The 4th great grandparents of my brother-in-law were Aris Woodham, Sr. 1771-1818 and his wife Rachel Beasley 1773-1861.

In my genealogical research about Aris Woodham, Sr., I found more than the usual # of supporting documents including a copy of his will that I have included below.

There is a book “Woodham Family Index” by Robert Woodham, published in 1985 in Atlanta, GA.

This link  is to WikiTrees and gives more background and a full bio on Aris Woodham, Sr. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Woodham-38

This link below is to Find A Grave and provides burial and some family information: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/33925418

When Aris Woodham was born on July 3, 1771, his father, Edward, was 25 and his mother, Mary, was 23. He married Rachel Beasley on February 14, 1791, in Stokes Bridge, South Carolina. They had 11 children in 24 years. He died on June 11, 1818, at the age of 46, and was buried in Lee, South Carolina. He was a Methodist minister and a blacksmith.

Here is how the family relates to Aris Woodham, Sr.

THE WILL OF ARIS WOODHAM, SR.

State of South Carolina

Darlington District

In the name of God Amen. I Aris Woodham of the District and State foresaid, now being in a low state of health but of sound mind and memory, do hereby dispose of the whole of my property in the following manner.

(vis)…………In the first place I give unto my wife Rachel Woodham and unto my son Asa Woodham the plantation and tract of land whereon I now live and containing one hundred and fifty eight acres. Also another tract of land containing seventy six acres – also one other tract of land containing three hundred acres  known as the Mill tract to be held by them conjointly for the support of my young children. (vis) Margret, Feriba, Rachel, Louisa, Dupree, Stephen, & Ira,  I also give unto my wife and son Asa, one Negro woman named Sene and a Negro boy named Will, and Negro man named Jep, which said Negro man to be disposed of as I shall hereafter direct together with my household furniture, plantation tools, stock of every description that I posses,  to be in their possession and distributed proportionally to my young children as they may marry or arrive at the age of twenty one years. In the second place, I give unto my son Athanasius Woodham one tract of land whereon he now lives containing one hundred and sixty eight acres—In the third place I give unto my son Edward Woodham one tract of land whereon he now lives containing one hundred sixty eight acres.

In the fourth place I give unto my son Aris Woodham one bay mare, one feather bed and furniture, one cow and calf and bridle and saddle, and also that the said Negro man Jep shall be hired out the January after my decease, and the monies arising from his hire be given to my son Aris, until he receives a proportionate with my sons Athanasus and Edward–then said Negro to be sold by my executors and the monies arising from the sale to be divided between my youngest children, until they receive that part which I will hereafter state.

In the fifth place- I give unto my daughter Margret Woodham one mare bridle & saddle, one cow and calf and one bed and furniture. In the sixth place, I give unto my Daughter Feriba Woodham- one horse saddle and bridle, one cow and calf, and one bed and furniture. In the seventh place, I give unto my daughter Rachel Woodham one horse bridle and saddle, one cow and calf and one bed and furniture

In the eighth place, I give unto my daughter Louisa Woodham one horse bridle and saddle, one cow and calf and one bed and furniture. In the ninth place,  I give unto my son Stephen Woodham one horse bridle and saddle and one cow and calf, one feather bed and furniture and money to be paid to him by my Executors, to make his part of property equal  to my sons that are now married off, this money to paid out of the monies arising out of the sale of the Negro man Jep and if the said Negro should die previous to the sale it is my will that my Executors sell property of the estate sufficient to make my son Stephen equal with those above stated.  In the tenth place I give unto my son Ira Woodham- one horse bridle and saddle, one cow and calf, one feather bed and furniture and a proportionate part of money, as given to my son Stephen.  In the last place I give unto my wife, and son Asa one Grist mill and Cotton Gin with this exception that the whole of my children shall have their grinding and picking done free from toll and in case of having to rebuild, or repair said mill and gin for them all to do a proportionate part.  It is also my will that if the Negro Jep should die previous to his hire amounting to the sum stated for my son Aris,  the Executors will raise his proportionate part from the sale of property of the estate.

I do hereby constitute and appoint my wife Rachel Woodham, Executrix and my two sons Asa Woodham, and Athanasus Woodham Executors to this my last will and testament

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal  this fifth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighteen

Signed in the presence of

Jas Rambert                          Aris Woodham (seal)

Felix Ellis

Jno Miller

E P Muse

Recorded in will book 4 page 57

Recorded 22d July 1818