Henry Middleton
Henry Middleton (* 1717 in " The Oaks " in Charleston, South Carolina, † June 13, 1784 ) was a British- American politician and planter. He was the second President of the Continental Congress in October 1774.
Life
The father of Henry Middleton was Arthur Middleton (1681-1737), who from 1725 to 1730 Acting Governor ( Acting Governor ) of South Carolina. Henry Middleton received private lessons and attended school in England. Middleton was planter, he owned extensive lands in the counties Berkeley, Colleton, and Granville, he lived on his estate " The Oaks " and " Middleton Place ".
Henry Middleton was appointed from 1742 to 1780 the Justice of the Peace ( Justice of the peace and quorum ) and belonged from 1742 to 1755 the lower house of the provincial Landtag ( Provincial House of Commons ) that from 1745 to 1747 and the years 1754 and 1755, he served as whose spokesman. In 1743 he was responsible for the care of the local armed forces with horses ( Commissioned Officer of horse of the provincial forces ) and 1755 he was commissioner for Indian affairs ( Commissioner of Indian affairs ). From 1755 until September 1770 he belonged to the King's Provincial Council of 1774, the Provincial Assembly ( Provincial convention).
Henry Middleton was from 1774 to 1775 a delegate to the Continental Congress and served as President of the Convention of 22 October 1774 to the May 10, 1775, during the absence of Peyton Randolph, who until May 10, 1775 could again take up his post. To prepare for the expected confrontation with the British, he gave up his position in the Convention in favor of his son, Arthur Middleton, who was later to include the signatories of the American Declaration of Independence. In the years 1775 and 1776, he served on the responsible for security matters Council of Safety, for the same period in addition also the Provincial Congress of South Carolina ( Provincial Congress of South Carolina). 1776, he was one of a committee to draft 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 ) that from 1778 to 1780 the Senate of South Carolina.
His grandson, also named Henry Middleton and was later deputy governor of South Carolina, Senator and Ambassador to Russia.
Some of his children married persons who exercised important functions in the history of South Carolina, then married Henrietta later Governor Edward Rutledge, Mary Polly Mrs Pierce Butler, Sarah was the first wife of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and Hester married the Lieutenant Governor Charles Drayton.
Henry Middleton died on 13 June 1784 in Charleston, South Carolina, and was buried on the Goose Creek Church Yard, St. James Parish, Berkeley County, South Carolina.