Dade County History Book

MALCOLM BETHUNE

Malcolm Bethune was born 1793. His parents could have been a Peter Bethune and Margaret (last name unknown) of Richmond County, North Carolina. By 1810, he was listed head of house hold in Richmond County.

On August 18, 1825, in Richmond County, he married Nancy Buck, daughter of Edward Buck. The couple stayed in Richmond County until sometime before 1830 when they moved Georgia. By the 1840 census, they were living in Pike County near a William M. Bethune

According to court records, Malcolm was a farmer who purchased a 48 acre farm in Spalding County Georgia. He gave half an acre for a cemetery.

He died about December 24 or 25 in 1854, just a few days before his daughter, Merida was born on January 1, 1855. Records show that a sale was held in January 1856 at which time most of his livestock, farming tools, household items, and furniture were sold. All of that tract of land in the Union District of Spalding County was known as “Down Land” of Nancy Bethune and she continued to live there until her death. The exact date is not know but her children signed the home place over to D. R. Bethune on February 7, 1911.

The children of Malcolm and Nancy were:

1. James M., born 1826.

2. Peter M., born 1829.

3. Ann, born 1830.

4. D. M. Bethune, born 1833; married Georgia A. Gipson on May 23, 1872.

5. Nancy Everline, born 1834; married M. D. Thomas Moon on July 19, 1855.

6. William Malcolm, born 1836,

7. Mary Jane, born 1838; was a twin to Agust Morgan.

8. Agust Morgan, born 1838.

9. Margaret M., born 1840.

10. Robert J., born 1842 in Spalding County; married Cordelia A. Jones on August 29, 1872 in GA; served in a artillery unit during the Civil War; died about 1928 or 1929 in DeKalb County Alabama. (Refer to Robert J. Bethune article.)

11. Merida Robinson M. H., born 1855 in Spalding County.

At least five of Malcolm and Nancy’s sons served in the Civil War. They were Peter M., D. M. “Duffy”, William M., Agust Morgan who was killed in the War, and Robert J. (Submitted by Birnie Bethune)