Morgan Harbin Looney (Part 2)

Morgan Harbin Looney (Part 2)

On 8 Aug 1852 he married Amy Melissa Black in Coweta County, Georgia. She was the daughter of Cyrus and Elizabeth (Harkey) Black. Amy was born about 1835 in Coweta County.

In 1853 Morgan taught at the Old Starrsville School, Starrsville, Newton, Georgia.

About 1855 they had a son, George L Looney, who died in infancy. In May 1856, son Edgar Hayden Looney was born in Hart County, Georgia.

In 1857 Morgan taught in Palmetto, Fulton County, Georgia. Later that year he moved to Fayetteville, Fayette County, Georgia to head the Fayetteville Seminary, where he taught until 1860. In 1858 he wrote Southern Arithmetic,  ublished by G. C. Welch Company in Newnan, Georgia. In 1859 he and his brother George Cleveland Looney published a newspaper, The Literary Casket. In May 1860 Charles Edward Looney was born. On the 1860 Census in July  they were living in W. E. Redwine’s Hotel, Fayetteville, GA.

In 1861 the family moved to Gilmer, Upshur County, Texas where Morgan opened the Looney School. Daughter Maud was born there 23 Feb 1866 and daughter Myrtice was born there 3 Sep 1868. The Looney School was a prominent private school for ten years until 1871.

In 1870, due to Amy Melissa’s declining health, they moved to the mountains of Arkansas. Son Earl Mortimer Looney was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas 4 Feb. 1870. In Fayetteville, Morgan taught school, lectured, did some legal work, and pleaded eloquently for the University of Arkansas to be located in Fayetteville.

Amy Melissa died in 28 July 1871 in Fayetteville, AR. She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.

Sacred to the Memory of

Amy M.

Wife of

M.H. Looney

who died in

Fayetteville

July 28, 1871

Aged 31 years

Has a hand pointing to a crown with "Heaven" written upon it.

Fayetteville Democrat, Fayetteville, AR July 8, 1871, page 3, col 3&4:

In Memoriam.

    Died in this city on Thursday the 29th, ult., at sun-set, Mrs. Amy M. Looney, wife of Prof. Morgan H. Looney, in the 32nd year of her age. She embraced religion in early life and joined the M.E. church South--living a consistent member until death. Her understanding was vigorous, and her intuitive perceptions were quick and discriminating. Her imagination was lively, but it was tempered and regulated by sound judgment. Her sensibilities were strong, but they were directed and controlled by Christian principles. Early a professor of Christianity, she was well established in its distinguishing principles, not merely as a system of doctrines, but as a rule of life; and while she was able to give a reason of her faith and hope, she proved the soundness of the one, and the justness of the other, by a practical conformity to the requirements of the gospel. High was her standard of piety, but not visionary; strict her observance of Christian duties, but not austere. Cheerful without levity, she gave new proof, that THE WAYS OF WISDOM ARE PLEASANTNESS, AND HER PATHS PEACE. In Social life she was engaging in her conversation and manners, adapting herself happily to the characters of those with whom she was conversant, and always uniting the useful with the agreeable. The poor were the objects of her charity; the afflicted of her sympathy. Her alms accompanied her prayers. In the relations of a wife and a mother, she exhibited those virtues which rendered her a signal blessing and ornament to her family, to which she was most highly and justly endeared. Independent in judging, and adhering to what was fit and obligatory, she took no counsel from the fashionable world., in what related to religion and morals, but pursued such a course as was adapted, to mould her children into the Christian temper and character, and to form them to VIRTUE AND GLORY. This was the object of her supreme desire, and of her most fervent prayer. Her system of education was happily adapted to attain it. Highly propious was its influence; and the result may justly furnish perpetual encouragement to all parents, to go and do likewise. In this present time she lost not her reward. Seldom have children manifested an equal degree of filial respect and affection.

