I believe I have found the missing link in my research. I never could get past my ggf William Quitman Northington. After attending a family reunion, I found that Williams father was Ica northington, son of Levi Northington. Both show up in the Marion County[Alabama] 1860 census. The census shows Ica having a son William age 1. This fits in the timeline.
According to HOLTZCLAW's book "Northington" [if I figured this out right] then the Levi I mentioned above is the son of Jesse, the son of Samuel[3], Samuel[2], and Samuel[1].
If anyone sees anything wrong with this please let me know.