Looney's sons, Absolem and David were to see duty. Absolem in patriotic service under General George Washington and David as a Major in the Notrth Carolina Militia. Three of Absolem's sons, like the offsprings of his brothers, were to serve in the Virginia Militia, with one dying of gunshot wounds in both legs after his role in the American Victory at the Battle of King's Mountain in North Carolina."
"Absolem's son Michael, homesteaded after the revolution in eastern Tennessee, where his log cabin stood until 1919 and where the 1,500 acre farm he acquired at a half-shilling an acre is still held by his heirs. Others moved westward into Missouri, and is documented in LeRoy Tilton's "Early Looney's in America". Seven branches of the family founded by Robert Looney's sons have extended into more than fifteen states."
"Robert and Elizabeth Looney are presumed buried near the Reed Creek area of Augusta Co. (Botetourt Co.), VA. Another of his sons, Joseph, was a Captain in the Botetort County, Virginia Militia."[2]
In the name of God amen September the fourteenth one thousand seven hundred and sixty nine I Robert Looney being very sick and weak in Body but of Perfect mind and memory and calling to mind the uncertainty of this life and knowing that all men was born to die once I now Recommend my Soul to God who gave it and my Body to the ground to be buried in a decent manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but I shall have it again at the Resurrection. As for the worldly Estate that it has pleased God to bless me with I give and bequeath in manner and form following I Leave my well beloved wife Elizebeth Luney and my beloved son Joseph Luney to be my Sole Executors Next I leave my beloved grandson John Luney one shilling sterling all the remainder of my Bodily Estate after my funeral charge and lawful Debts are paid I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Elizabeth to Live on and use as she pleases during her natural Life and then to decend to my beloved son Joseph at her death the rest of my children having already got all that is alow to them of my Estate.
[10] At a court held for Bote. Co., VA, the 13 day of Nov. 1770, this writing purporting to be the Last Will and Testament of Robert Looney, deceased, was presented in Court by Joseph Looney, one of the executors herein named, and proved by the oaths of Thomas Crow, James Crow, and John Smith, and ordered to be recorded, and motion of the said executor who made oath according to law, certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof, in due form, whereupon, he, together with Abraham McClelland, and John Looney, his securities, entered into and acknowledged their Bond in Five Hundred pounds, conditioned as the law directed. Teste. John May. C.B.C. (Botetourt became a county after the will was written but before the will was probated [in Botetourt].)
This week's featured connections are Redheads: Robert is 14 degrees from Catherine of Aragón, 15 degrees from Clara Bow, 24 degrees from Julia Gillard, 8 degrees from Nancy Hart, 11 degrees from Rutherford Hayes, 12 degrees from Rita Hayworth, 18 degrees from Leonard Kelly, 17 degrees from Rose Leslie, 15 degrees from Damian Lewis, 14 degrees from Maureen O'Hara, 21 degrees from Jopie Schaft and 31 degrees from Eirik Thorvaldsson on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
BIRTH 1729 Maughold, Garff, Isle of Man DEATH 27 SEPTEMBER 1791 Botetourt County, Virginia, USA
BIRTH 1740 Botetourt County, Virginia, USA DEATH 6 NOVEMBER 1816 Kingston, Roane County, Tennessee, USA
BIRTH 1721 Garff, Isle of Man DEATH 15 FEBRUARY 1756 Augusta County, Virginia, USA
Not sure why this page has so many listed? Could some of those be incorrect?
Married: Robert Looney Sr. 1715 in Botetourt, Virginia Birth 1696 Lonan Garff, Isle of Man Death 1770 Augusta County Virginia, USA
source: https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=55016353
BIRTH 1692 Ballagilley Farm, Maughold, Isle Man DEATH SEP 14 1769 Botetourt County, Virginia, USA
he is my 6th great-grandfather On my Looney family tree I have as follows:
My father Vernon Looney 1942-
John Anderson Looney 1896-1974 married to Beatrice Johnson 1915-1994
John Moses Looney 18721904 married to Sarah Margaret Segars 18741936
Anderson Marion Looney 18311907 married to Nancy Emily Penn 1838-1928
Moses Looney Sr. 17801855 married to Mary Polly Guest
John Looney 17381819 married to Elizabeth Renfro 17451819
Robert Looney Jr. 17211756 married to Margaret Rhea 17221803
Robert Looney Sr. 16921769 married to Elizabeth Llewellyn Looney 1696-1770
Author descendant: IDA Campbell family list with all parents from 1642, children all the way to her in 1986.