Sam Marley was born in 1859 to Jeanette Wolfington (sister of Jane Wolfington Archer, Thomas Archer's wife) and James Marley.  Sam's sister, Laura, was married to John Lynch, another Archer Gang member.

In July 1882, Samuel Marley murdered "Little Mart" Archer (Thomas Acrher's son) over an argument in regards to monies earned from stolen logs that Marley, Little Mart, and Sam Bunch had hijacked as they were being transported down the White River headed for Illinois.  Samuel Marley and Sam Bunch proceeded to sell the logs and to not give Little Mart his fair share of the money.  Needless to say, Little Mart was very upset and the other's decided to murder Little Mart versus paying him his share of the money.  Samuel Marley was the trigger man who shot Little Mart on July 8, 1882.

Marley fled after the murder of Little Mart with the aid of Sam Bunch.  Bunch would later be murdered by the Archer Gang in it's search for Marley.