I am sitting here going through the wills and trying to make sense of this William Looney family. Then it comes to me, is it possible that John Looney who was born in 1647 and died in 1699 [Will] married more than one time? Checking his will, he definitely makes reference to "my dear wife" which would indicate that she was still alive. We know that this John Looney was married to Margery Woods in 1665, but then she died in 1688 [Will]. Margery names her sons in her will, William, John, Daniel & Phillip (an infant). John Looney dies next in 1699 and in his will he names his sons, Donald (could this be Daniel?), John & William. He also names James Colleash who appears to be a step-son or adopted son. John also names two grandsons, James and Jo.

The evidence seems to point to John Looney d. 1699 as being married to Ann Costeen/Costen/Costein on 14 Apr 1689. Little doubt that John Looney was looking for a wife since Margery had died in 1688 leaving him with young children, one (Phillip) being an infant.

When you look at the will left by Ann Looney d. 1720, she names a daughter, Jonny and grandchildren: Ann, John, Margary, Betty & William Looney. She names Jonny and Granddaughter Ann Looney as co-exec. Jonny appears to be her daughter-in-law, widow of William Looney who had died 1718.

Checking the will for William Looney d. 1718, he names all of the same children as noted in his step-mother Ann's will dated two years later. William's will is somewhat confusing because the first half is written in the 1st person and the later half is written in the 2nd person. Once you accept that, it all makes sense. William's children were: John, William, Betty, Margery & Ann. Two of the children were noted as being under age, William and Betty. If you accept the 1st person and 2nd person writing of the will, then it indicates that none of the children were married when the will was written. The statement about John not having children and William learning a trade also makes sense.

So the chart that starts with Ann Costain (Costeen/Costen) at the top is incorrect in that she was the Step-mother and apparently had no children with John Looney. John Looney 1647-1699 and Margaret Woods should be at the top of that chart with Phillip Looney being shown as the father of John b. 1647.