Mr. Looney was born, grew up, married, raised his family, and died there. He told me stories of times when he was a teenager.

(1) Belle Starr and her gang "camped" across the road in front of his house two or three times.

(2) He told me he'd seen cattle drives come through, on their way to Kansas City, that would take ALL day to travel through the (little) valley (where my house was). And that a person could walk on the backs of cattle from his hill to the other hill on the west side.

(3) When he was a teen, Mr. Chisum [Chisholm], on his last "cattle drive" through there, asked for "Early" to go with him. Mr. Chisum had to talk his mother into it; she did let him go.

I have lots of fond memories of being there at that "home." Mr. Looney's grandchildren would come in the summer from Oklahoma City to visit, and I always looked forward to their visit and our play time. Always looked forward to going swimming at the lake; now a large boat marina is there. Mr. Looney taught us how to "float on our backs."

My dad died at Mr. Looney's house, approximately 42 years ago. Dad had stopped to visit and check on Mr. Looney on his way home from work. Mr. Looney was in his late eighties or early nineties then.

The cement plant (or whatever it is) is on his property's west side and along the fence line to where my house was, but certainly not the brick house that is there now.  Clay Burns and his wife bought our home and property and built the brick house.

Mr. Early Looney's House Discussed on Facebook

Doug Hoover wrote: Before the cattle drives, huge herds of buffalo traveled the same path.

Mavis Anne Bryant wrote: Check out this website about the old cattle trails that went through North Texas: http://www.thechisholmtrail.com/begin5.htm

Mavis Anne Bryant wrote: In the Georgetown Cemetery near Pottsboro, I located ISAAC EARLY LOONEY (December 2, 1882 – May 2, 1972) and his wife ORLENA MYRTLE LOONEY (May 5, 1883 – August 3, 1962). He was the son of ISAAC EARLY LOONEY SR. (January 16, 1849 – January 4. 1881) and EMMA HAYNES LOONEY (November 2, 1850 – January 8, 1941; born in Mississippi).

Picture of Early Sr.'s "headrock"

Pat Brogdon, in a 1977 interview, recalls an encounter with Early Looney. 

Mavis Anne Bryant wrote: The only Looney with an "E" that I found in the Fairview Cemetery list was HARRY E LOONEY (September 6, 1915  - January 16, 1980). The 1979 City Directory has him and wife Roxie living at 1809 South Bluebonnet in Denison. There were several Looneys in the medical field. Roxie Looney was director of housekeeping at TMC. Sherry Looney, vocational nurse. Dr. W. F. and wife Helen; he was a physician.

Doug Hoover wrote: Harry worked at Perrin Field as a civil servant.

Lisa Arnold wrote: I knew Sally Looney, and she lived in Pottsboro. She was a friend of my grandmother. Her son's name was Dan.

Melva D. Russell Lucas wrote: Harry E. Looney is Mr. E. Looney's son (I think "youngest"?). And one of his (Harry's) sons "Gary" lives near Loy Lake. Sally Looney (the one Lisa Arnold knew) I don't remember or know, although she lived at Pottsboro.