    During a long confinement, she gave astonishing proofs of the power of religion. Under its divine influence, she sustained all the pains and distresses of a lingering disease, not with serenity merely, but with cheerfulness. Retaining the faculties of reason and speech until her last moments, she was enabled to impart salutary and pious advice to all around her. These impressions will never be obliterated.

    In the spiritual world, as in the natural, clouds often obscure the face of Heaven. Few of the children of God uninterruptedly enjoy the light of his countenance. There are seasons when they are liable to be in heaviness, through manifold temptations. Here was a favorable instance of exception. From the time of her entrance into her chamber under a fixed persuasion that this would be her last sickness, she appeared never to have one serious doubt respecting the safety of her spiritual state. Her cheerfulness could not escape the observations of any person who saw her. The Christian hope being now an anchor to her soul, sure and steadfast, the winds and tempests could neither agitate nor disquiet her. This hope raised her....and the tender assiduities of home, was done to try to save her to her family and friends. But all was unavailing. The debt of nature must be paid. In her youth and beauty, blessing and blessed, the light of her home, the guardian angel of her household, she was called away. And to the stricken hearts of her husband and children came the awful shadow. All sympathize with the widowed husband, and the orphaned children to this their untoward affliction. May God, who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, temper the awful trial to them.

    The long line of carriages that followed the corpse in procession, and the large crowd that gathered at Evergreen Cemetery on Friday evening to see her interred attest the estimation in which, though a comparative stranger, she was held by our citizens.

    Now, dearest sister, farewell. Sweet be the sleep of thy holy dust in its peaceful home, until the glorious morn of the resurrection when we shall greet thee again,--greet thee on those bright and blessed shores where pain and suffering, sickness and death, sorrow and anguish shall be feared and felt no more.

    "While I gazed--with speed surprising, down the stream she plunged from sight; Gazing still, I saw her rising, Like an angel, cloth'd with light."

E.J. Dawne

All Rights Reserved

Teresa McVeigh

7 Feb 2015 

Interview with William Jarrell Looney, 5 July, 1982

Notes from Interview with William Jarrell "Bill" Looney, Marietta, GA July 5, 1982 by Teresa McVeigh. He recounts his father's life, his early life and time in the Army during World War II.

(After his mother died) Mortimer Looney was raised by old maid aunts--the kids were split up.

Earl Mortimer Looney came there [Lexington, GA] as a school teacher. He taught all age boys--math, English, and literature. He specialized in math. When they got married he was 30 and she was 20. He was born and raised in Fayetteville, AR. He got a business degree from a business school in Arkansas. His father moved to Lexington, GA.

Father and mother married and lived in Lexington. Hogan Jackson, a wealthy shyster, had a chance to open a bank in competition with a Dr. Horseley’s bank. The money was from Dr. Horseley and his brother ran it.

Father ran the bank in Boaz--he was head cashier. The bottom fell out of the cotton market (about 1921) . The tragedy was that the owner wanted all mortgages foreclosed and people put out on the street. Father refused to do that. Hogan Jackson fired him. The family moved to Atlanta where he got into the real estate business and sold real estate in Florida. Earl and Elizabeth got jobs in Atlanta. Carrie Tiller Jarrell lived with the family. It was the only place she could go; her brother wouldn't take her in.

The real estate boom in Florida busted. Dad moved back to Atlanta and he had cancer. (He had worked in a bank in Atlanta before Boaz.) They moved back to Boaz because Carrie wanted to live there. Dad wanted to die there; he was unable to work by then.
He had cancer of the prostate. It was too far gone when they found it about three years later. He was 57 when he died.


