unknown parents of John Ezekiel Nichols

 the unknown parents of John Ezekiel Nichols are definitely related to Lt. John Nichols and his grandfather Simon Nicholls by DNA , but who are they? 

at this point it looks like Lt. John's son, Elisha Nichols may be the father, but there is no sources to prove that. 

at first, I thought Johns father was Archibald but there is no connection to him at all. just a nagging hunch. there is a lot of documentation to show that arch never had a son named john, but maybe he was. 

you would think that he would have named a son after his father, but I cannot find a single one.

 Archibald may have married Polly Updike if his first wife died before 1819, but it is unclear if that was the case. the Updike family says that she married a John Nichols, but the marriage records say Archibald. maybe she married a John Archibald Nichols, that's what I call him any way. 

also, it seems like John and Polly moved to WV and may have had a son named john m. Nichols who married Sarah Adeline Richardson. well if arch married Polly in 19 after the death of Judith. assuming she died by then. it is unlikely he would not have taken his children with him. 

a lot of Qs and not enough As. but it looks at this point like the father of my John Ezekiel Nichols is probably Elisha. Elisha had children before 1814 so he may be the father of john e... I hope. all these wild goose chase are annoying.  

I know for sure that John e and John m Nichols are two different people as they were in different states in the same census, but as I don't know for sure if arch married Polly, I can't say for sure that he is not the father of john m Nichols. I don't think he married Polly tho, because she may have married a John and arch had a brother named john so it is unlikely. 

another point to bring up is although arch apparently moved to WV, Elisha stayed in Bedford county, which makes him more likely to be John Es father. as John E was in Franklin county in 1860 with his family. 

and one more point, it seems that a man named Elisha just might have a son named john Ezekiel. just a thought. and any way most of his brothers had Johns except apparently Archibald.