Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week # 48, Exum Eley

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This is week 48 of my participation Amy Johnson Crow's, once a week challenge to blog about one ancestor a week, tell their story, biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on that one ancestor. More about the challenge can be found at her Blog, No Story Too Small.

Exum Eley, was born around 1788, presumably in Isle of Wight County, Virginia to Mills Eley and his wife, Catey Lanford Eley.

On February 10, 1809 Exum married Polly B. Moody in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.

Exum served his country during the War of 1812.  His compiled service record shows he served from August 28, to September 13, 1814, 17 days for which he received $17.00.  He appears as a Lieutenant on the Pay Roll of Captain John Blunt's Company of Infantry, 29th Reg't Virginia Militia, stationed at Camp Ware Bottom Church.  He appears as a 1st Lieutenant on a Muster roll for the same company which states that he was present at Smithfield for the same dates in 1814 as he was paid for.

Note that in 1879, his widow, Martha Eley filed a "Claim of Widow For Service Pension, War of 1812" according to the Act of March 9th, 1878. In her application she stated that Exum served from June 23, 1813 for 17 days and that he received an honorable discharge on July 10th, 1813. She also stated that he was about 25 years old at the time of his enlistment, he was a farmer and was 5 foot 9 inches tall and had black hair.

It should also be noted that in Martha's Widow pension application a "Service Pension, War of 1812, Widow's Brief" signed by Alex R. Speel, Pension Searcher and dated Jan 8, 1879, Exum's record of service is stated as "in Capt Jno Lawrence's Co, Va Mil from June 25 to July 10, 1813 and in Capt John Blunt's Co, Va Mil from Aug 28 to Sept 13, 1814."  The pension was approved in the amount of $8.00 per month, retroactive to March 9, 1878.

According to Stuart Lee Butler's work, "A Guide to Virginia Militia Units in the War of 1812", Lt. Exum Eley's Detachment was active from May 24 - 30 1814.  He notes, "Lt. Eley was discharged June 8, 1814, and his detachment was mustered with Capt. William Parsons Company, June 3 - 28, 1814."

Exum and Polly had the following children:

Captain William H. Eley
Exum L. Eley
George Washington Eley
James M. Eley
Sally A. Eley
Rebecca J. Eley
Thomas J. Eley

Polly died sometime around 1830, probably in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.

Exum married second Martha "Patsey" Darden Marshall (widow of John Marshall, with six Marshall children: John Lawson Marshall, Adolphus Marshall, Polly Marshall, Lydia Marshall, Thomas J. Marshall and Martha Marshall.) Exum and Martha were married April 14, 1832 in Isle of Wight County, Virgnina.

Exum and Martha had three children of their own:

Virginia Catherine Eley
Stephen A. Eley
Solomon Benjamin Eley.

Exum died November 12, 1845 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.  Exum's will was dated July 23, 1845 and presented to the court of Isle of Wight County Virginia on December 1, 1845.

Wish list for Exum:  Place of burial.  Review of documents I have stashed in digital and hard copy files and get them incorporated into the data base.

* Additional source data can be obtained by contacting me, see the right hand column for a yahoo email address.

** 52 Ancestors Weeks Button courtesy of Amy Johnson Crow.

*** I use many resources to research, FamilySearch.org is a free site.  Ancestry.com is a pay site for which I pay, no discounts, etc.  Fold3, is another site I subscribe to and pay for. None of these sites have asked me to review them, or use them.  See my Disclaimers page for further details.

.