(After Mortimer Looney died) Carrie [Tiller Jarrell], Mary, Bill, and Dobby Looney came to Atlanta and lived with Earle and Elizabeth Looney. Earle was working at the Federal Reserve Bank--he had a banking degree from a business college. Elizabeth was working at Texaco bookkeeping. They didn’'t move right back to Atlanta--they stayed in Boaz [AL] for a while. Carrie had dizzy spells. She fell trying to catch a baby chicken and broke her hip. They had to stay there two years--Mary nursed her. Then they moved to Cornelia because Uncle Henry [Jarrell] said he'’d help look out for Carrie. She lived with him in his two story house. He was a dentist. The children went to grammar school and Carrie always had to walk with a crutch after that. Dobby went to Snead Seminar in Boaz [Alabama]--a "Yankee sponsored college for poor Southern people."

Henry drank a lot, smoked a lot, and chased women. Carried died and was buried in Cornelia in Hillcrest Cemetery on Level Grove Road. (Uncle Henry is buried there, too.)

They moved to Atlanta in with Elizabeth and Hal Daniell, (Myrtis Jarrell came to live with them) in a big house in Ansley Park, right below the Governor’s mansion. Dobby went to business school. Bill went to Boy’s High. Then Bill went to Boaz to live with Aunt Mary Tiller (Luke’s wife) and he finished high school there. The teacher was a friend of the family there. Mary was at Elizabeth’s being the housekeeper for the whole crowd. Earl was at the Federal Reserve Bank for about 23 years. He and Irma married about 1935 or 6. Elizabeth had a good job at the Sewell Hat Company. They moved to Red Oak, GA, then they built a house below College Park.

Bill went into the Army in 1942. He went to Ft. McPherson for induction and basic training in College Park, Atlanta, GA. It was the Ordinance Battalion Co. S. 4th Battalion 302 Ordinance Battalion. Then he went to Camp Sutton in North Carolina for training.

He shipped out to Casablanca on the Louis Pasteur, a French luxury liner. It had marble staircases, marble swimming pools, and brass rails. The pools were full of cots. The ship was packed solid with the 4th Battalion and all its trucks. They crossed the ocean alone with no escort. It was a 7 days crossing.

In Casablanca they lived in a pup tent city until they went to Italy. They were winding up the desert war--Rommel was about beat. That area was cleared. Rommel was in Oran, in Saudi Arabia.

A Liberty Ship--an old bucket type ship with no name--took them to Italy. They stopped in Sicily. They didn'’t fight--the war was already past there. At Anzio--they fought there. General McAuliffe was in charge. He was demoted and sent somewhere else. Patton may have taken over then and several British officers. They took Rome. Bill toured Rome thoroughly because he was there a good while. He saw the Coliseum, St. Peter’s, the Monument to King Victor Emanuel, the Doge’'s Palace, Renaissance paintings and sculpture. Anzio was a terrible battle, then it was a rough ride to Rome. They stayed a while in Rome in tents to recoup. Then they followed the troops up to Caserta, a small outpost.

They later went to Germany.

Cora and Hayden Elope

Evidently Cora A TALIAFERRO and Edgar Hayden LOONEY eloped. A lawsuit was later brought by the State of Arkansas against the Baptist minister, J W SIKES, who performed the marriage without proper consent of the parents, C D and Jane TALIAFERRO. Cora lied about her age--she was 17 and not the legal 18. The court record has many errors, including at least three different dates for the marriage.

Supreme Court of Arkansas, Vol. 30, May to Nov. Terms, 1875, Cases decided by by John M Moore, Adams and Blocher, Little Rock, 1877, p. 500-5, Abstracted by Teresa McVeigh 18 Oct 2009

Sikes vs. The State

Appeal from Benton Circuit Court, Hon. J M Pittman, Circuit Judge

Two Counts in indictment:

1. Defendant, J W Sikes, minister of the Gospel, in Benton county on 10th Mar. 1875, did solemnize a marriage contract between Hayden Looney and Cora A. Taliaferro, she being a minor between age 17 and 18, without first obtaining parents' consent.

2. The said J W Sikes minister of the Gospel in said county on 10 Mar 1875, did unlawfully perform a marriage ceremony between Hayden Looney (age 17-21) and Cora A. Taliaferro (female age 17-18), without the consent in person or writing of parents.

