This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Author: ChesterBuchanan51
Surnames: Small, Medley, Steele, Summers
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.indiana.counties...
Message Board Post:
Elizabeth Medley, the Mother of John Small (1838-1921) - A Hypothesis
John Small, father of George Washington Small and Charlie Small, is the subject of this
hypothesis. Circumstantial evidences from 1850, 60, 70, and 80 census records for Morgan
County, IN indicate that John Small's mother might have been Betsy Small and that her
mother was Polly Medley (Meadly). Further validation, however, is necessary to
substantiate this hypothesis (e.g., marriage records).
Hypothesis
Based on census records only, it seems likely that John Small's grandmother was Polly
Medley (married name), who was born in North Carolina in the 1780s. She probably married
Mr. Medley in NC, and then moved to OH a little before 1810, where John Small's
mother, Betsy Medley, was born. The couple had at least three other children (John,
Nancy, and Hannah), who were born in OH between 1814 and 1820. By 1840, the family had
either moved to IN where Mr. Medley died, or they moved there after his death, leaving the
head of the household to John Medley, their son. By 1850, if not before, they were living
in Morgan Co, near Mooresville, a little southwest from Indianapolis, IN.
John and Hannah Medley never married, while Nancy might have either married in the 1850s
or died. There is no evidence when and where Betsy married Mr. Small (given name
unknown), but because of Betsy's age and their son's age and place of birth, they
probably married sometime between 1828 and 1837 in either IN or OH. The census gives no
evidence of any other children being born to the couple. Sometime between 1840 and 1850,
Mr. Small died, likely in IN, and Betsy took her child and moved in with her brother,
sisters, and mother. Betsy seems to have married Martillus Summers after 1850 - they
lived next to the Medleys.
The Medleys and Summers continued to live in the Mooresville area of IN at least until
1880, while John Small moved his family sometime after 1860 to near Brooklyn, IN (just a
few miles southwest from Mooresville). The Smalls were back at the family homestead in
1880. Charlie Small's obituary, son of John and Rebecca Small, indicates that the
family moved to AR in 1888.
Discussion of census records
In 1850, John Small (age 10) was living with his likely mother, Betsy Small (40). They
were living with John Medley (31), head of the household, along with Nancy (29), Hannah
(27), and Polly (70) Medley. The 1880 census indicates that John Medley and Hannah were
siblings. Since John was not listed as a widower in the 1880 census, Nancy, the other
young woman living with John in 1850, was likely his sister. She either died or married
before 1860 because she was not listed in the 1860 census. Because of Polly's age,
surname, and presence in the home, she was likely the mother of John, Nancy, and Hannah.
For the same reasons, Betsy was likely a sibling of John, Nancy, and Hannah. Another
relating fact is that all siblings were born in Ohio and their mother was born in NC.
In 1860, Polly (72), now referred to as Mary, was still living with John (40) and Hannah
(32) Meadly (note change in the spelling of their surname). John Small (21) had recently
married Rebecca (19) (Steele?) and was living next door. Betsy Small might have married
Martillus Summers because she is not listed with John Meadly in 1860, and Martillus
Summers, who was not listed in the 1850 census, was lives next door to John in 1860 with a
wife that matches Betsy Small. I realize there are some conflicting statistics in the
1860 census, but Elizabeth Summers was listed as Betsy in 1880, and her age was nearly
correct for Betsy Small - also she was born in Ohio. Additionally, in the 1880 census,
John and Hannah Medley listed their places of birth, and those of their father and mother,
respectively, as OH, TN, NC. Elizabeth Summer gave the same series in 1880. Remember,
Polly (Mary) Medley was born in NC.
Nathan Summers (9) was listed in the 1850 census for Morgan Co., IN as living with the
Wilson family - so where were his father (Martillus) and mother? Can't find
Elizabeth or Martillus Summer (b. ca. 1815 OH) in the 1850 census. I believe the mother
of Nathan died sometime between 1840 and 1850, and that Betsy Small became his
step-mother.
The 1860 census does not identify husband and wife relationships, they have to be assumed.
Betsy is described as Martillus's wife in the 1880 census.
Important Note:
The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply
to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.