Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Jesse Bettsworth a Labourer, born 1858 in Steep, Hants., and his wife Frances Fanny, born 1860 in Grantham, Lincs. John William was born in 1881 in Grantham, Lincs., he had one sibling, a brother Thomas Jesse, born 1886 in Grantham, Lincs., in April 1891 the family home was at 2, Batts Place, New Street, Manthorpe cum Gonerby, Lincs. In March 1901 John was employed as a Builder’s Carter and was residing as a boarder at Hockley West, Whitwick, Leics., in the Ecclesiastical Parish of Whitwick, St. John the Baptist. In April 1911 John was employed as a Miller’s Carter and was residing at Mount Pleasant, Kegworth, Leics., in the home of his brother Thomas, and his wife Lily a Hosiery Seamer, born 1886 in Kegworth, Leics., together with his niece and nephew, Frances Lilian, born 1905 and Thomas Wilfred, born 1908, both children were born in Kegworth, Leics. In the quarter April, May June 1913, in the Registration District of Shardlow, Derbys., John married Emma Elizabeth Bacon.