Defendant was tried upon the pleas of not guilty, convicted, and fined $100. He filed a motion for a new trial and appealed.

C D Taliaferro proved that he was the father of Cora A, she was over age 17 and under age 18 years at the time of her marriage to Hayden Looney, that he had never given his consent in person or in writing to the marriage and that he resided in Benton County.

Jane Taliaferro testified that the was the mother of Cora A, and that she was on the 24th day of Mar 1875, the time of the marriage, over 17 and under 18 years of age, and that the witness did not give her consent in person or writing.

The State proved that Mr. and Mrs. Looney were married 14 Mar 1875 and that Mr. Looney told the appellant that they were on a "runaway expedition or match."

"The State introduced the marriage certificate given by appellant, in which he certified that he was an ordained minister of the gospel, of the Baptist denomination ; that his credentials were recorded in the clerk's office of Benton county on 1st May, 1866, and that he solemnized the rites of matrimony on the 24th March, 1875, between Hayden Looney, age twenty-one years the 1st May, 1875, and Cora A. Taliaferro, age eighteen years the 9th November, 1874, both of Benton county. Dated 20th March, 1875."

"Mrs. Looney, on behalf of appellant, testified that in the evening of the 24th of March, 1875, and before the marriage, she told appellant she was eighteen years old on the 9th of March, 1874, and offered to give him a certificate to that effect. Other witnesses testified that she made such statement to appellant."

"Hayden Looney also testified that before appellant saw Cora A., she told him twice that she was eighteen years old."

A new trial was awarded, allowing for a new trial on the first count and "sustain the demurrer on the second count."

The entire trial transcript is located at http://books.google.com/books?id=c1QaAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA500&lpg=PA500&dq=hayden+looney&source=bl&ots=jr5_3Zuezw&sig=9grWRekpbTDvoCmSx5XtTxFWiEg&hl=en&ei=9GfWStqGI5GINvaJqd0D&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=hayden%20looney&f=false

Obituary of Edgar Hayden LOONEY

Transcription by Teresa McVeigh 15 Oct 2009

Obituaries of Benton County, Arkansas, Volume Three, 1905-1909 by Barbara P. Easley, Verla P. McAnelly, Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, MD, Copyright 1995, ISBN: 0-7884-0196-3

Benton County Democrat 6 Jul 1905

Looney, E. Hayden--Word was received her last Monday that E. Hayden Looney, formerly of this place, had passed away at St. Luke's Hospital in St. Louis on Sunday. Mr. Looney had been employed at Piedmont, Mo. for some time where he was taken sick and was removed to St. Louis Friday, the 30th ult. He never rallied after his arrival and death ensued on Saturday. A general collapse was the cause of death. Hayden was well known here and was postmaster for several years. In later years he had been in poor health and travelled much. For some time he was employed in Rogers as prescription clerk in a drug store. He was an excellent druggist and at one time was proprietor of one of the leading drugstores in Bentonville. He leaves a wife and two children to mourn their loss, to whom the Democrat joins with friends in tendering sympathy.

http://books.google.com/books?id=kVYdHtkywW4C&pg=PA42&lpg=PA42&dq=hayden+looney&source=bl&ots=eqPYWFPzet&sig=sq_Wp8phhGI8aN8mq7FXyd4BRYI&hl=en&ei=ZRjVStugDomoMcHnwZQD&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CBYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=hayden%20looney&f=false

Cyrus BLACK family

For many years Cyrus BLACK was one of my brick walls. I knew little except that Amy Melissa BLACK (1835-1871), wife of Morgan Harbin LOONEY (1821-1901), was said to be the daughter of Cyrus BLACK and Elizabeth HARKEY and that the BLACKs were said to be Scottish.

I have not posted to this blog since last Thursday (today is Monday), but I have been very, very busy researching all weekend. Last week a LOONEY related cousin named Katy contacted me and I started researching Amy and Morgan LOONEY's son Edgar Hayden LOONEY's line. In the process I also discovered more about the BLACKS, which was very exciting to me, since they have long been a blank page in my research.

