Kay,

Did you see the following 1850 census record of Smith County, Mississippi?
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John Findly--age 46--born unknown
Sally Findly--age 40--born N. Carolina
Pattey Findly--age 18--born S. Carolina
Polly Findly--age 16--born S. Carolina
Davis Findly--age 14--born S. Carolina
James Findly--age 12--born S. Carolina
John Findly--age 9--born Alabama
Nancy Findly--age 6--born Alabama
Joseph Findly--age 4--born Alabama
Sarah Findly--age 2--born Miss.

Source Citation: Year 1850
Census Place: Smith County, Mississippi
Roll: M432_381
Page: 355
Image: 204.

Source Information:
Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1850. M432, 1,009 rolls.
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In the above census, John Findly, age 9, could possibly be your ancestor, as he is the right age and has a brother named Davis.

Furthermore, John S. Finley stated on both the 1880 Federal Census and the 1900 Federal Census that his parents were both born in the Carolinas.

The above census record certainly gives grounds for further research.