Arthur Middleton

Arthur Middleton (June 26, 1742 – January 1, 1787), of Charleston, South Carolina, was a signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence.

His parents were Henry Middleton and Mary Baker Williams, both of English descent. He was educated in Britain, at Harrow School, Westminster School, and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He studied law at the Middle Temple and traveled extensively in Europe where his taste in literature, music, and art was developed and refined. In 1764, Arthur and his bride Mary Izard settled at Middleton Place.

Keenly interested in Carolina politics, Middleton was a more radical thinker than his father, Henry Middleton. He was a leader of the American Party in Carolina and one of the boldest members of the Council of Safety and its Secret Committee. In 1776, Arthur was elected to succeed his father in the Continental Congress and subsequently was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. Also in 1776, he and William Henry Drayton designed the Great Seal of South Carolina. Despite the time he spent in England, his attitude toward Loyalists was said to be ruthless.

Arthur Middleton (disambiguation)

Arthur Middleton (1742–1787) was an American Revolutionary War figure.

Arthur Middleton may also refer to:

Arthur Middleton (1681–1737)

Arthur Middleton (October 29, 1681 – September 17, 1737) was a South Carolina planter and Acting Governor of South Carolina from May 7, 1725 to December, 1730.

Biography

In 1678, Middleton's father (Edward) and his uncle, Arthur, moved from Barbados to South Carolina, and settled on 1,780 acres of land 14 miles north of Charles Town. His father, Edward had purchased his uncle's share of the landgrant, plus another 3,130 acres, then settled with his wife, Sara, on the plantation; and named the plantation The Oaks.

Middleton was born on October 29, 1681. He married Mary Williams and Sarah Middleton.

Career

Middleton’s father died in 1685, leaving to his wife, Sara, and their young son, Arthur, the plantation. In the following decade, English colonists learned how to cultivate rice in fresh water swamps, with slave labor, by 1699, The Oaks plantation had begun to make money. By 1720, the estate consisted of over 5,000 acres and Middleton owned over 100 slaves.

A well-established member of the Carolina gentry, Middleton was also a respected member. In 1710, he traveled to London to discuss the political problems in the Carolinas.

Arthur Middleton (bass-baritone)

Arthur Middleton (Logan, Iowa, November 28, 1880 – Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 1929) was an American operatic and concert bass-baritone.

Life

Middleton studied with Charles R. Adams and Alexander Emslie and made his debut at the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1914. Other musical associations included the Apollo Club in Chicago and the New York Symphony Orchestra.

Middleton sang secondary roles at the Metropolitan Opera during a tenure encompassing only 22 performances between November 1914 and February 1916. In both his debut on November 18, 1914 and his farewell on February 26, 1916, he appeared as the Herald in Wagner's Lohengrin. He sang two other Wagnerian roles for the company: Titurel in Parsifal and Donner in Das Rheingold. His non-Wagnerian roles were Ludwig in Weber's Euryanthe and Don Fernando in Beethoven's Fidelio. Middleton also appeared at least once with the company on tour in Philadelphia, where he again appeared as the Lohengrin Herald on December 8, 1914.