About six months ago I was very excited to finally find Cyrus BLACK on a census record. The family was living in Coweta County, Georgia and there was little Amy Melissa BLACK, age 11. This was the first documented proof I had found of Amy's parentage and I now also had dates, ages, birth places and siblings for the family.

1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Cyrus Black
Age: 42
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1808
Birth Place: North Carolina
Gender: Male
Home in 1850(City,County,State): Division 19, Coweta, Georgia
Family Number: 613
Household Members: Name Age
Cyrus Black 42 NC
Elizabeth Black 38 NC
Eliza E Black 16 NC
Amy M Black 11 GA
Nancy C Black 4 GA

I also found Cyrus and family on the 1840 Census:

1840 United States Federal Census
Name: Cyrus Black
Township: Cedar Creek
County: Coweta
State: Georgia
Males:
age 30-40: 1 [Cyrus]
Females:
<5:1 [Amy]
5-10: 1 [Eliza]
20-30:1 Elizabeth]

Previously I had found a Cyrus BLACK in Texas, but he was 20 years too young, so I thought he might be a son. Then this weekend, searching for children of Edgar Hayden LOONEY, I found Elizabeth BLACK with a previously unknown daughter.

What was even more exciting for me is I found Earl Mortimer "Mort" LOONEY also in the household. I have spent many hours searching for Mortimer, son of Morgan and Amy, and his siblings. After Amy's death Mort and his siblings were split up. Two of his children told me he went to live with his "old maiden aunts" and I also searched for them. It turns out he was living with his grandmother, Elizabeth (HARKEY) BLACK and his Aunt Lavantia BLACK HICKMAN, Amy's sister.

1880 United States Federal Census
Name: Lewis J. Hickman
Home in 1880: Fayetteville, Washington, Arkansas
Age: 41
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1839
Birthplace: Indiana
Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head)
Spouse's Name: Lavantia C.
Father's birthplace: Virginia
Mother's birthplace: Virginia
Occupation: Druggist
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
House Number: 11713665
Household Members: Name Age
Lewis J. Hickman 41 IN (parents b. VA)
Lavantia C. Hickman 30 GA (parents b. NC) wife
Gussie Hickman 5 AR dau
Homer H. Hickman 3 AR son
Elizabeth Black 68 NC mother-in-law, widow
Mortimer Looney 9 boarder AR (father b. SC, mother b. GA)
Emma Sohns 19 W Servant OH
Laura Sohns 13 W Servant OH
John Forest 23 B Porter AR
Adaline Mellette 63 Aunt VA (parents VA)

I feel certain that this is the correct Elizabeth BLACK since Mort is living with her. Lavantia must be her daughter since she is listed as Lewis Hickman's mother-in-law. They are living in Fayetteville, AR, which is where Amy died in 1871.

So from this information I am concluding that the previously found Texas Census is in fact Cyrus and Elizabeth BLACK, parents of Amy. Maybe when they moved to Texas, they decided to pass for twenty years younger than they really were. Or perhaps someone just unknowingly gave the wrong information. They were living in the Gilmer, Upshur, Texas area where Morgan, Amy, and other family members were teaching at the LOONEY School.

1860 United States Federal Census
Name: Cyrus Black
Age in 1860: 32
Birth Year: abt 1828
Birthplace: North Carolina
Home in 1860: Western District, Upshur, Texas
Gender: Male
Post Office: Cypress
Household Members: Name Age
Cyrus Black 32 NC
Elizabeth Black 28 NC
Levantia Black 14 GA

Cyrus also shows up on the Texas State Census Slave Schedules in 1860 with 16 slaves ages 28-2.

I still have not found them in 1870, but it looks as if Cyrus took out land grants in Arkansas in that year, so he was still alive then. There are a number of General Land Office (GLO) land grants for a Cyrus BLACK and I am not sure if they are all for this Cyrus.

