Marker dedication honors Looney
BY KEN MCCLURE

On the 201st anniversary of General Robert E. Lee's birthday on Jan. 19, the Sons of Confederate Veterans Cross of Saint Andrew camp #2009 of Cherokee County held their 6th annual Confederate heroes day ceremony.

The camp started the day by gathering at the Confederate statue on the square in Rusk to pay tribute to Southern soldiers during the Civil War and proceeded to the Looney cemetery in the Reklaw area to dedicate a new military grave marker for Private Quinn C. Looney who served in Company C, 18th Texas infantry. This regiment was instrumental in the South's victory at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill La. in April 1864, that prevented a federal invasion of Texas.

After the war Mr. Looney returned home and was elected county treasurer of Cherokee County, an office he held for 28 years.

Mr. Looney's great-great grand daughter Molly Smith and her son Alex read a life and military history of their ancestor followed by the troops in the camp rifle squad firing a volley in his honor.

The ladies of the Saint Andrew Southern Belles laid flowers on his new marker.