The last will and testament of Benjamin Lavender poses a question. This is the first time I have seen the name McMaham associated with Benjamin; his descendents have the name Lavender. He is listed in the census as Benjamin Lavender. Does anyone have other information on Benjamin, especially which might indicate whether he was adopted or how the McMahams are associated? > LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT 0F BENJAMIN LAVENDER McMAHAM > > Dated July 9, 1821, Proven October 12, 1821, Recorded March 28, 1822. > In Will Book "AA" Page 315-316, Sumter District, South Carolina. > > McMaham > In the name of God Amen I Benjamin Lavender + of the State of South > Carolina > & Destrict of Sumter Being Sick and weake in or of Body But of Perfect mind & > > memory thanks be given unto God Calling unto mind the mortality of my Body & > Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Die Do Make & ordain this > my > Last will & testament that is to Say Principally & first of all I Give & > recommend my Soul into the Hand of Almighty God that Gave it & my Body I > recommend to the Earth to be Buried in a decent Christian Burial at the > Discretion of my Executors nothing Doubting But at the General resurrection > I > Shall receive the Same again by the mighty Power of God & as Touching Such > ["werly" struck out] worldly Estate wherewith it has Pleased God to bless me > in > this Life I give Demiss and Dispose of the Same in the following manner & > forme > after paying all my Just Debts I Give & bequeath to Maryann my Dearly > Beloved > wife all my Whole Estate real & personal During her natural life or > widowhood to > raise my Small Children on & then to be Equally Divided after her Death or > marriag among the whole of my Children Sariah Welch John Lavender ["Nancy" > struck out] Agnes Coker Benjamin Lavender Mary Lavender Catharin Lavender > Zilpha > Lavender Elizabeth Lavender Littelton Capel Lavender Roberd winter Lavender > Isabel Lavender Except those that has had Some Parte Given them all the rest > ["to" struck out] I wish to have in Proportion to them & Either when they > Come > to the age of twenty one or marriys if Convenient & if not at the Division > then > the whole of my Property Real & Personal to be Equally Divided amongst the > whole > of my Children as above named to wit Sariah welch John Lavender Agness Coker > Benjamin Lavender Mary Lavender Catharin Lavender Zilpha Lavender Elizabeth > Lavender Littelton Capel Lavender Roberd winter Lavender Isabel Lavender I > likewise Constitute make & ordain my wife Maryama Lavender John Lavender & > John > Baker the Executors of this my Last will & testament & I do Heareby utterly > Disallow revoke & Disannul all & Every other former testament wills Legacies > bequeaths & Executors by me in any wise before named will & bequeathed > ratifying > & Confirming this & no other to be my Last will & testament in witness > whereof I > have heare unto Set my hand & Seal this the 9th Day of July one thousand > Eight > Hundred & twenty one > > Signed Sealed Published Pronounced his > Declared By the Said Benjamon + Lavender McMaham > Benjamin Lavender McMaham mark > As his Last will & testament in the > Presants of us who in his Presants & > in the Presants of Each other have heare > unto Subscribed our names > > William Jones > Henry Goodmon > h1s > Timothey X Lee Senr > mark > > -=-=-=-=- > > STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA ) > SUMTER DISTRICT ) By William Potts Esquire Ordinary for Said > District > Personally Appeared before me Henry Goodman who being duly Sworn Sayeth that > he > was present and Saw Benjamin Lavender McMaham sign Seal and pronounce the > within > instrument of writing to contain his last will and testament and that he the > said Benjamin Lavender McMaham was at the time of sound and disposing Mind > Memory and understanding as far as he (the deponent) knows or believes and > that > William Jones and Timothy Lee Senr did subscribe their Names with himself as > witnesses thereto by the request of the testator in his presence and in the > presence of each other > > Henry Goodman > Sworn to before me > this 12 day of October > Anno Domini 1821 > > William Potts > Ord-y S.D. > > ----------------------------------- > Source: > "The Lavender Line" > Volume 1 #1, Fall 1982 > TRANSCRIBED BY VIRGIL R. HELMS > 2905 Kenwood Avenue > Richmond, Va. 23228