On 9/9/1775, Jeptha Eatherton (aka Jeptha Atherton) was commissioned as a Major under Col. Allen Jones in the Northampton County Regiment of Militia. Maj. Jeptha Eatherton led a small contingent of the Northampton County Regiment of Militia at the battle of Moore's Creek Bridge on 2/27/1776.

On 4/22/1776, Jeptha Eatherton was commissioned as a Lt. Colonel under Col. William Eaton in the Northampton County Regiment of Militia. Lt. Col. Jeptha Eatherton was attached to Col. Thomas Eaton (Warrent County Regiment of Militia) at the battle of Briar Creek, GA on 3/3/1779.

During the 3Q of 1780, Jeptha Eatherton was commissioned as a full Colonel, alongside Col. Howell Edmunds, in the Northampton County Regiment of Militia. When Col. Howell Edmunds resigned/retired at the end of 1780, Col. Jeptha Eatherton became the Colonel/Commandant over the Northampton County Regiment of Militia, a position he retained until the end of the war (assumed, records incomplete).

Col. Jeptha Eatherton led the Northampton County Regiment of Militia at the battles of Little Lynches Creek, SC (8/11/1780) and Camden, SC (8/16/1780).

Jeptha Eatherton was born in 1733, and he died on 1/19/1787 in Northampton County, NC. He married Mary Elizabeth Thorpe, and they had one known daughter.

Jeptha Eatherton was elected to represent Northampton County in the 2nd Provincial Congress, the 3rd Provincial Congress, the 4th Provincial Congress, and the 5th Provincial Congress of November of 1776, which created the NC State Constitution. He also represented Northampton County in the House of Commons during 1777, but he was soon elected as County Clerk and he stepped down from the House of Commons.