10 Mar 1852 Huntsville, Lauderdale, AL 40.04 acres
1 Sep 1856 Jackson, AR 40 acres [Cancelled]
1 Dec 1859 Huntsville, Lauderdale, AL 80.1 acres
20 July 1870 Jackson, AR 40 acres

He shows up on 1860 Arkansas State Censuses in Randolph and Jackson Counties, I assume for land taxes. They probably thought about moving to Arkansas (and maybe did), but then definitely moved to Texas. Then they later moved to Arkansas when Morgan and Amy went there.
By 1885 the HICKMANS, Elizabeth BLACK, and Mort LOONEY had moved to Pittsburg, Crawford County, Kansas.

Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925
Name: Lewis J Hickman
Census Date: 1 Mar 1885
Residence County: Crawford
Residence State: Kansas
Locality: Pittsburg
Birth Location: Indiana
Family Number: 240
Marital Status: Married
Gender: Male
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840
Race: White
Line: 14
Roll: KS1885_31
Household Member(s): Name Age
Lewis J Hickman 45 IN
Lovanta J Hickman 37 GA
Gussie Hickman 10 AR
Hemer H Hickman 8 AR
Clifton G Hickman 3 AR
Elizabeth Black 73 NC
Morton Looney 14 NC [This should be Mortimer and AR, but I still think this is Mort.]

All Rights Reserved
Copyright © Teresa McVeigh 2009

Edgar Hayden LOONEY Monograph

Edgar Hayden Looney (b. May 1856 Hart County, Georgia) was the son of Morgan Harbin and Amy Melissa (BLACK) LOONEY. [Edgar 6, Morgan 5, Noah 4, Robert 3, Adam 2, Robert 1]

History of Benton...Counties, AK

BENTON COUNTY.

page 860-1

[p.860] Edgar H. Looney, postmaster at Bentonville, and druggist, is a native of Hart County, Ga., born in 1856, and the son of Morgan H. and Emma M. (Black) Looney. The father was born in Georgia, was of English-Irish lineage, and was a teacher and attorney by profession. He was educated at the State University of Georgia, at Athens, and graduated from the same. For the last forty years he has devoted his time and attention to teaching. He was instrumental in securing the location of the State University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and was offered a position as teacher. From 1872 to 1875 he was principal of the Bentonville High-school, having 400 pupils in attendance. For the past four years he has resided at Bowman, Elbert Co., Ga., where he is now engaged in teaching, being principal of the high-school. He is also an attorney by profession, is a man of eminent ability, is a first-class criminal lawyer, and one of the leading educators of the South. His wife, Emma M. (Black) Looney, was born in Georgia, and died in 1871. She was the mother of four children: Edgar H., Charles E. (printer and editor, of Georgia), Mirtie and Mortimer B. Edgar H. was educated in Gilmore, Tex., and at the age of seventeen began clerking in a dry goods store at Sulphur Springs, Tex. In 1875 he located at Bentonville, and in March of the same year he married Miss Cora Taliaferro, a native of Bentonville, Ark., and the daughter of C. D. Taliaferro. They are the parents of three children: Charles, Amy and Lowrey. In 1876 Mr. Looney engaged in [p.861] the dry goods business at Bentonville with W. H. Cloe, and sold out three years later, but soon resumed the same line of business. In 1883 Mr. Looney purchased his partner's share, and has since then conducted the business alone. He is a young man of good business capacity and a first-class citizen. In 1877 he was appointed postmaster at Bentonville, Ark., and served three and a half years. March 1885, he was re-appointed to the same position. He was treasurer of the city of Bentonville two terms, is a life-long Democrat in politics, is a member of the K. of P. and K. of H., and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas, Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889, Chicago

There are several mistakes in this. Morgan LOONEY did not attend the University of Georgia, but a private academy in Hart County, Georgia. His wife's name was Amy, not Emma, BLACK.