My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE W. LOONEY, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Piqua; was born in Champaign Co., Ohio, Feb. 9, 1819; he is a son of Jonathan Looney, who was a native of Virginia, and emigrated to Ohio early in the nineteenth century; he settled in Champaign Co., where he married and remained there until 1833, when he contracted for 500 acres of land, where the city of Quincy, Ill., now is located; soon after contracting for the above he started to pay for the same, and on his way at Louisville, Ky., was stricken with cholera and died; his money was stolen (it is supposed, by his nurse); this misfortune left the family in very straitened circumstances; in 1834, the widow and family emigrated to Allen Co., Ohio, where they entered 80 acres of wild land; all hands assisted in clearing away the dense forest, which in time was accomplished; there they remained until 1853, at which time they came to Miami Co., and in the following year G. W. purchased 95 acres of his present farm; he has since added to it by purchase; until he now owns 217 acres in Secs. 19 and 25,which is valued at about $100 per acre; he has erected fine, substantial farm buildings, second to none in the township; on his buildings and contents he carries a policy of insurance of $12,200. Mr. Looney’s marriage with Charlotte Hardman was celebrated in 1845, after which they cared for his mother until her death, which occurred in 1857; Mr. and Mrs. Looney spent many hard days’ work on his present farm; she nobly assisted him in opening out the farm, but after all the toilsome years, in 1875, she was called hence. Mr. Looney married, for his second wife, Mary Negley; by this union they have two children, viz., George W. and Lee B.; the ancestors of the Looney family originally came to this country with William Penn.