I actually have the original eight part Looney Family Manuscripts, by Leroy W Tilton, ca 1963. Tilton was not the first or the only Looney family researcher in America to attempt to discover the origins of Robert and Elizabeth Looney. The names of their children are known primarily from early court records from Virginia. Their order, places of birth and ages are estimates based on those old records. Up until DNA testing came along, the claim that Robert Looney came to America from the IOM was solely based on family tradition and an old family Bible that was said to have existed in one branch of the family and was burned in a house fire. The claim that Robert Looney was born and raised on the Ballagilley Farm in Maughold Parish was started by an early researcher after he visited the IOM and found a John Looney buried there in Maughold Parish. I'm guessing that information on one or more of those Looney headstones pointed this researcher to Ballagilley farm and the claim was born. We now know that of all the records associated with Maughold Parish, there is none that support a claim that Robert Looney who went to America came from Maughold Parish. In fact, the records cast serious doubt on Robert Looney ever being in Maughold Parish. DNA testing does show that the Looney family of Maughold Parish and the descendants of Robert Looney do share a common ancestor, but which one and how far back is just a guess.

I'm inclined to agree with Frances in her thinking that the branch of the Looney family that Robert Looney belongs to may have been associated with the Quakers and left the island before 1700. There is no Christening or Bapt. record on the IOM for Robert Looney, nor for any of his children. There is also no marriage record for him. So far we have also not uncovered any will that would include him as a son.

One thing that we do know for a fact is that Robert Looney acquired a 294 acre land grant in northern Virginia, Frederick County, by document dated 12 Nov 1735. Robert "Luna" acquired this 294 acres as part of a group of Quakers who were lead by Morgan Bryan and Alexander Ross. Most of these Quakers came out of the New Garden Quaker Community in Chester Co, Pennsylvania. We know that Robert "Luna" and Robert Looney of Agusta County, later Botetourt County, were the same person because Robert Looney of Augusta County, VA appointed James Jack as his power of attorney to sell the 294 acres by document dated 13 Jun 1766. Robert Looney could not read or write and he signed his will with his mark. Look closely and you will find his name spelled both "Luney" and "Looney" in his will. The Luney spelling also appears in a lot of the old county records.

I haven't given up, I'm still searching for the origins of Robert Looney who went to America ca 1700-1735.