Henry Middleton (politician, 1717)

Henry Middleton, oil painting by Benjamin West

The still preserved south wing of the house built by Henry Middleton in the 18th century

Henry Middleton (* 1717 with “The Oaks” near Charleston , Province of South Carolina , † June 13, 1784 ibid) was a British-American politician and planter . He became the second President of the Continental Congress in October 1774 .

Life

The father of Henry Middleton was Arthur Middleton (1681-1737), the Acting Governor (Acting Governor) of South Carolina from 1725 to 1730 . Henry Middleton received private tuition and also attended school in England. Middleton was a planter, owned extensive estates in Berkeley , Colleton , and Granville Counties , and lived there on his estate “The Oaks” and “Middleton Place”.

Henry Middleton was appointed Justice of the Peace and Quorum from 1742 to 1780 and was a member of the Provincial House of Commons from 1742 to 1755, from 1745 to 1747 and in 1754 and 1755 he served as its spokesman. In 1743 he was responsible for supplying the local armed forces with horses (Commissioned Officer of horse of the provincial forces) and in 1755 he was Commissioner of Indian affairs. From 1755 to September 1770 he was a member of the King's Provincial Council, 1774 of the Provincial Convention.

Henry Middleton was a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1775 and headed the convention as president from October 22, 1774 to May 10, 1775 during the absence of Peyton Randolph , who could not take over his task until May 10, 1775. In preparation for the expected clashes with the British, he gave up his position in the Convention in favor of his son Arthur Middleton , who would later be one of the signatories of the American Declaration of Independence . In 1775 and 1776 he was a member of the Council of Safety, which is responsible for safety issues, and in the same period of time also of the Provincial Congress of South Carolina. In 1776 he was a member of a committee that was supposed to work out the tasks and structure of a future government (Committee to prepare a form of government). During the transitional government from 1776 to 1778 he was a member of the Legislative Assembly ( Legislative Council ), from 1778 to 1780 the Senate of South Carolina .

His grandson was also named Henry Middleton and later became an MP, Governor of South Carolina, Senator and Ambassador to Russia.

Some of his children married people who had important functions in the history of South Carolina, for example Henrietta married the later Governor Edward Rutledge , Mary Polly married the MP Pierce Butler , Sarah became the first wife of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and Hester married the Vice-Governor Charles Drayton .

Henry Middleton died on June 13, 1784 in Charleston, South Carolina, and was buried in the Goosecreek Churchyard, St. James Parish , Berkeley County, South Carolina.

literature

• Stanley L. Klos. President Who? Forgotten Founders . Evisum, Inc. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Page 261. 2004. ISBN 0-9752627-5-0

Web links

• Henry Middleton (politician, 1717) in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
• Middleton's estate