Woodson Wills (1798-1873) - Generation 3

Son of John B. Wills, Sr.

The sons of John B. Wills, Woodson and Meredith Wills married sisters. They were Sarah and Lydia Carns, respectively. Any reader continuing research on this family should note that the names of Carns and Kerns are both shown in old records. Most reference written by court clerks shows Kerns but original documents signed by George, father of Sarah and Lydia are signed as Carns. When George Carns, the father of the Sarah and Lydia died, each received part of two tracts of land located in Bedford County. Developed farmland that they inherited included approximately 25 acres for Meredith and 20 for Woodson. The developed land, part of the main farm, is easily seen from present day Highway 43 between the town of Bedford and the Peaks of Otter. The land starts at the junction of State Highway 43 and County Highway 643 on the East side of St. Hwy. 43 and runs North parallel to St. Hwy. 43. The present day farmland is flat to gently rolling and looks to be of good quality. As a side note, a wood and stone farm house built by Michael Kerns, son of Michael and Catherine (Welch) Kerns, brother of Sarah and Lydia Karns, still stands near Rt. 43 and is easily visible from the road.

Meredith and Woodson also received a section of undeveloped land from George Carns. Meredith received 133 acres and Woodson 61 acres, through their wives. The second plot of land consisted mostly of wooded hillside somewhere north of the main farm toward Peaks of Otter. Other members of the Carns family received portions of the two tracts of land as well.

Family history passed down through the Woodson Wills family says they were tobacco farmers and may have been reasonably well off.

About 1830 or 1831, something changed. Woodson and family left Bedford County and moved to Gallia County, Ohio for a few years. Later they settled in present day Ross and Jackson Counties, Ohio. In fact, the Book "History of Lower Scioto Valley", pg 656 states "John L. Wills was born Dec. 26, 1831, in Gallia County, a son of Woodson and Sarah Wills, who were natives of Monroe County, Va. They Moved to Gallia County, Ohio in 1831, and afterward moved to Jackson County, Ohio, where Sarah died in June 1843. Woodson Wills again removed to Ross County, Ohio where he died July 11, 1879, aged eighty-one years." Family records show Woodson remarried to Julia Ann Springer-Hunt soon after his first wife died.

Woodson and his wife Julia are buried in the small Bronx Corner Cemetery located on the North side of Rt. 35 near Trippies Restaurant near Richmond Dale, Jackson County, Ohio. Other family members are buried in near by Mound Cemetery at Richmond Dale, Ohio.

More information on the history of Woodson Wills and his family.

  1  [2] Woodson Wills  Born: January 31, 1798 in Shelby County, Ky. ?  Died:
     July 11, 1873 in Richmond Dale, Ross Co., Ohio  Age at death: 75
  .  +Sarah "Sally" Carns  Born: Abt. 1799 in Bedford, Bedford Co., Va.  Married:
     April 05, 1817 in Bedford Co., Va.  Father: Mr. George Carns  Mother: Ms.
     Barbara "Berry" ?  Died: June 1843 in Jackson Co., Ohio  Age at death: 44
     est.
  .  2  Spotwood Wills  Born: January 12, 1818 in Va.  
  .  2  Bobbert (Robert ?) Wills  Born: January 12, 1821  
  .  2  James J. Wills  Born: March 22, 1823 in Va.  Died: November 14, 1879 in
        Ross Co., Ohio  Age at death: 56
  ....  +Laura Springer  Born: September 06, 1832  Married: September 09, 1848 in
        Jackson Co., Ohio  Father:  Mother:  Died: February 07, 1898 in Ross Co.,
        Ohio  Age at death: 65
  .  2  [1] Samuel Woodson Wills  Born: June 16, 1829 in Va.  Died: August 14,
        1905 in Welston, Ohio  Age at death: 76
  ....  +Amanda Leach  Born: March 18, 1834 in Ohio  Married: Abt. 1848  Father:
        Mother:  Died: February 1868  Age at death: 33 est.
  .  *2nd Wife of [1] Samuel Woodson Wills:  
  ....  +Emily Stockman  Born: December 25, 1843  Married: December 29, 1868 in
        Jackson Co., Ohio  Father:  Mother:  Died: December 29, 1923  Age at
        death: 80
  .  2  John Leonidas Wills  Born: December 26, 1831 in Gallia Co., Ohio  Died:
        September 19, 1895 in Ross County, Ohio  Age at death: 63
  ....  +Mary Ann Vaughters  Born: June 12, 1842  Married: November 16, 1859 in
        Jackson Co., Ohio  Father: Mr. Richard Vaughters  Mother: Ms. Nancy ?
        Died: April 21, 1895 in Ross Co., Ohio  Age at death: 52
  .  2  Sarah Susan Wills  Born: February 18, 1835 in Ohio  
  .  2  Edmond W. Wills  Born: June 12, 1840 in Ohio  Died: August 03, 1887 in
        Ross Co., Ohio  Age at death: 47
  ....  +Briget A. Minks  Born: July 12, 1848 in unknown  Married: March 16, 1865
        Father:  Mother:  Died: July 03, 1902 in Ross Co., Ohio  Age at death: 53
  *2nd Wife of [2] Woodson Wills:  
  .  +Julia Ann Springer-Hunt  Born: December 27, 1810 in Marion, Wayne Co., N.Y.
     Married: November 19, 1843 in Jackson Co., Ohio  Father:  Mother:  Died:
     March 17, 1888 in Richmond Dale, Ross Co., Ohio  Age at death: 77