Hi,

I looked for you but I only found one. There was a Ann Smalley in 1870 in Richmond County Georgia with a date of birth being 1850. According to ancestry.com there was no Anna Smalley in Tennessee nor Alabama in 1870. With her being born in Alabama or Georgia and then being Tennessee in 1880, it could be confusing. But since the 1880 census and the 1900 census states she was born in Alabama, I would bend towards Alabama being her correct place of birth because Dade County Georgia is right on the border with Alabama. And guess what? In 1880 Jess and Anna were in Marion County Tn and Marion County is right on the border with Alabama.

So, you have Dade County Ga and Marion County Tn both connected to Alabama. Also, I found a Jesse Donaldson in the 1870 census that matches your Jesse in age in Limestone County Ala>>>

1870 United States Federal Census Record
Name: Jesse Donaldson
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1847
Age in 1870: 23
Birthplace: Alabama
Home in 1870: Township 1 Range 4, Limestone, Alabama
Race: Mulatto
Gender: Male
Post Office: Athens

What is interesting is that Limestone Co. Ala is near Dade County Ga and also very close to Marion Co. Tn. So it appears to me that Jesse and Anna went over to Georgia and got married and then moved to Tennessee because the older children were born in Tn. But then accordintg to the 1900 census in Washington, several of the younger childrend were born in Georgia. So they had to move back to Georgia after living in Tn and then from Ga. they moved to Washington.

So, I would focus on Alabama being the birth place for Anna. That being said, it would be a good idea to check all the variations of spellings for Smalley, such as Smally, Smaly, Smelly, Smelley, Snelley, Snely and so forth.

Anyways, I hope this helps

Tony