John Jetton

Died at age 82.

Married Margaret Amanda White.

John and Margaret moved their then small family to Rutherford Co., Tennessee in 1803 where they bought land near Lytle Creek.

Children:

1. Ephram Jetton
2. Rachel Jetton Kelton (1780-1870). Died at age 90.
3. Col. Robert Jetton (1781-1840). Died at age 59.
4. Sarah Elizabeth Jetton
5. Jane Jetton Kirk (1796-1859). Died at age 63.
6. Mary PollyJetton
7. Isaac L. Jetton
8. Margaret Jetton

National Banner & Nashville Daily Advertiser, dated August 9, 1834: From the Murfreesborough Monitor: Communicated. John Jetton, in the 82nd year of his age, departed this life on Monday, 28th ult at the residence of his son, Colonel Robert Jetton. Few men in our days have left so great a number of lineal descendants to lament his death. The tear, however, shed at the grave of the deceased, was no less the offspring of friendship and consanguinity, than of love and respect for the character of the man. The strictest morality, the sternest integrity, the purest patriotism marked his course through life. He was born in the county of Mecklenburg, North Carolina and just grown up to man's estate when the Revolution began fully to dawn. The pretended gracious overtures of George III to his subjects of the Carolinas did not shake the determination of John Jetton not to survive the liberties of his country. He first served an arduous tour of three months under General Rutherford against the Cherokee Indians whom the English had excited to hostilities against the Americans. When the Revolution waxed warm in Mecklenburgh and the adjoining counties, he was to the end of the contest, found in arms by the side of those few who remained true to the cause of liberty and independence. After the war ended, he moved with his then little family to Burke county in his native state, where he resided until 1803 when he emigrated to Tennessee and settled in the neighborhood of this place.

The writer of this notice conversed with the deceased a few weeks before his death. He was perfectly sensible of his approaching dissolution and appeared fully prepared to meet it as it is said he did, with calmness and resignation. The power of speech, with his other faculties, was evidently failing him. But there was one subject, the war of the Revolution, the mention of which seemed to brace and strengthen his declining energies. He spoke of his services under Generals Green and Sumpter.

Having been the neighbor and relative of the brave General Davidson, he related the story of his untimely death. He told us that he was in a small detachment from the forces under Davidson's command who were stationed at Cowen's ford on the Catawba River. Here the enemy forced a passage but not without bloody conflict. For the Americans, though insignificant in number, had greatly the advantage, the British, in wading the river which was up to the waists, got their firearms wet which, of course, became to a great extent harmless. The well-directed rifles of our militia did great execution. The deceased spoke of the shrieks and cries of the wounded and dying, carried down with the current of the river, as being terrible. In the midst of the conflict, Davidson rode up to the bank of the river, seeing the execution his men were doing, he was encouraged in the hope that he could bring up reinforcement in time sufficient to repel the enemy. "Hurry, my brave boys" the General exclaimed, "you shall soon have plenty of help". But he fell dead from the well-aimed shot of a Tory who knew the person of the Whig General and afterward, in the supposed triumph of his majesty's cause, boasted that he had "killed old John Brevard's son-in-law". Brevard was a celebrated Whig of Mecklenburg County and a special object of hatred to the Tories generally and particularly to him who avenged himself upon the husband of his daughter. The deceased saw Davidson when he fell. He spoke much of his character and lamentable fate. The remembrance of such trying and melancholy times bedewed his furrowed cheeks with tears. Yet did his eye flash fire and his heart beat high at the recollection of the glorious triumph of his country.

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