The Bethea family expanded and grew over the last three hundred years, first under the English King in the British American Colonies, and then as patriots in the Revolutionary Independence effort of the United States of America. Afterward the family members spread from coast to coast. Beginning with " English John  Bethea ", this is the story and pictures of his descendants. "ENGLISH" JOHN BETHEA  sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe and married the Widow lady Upton. He arrived somewhere along the coastline of Nansemond (later Norfolk), Virginia. That county is now extinct, but it lay between Chesapeake Bay to the North and the Albemarle Sound inlet to the South.  "English John" died sometime after 1750.

Virginia John Bethea(2) (b. before 1705 d. after 1779) He had four (4) children:

1) "Buckswamp" John Bethea  Settled Buck Swamp abt. 1756. Died 8-12-1821 The first marriage was to Lucy ________, and the second marriage was to Absala Parker born 1744 and married in 1765.
2) "Sweatswamp" William Bethea  Married Sara Goodman and had four sons.
3) Anna (Bethea) Rogers b. Sept 6. 1755 - d. abt 1845 m. Erasmus (Lot) Rogers b. Sept 12. 1755 in Suffolk, Nansemond Co, Va. They married on April 11, 1773  in Dillon County, S.C. and Anna died about 1845 at Dillon. We have a new bio on Lot Rogers. Click Here to read it.
4) Mary  (Bethea) Rogers m. 1st Elthered (DRED) Rogers 2nd William Stackhouse

All of these descendants of Virginia John Bethea settled around what is now Dillon County South Carolina until after the War of the American Revolution.  By 1800, when the United States of America was well established, and President Thomas Jefferson was purchasing new lands in the Western frontier, (The Louisiana Purchase)  some of the Bethea descendants set out by horse and wagon to Georgia, to Alabama, to Mississippi  and then crossing the great Mississippi River - to Arkansas, to Texas and beyond, seeking homestead lands in the new U.S. frontier.

Tristram Bethea (2) b. 1713 in Herford (Gates County) N.C) d. 1779
Settled on the family's 150 acre plantation in Gates County, N.C. He had NINE (9) CHILDREN AS FOLLOWS:

1) James Bethea³, d. before Feb. 1797 
2) Jesse Bethea³, b. before 1736 d. 1812 m. (2nd) Elizabeth Breeden (Thomas)  Marlboro Bethea Branch 
3) John Bethea³, d. 1799 in Gates County, N.C. 
4) William Bethea³ b. Mar. 1, 1744 in Gates County , N.C. Married Jerusha Brown Cape Fear Bethea's 
5) Elisha Bethea³ b. 1761 in Gates County , N.C. 
6) Mary Bethea³ d. after Oct. 30, 1792 in Gates County 
7) Elizabeth Bethea³, 
8) Ann Bethea³, 
9) Priscilla Bethea³

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