California Biographies

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


DENNIS JAMES LOONEY. An experience of two years as manager of the Tracy Publishing 
Company, publishers of the Tracy Press, abundantly qualified Mr. Looney to assume the duties 
connected with the position of proprietor and editor of the paper, which he purchased February 
10, 1903. The Press is issued on Saturday of each week and is a six-column quarto, devoted to 
the interests of the town and surrounding country, independent in politics, favoring the best men 
irrespective of political affiliations, and maintaining that the welfare of a community depends less 
upon the success of a party platform than upon the citizenship of men of energy, high principles 
of honor and progressive spirit. 

Near Tracy, Cal., in San Joaquin county, Dennis James Looney was born April 19, 1873, being 
a son of Daniel J. and Mary (Linnehan) Looney. His father, who was born at Killarney, Ireland, 
received an excellent education in his native land. After coming to America he settled in New York 
and was at West Point when the Civil war broke out, whereupon he was appointed to service in 
the commissary department of the Union army. The only injuries he received in the service were 
caused by a fall from a horse in the cavalry. At the close of the war he came to California and 
served as a government guard at San Quentin, Marin county, being stationed there at the time of 
the attempted assassination of Captain Murphy. At the expiration of his period of service he� 
settled near Bethany and took up a government tract of one hundred and sixty acres, which he 
improved with a house and other needed buildings. At this writing he continues to make his home 
on the same farm, but being an invalid is obliged to delegate to others the active management of 
the land. 

In a family comprising three sons and one daughter now living Dennis James Looney is next to 
the oldest. His advantages for an education were meagre. After attaining the age of fifteen years 
he could no longer attend school, but was obliged to devote his entire time to work on the farm. 
However, he was always fond of reading and by self-improvement has acquired an excellent edu-
cation. In addition to general farm work he operated a hay press and threshing machine in season, 
having acquired a knowledge of machinery through working in a machine shop at intervals for two 
years. After serving for a year as constable in 1902 he was elected justice of the peace of Tulare 
township, San Joaquin county, on the Democratic ticket, carrying every precinct over his opponent 
and taking the oath of office January 5, 1903, for a term of four years. Since his election he has had 
his office in the court room at the town hall. In addition to his duties as justice and as editor of the 
Press he represents the Phoenix Fire Insurance Company of Hartford and to some extent is also 
engaged in the handling of real estate. In local councils of the Democratic party he wields considerable 
influence, as is evidenced by his membership on the county and state central committees of the party. 
In the Native Sons of the Golden West he is connected with Tracy Parlor No. 186, in which he acts as 
senior past president.