In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1900) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1819
From The history of Miami county, Ohio : containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest t (1880), A genealogical and biographical record of Miami county, Ohio (1900)
GEORGE W. LOONEY, farmer and stock-raiser; P. 0. 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 inChampaign 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.
As printed in The history of Miami county, Ohio : containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest t (1880). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
GEORGE W. LOONEY.
Among the venerable citizens who have reached the age of four score years and now receive the respect and esteem of their fellow townsmen in a high degree is George W. Looney, who resides in Spring Creek township. He was born in Mechanicsburg,
Ohio, February 9, 1819, his parents being Jonathan and Mercy (Holsten) Looney. In 1832 the father sold his farm in Champaign county and started for Quincy, Illinois, but had only traveled as far as Louisville, Kentucky, when he was stricken with cholera and died. In the family were eight children: Mary, Margaret, Henry. Stephen, George W., Thomas J., Jonathan, now deceased, and Sarah.
When George W. Looney was a lad of fifteen years he accompanied his mother and her family on their removal to Allen county, Ohio. He obtained his education in an old log school house, where the expenses were met by the subscriptions of the scholars. He continued his residence in Allen county until 1852, when he came to Miami county and worked at. teaming and aided in constructing the Panhandle Railroad. He was employed in the latter way for two months, but afterward turned his attention to farming, and on the 27th of January, 1853, he purcliased ninety-five acres of land on section 19, Spring Creek township. Since that time he has added to his landed possessions until the aggregate is now four hundred acres, three hundred and thirty acres on section 19, and the remainder on section 25. He now has three hundred and fifty acres of land under cultivation and carries on general farming. He erected his fine brick residence in 1877, and has a highly improved property. When he started out in life on own account he had but twenty-eight dollars, but steadily he has augmented his capital until to-day he is accounted one of the substantial residents of his community. He may truly be called a self-made man, for whathe has achieved is the merited reward of his earnest and persistent labor. Hard work has been the kejmote to his success and it will prove an open sesame to all who wish to enter the realms of prosperity.
George W. Looney was married, on the 5th of Nevember, 1845, to Miss Charlotte Hardman. She died in 1875. and on the 28th of March, 1877, he was again married, and By the second union he had five children: George ' Lee, William, Earl, and one who died in infancy. His second wife died February 12, 1900. In his early life he was a supporter of the Whig party and cast his first presidential vote for William Henry Harrison. On the organization of the Repuljlican party he joined its ranks and has since been a stalwart advocate of its principles. For forty-seven years he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Pitpia, and has long served as one of its trustees. His life has ever been honorable and upright, and the qualities which go to make up an honorable manhood have been manifest in his career. He has lived to witness many changes in the county and has ever taken a deep interest in those things which have led to advancement along material, intellectual and moral lines. He has now reached the venerable age of eighty-one, and as he passes down the hillslope of life he needs ha\e no regret for opportunities wasted.
As printed in A genealogical and biographical record of Miami county, Ohio (1900). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1880. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.