Individual Details

1870 Census. Center, Atchison Co, Kansas
Stephen Hale, age 60, b. KY. Pamelia, age 60, b. KY
John M. 24, b. MO, Benjamin 17, b. MO
In the same household but marked as a different family:
Melissa Dyer age 38, b. KY. Mary E. 21, b. MO, Arabella/Anabella, 15, b. MO, Amanda age 11, b. Kansas, John M. age 3 b. MO.

Curious about Melissa, I looked back in Platte Co MO in 1850 and possibly found the Dyer family. James Dyer, age 33, b. TN. Melissa, 18, b. TN. Eliza age 2 and Ann E. age 6 months.

I did also find a possible for James & Melissa Dyer in 1860 in Olathe Twp, Olathe P.O., Johnson Co, Kansas Territory. Just initials for all the females but the ages and at least one initial seem "right". Hh 920
Jas. Dyer, age 40, b Tennessee.
M. J., age 29, b. KY
E.P. age 12, b. Mo [Elizabeth, Mary E. who knows? but the age is right]
N.A. age 5, b. MO [Arabella]
A.E., age 5 months, b. Kansas [Amanda]
This census would suggest that indeed the little girl born just prior to the 1850 census, died as a child.

I would surmise that Melissa & James married about 1847 and had at least the five following children:
Daughter Mary E. [Eliza or Elizabeth?] b. circa 1848
Ann E., b. late 1849 - maybe died as a young child, see below
Arabella, b. 1855
Amanda, b. 1859
John M. b. 1867

Melissa married again to James Williams
1880 Census. Bloomington Twp, Buchanan Co, MO Hh 137
James Williams, age 43, farmer, b. IN, father & mother b. VA
Malissa, wife, age 42, b. IN, parents b. KY
Belle Dyer, age 24, stepdaughter, b. MO, father b. TN, mother b. KY
John Dyer, age 12, stepson, b. MO, father b. TN, mother b. KY
Nancy Elliott, age 5, adopted, b. KS, parents b. MO

Birth

1832

Kentucky

Father	Stephen Meadows Hale (1810 - 1873)
Mother	Mildred Pamelia Smith (1809 - 1870)
Sibling	William Hale (1833 - )
Sibling	Mary Hale (1836 - 1888)
Sibling	George Washington Hale (1838 - 1870)
Sibling	Nancy Elizabeth Hale (1840 - 1877)
Sibling	John Moody Hale (1842 - 1922)
Sibling	Stephen E. Hale (1845 - 1886)
Sibling	Charles H. Hale (1849 - 1920)
Sibling	Benjamin Franklin Hale (1853 - 1923)