William Middleton was called "William 2nd" (it was written in Maryland records when he was two years old in 16870.   In that year, William Hutchinson, who was his godfather, gave to William 2nd Middleton a tract of land called "Godfather's Guift" near Anacostia River, called then the Eastern Branch of the Potomac and probably in sight of Washington.   William sold it some years after his marriage about 1711-12 to Mrs. Elizabeth Keech, widow of John Keech.  Elizabeth was the daughter of Rev. Hugh Teares and his wife, Ruth (Holland).

In 1699 Rev. Hugh Teares made his will.  He left his "daughter, Elizabeth" in the care of her aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Hawkins.   Mrs. Hawkins about 1687-9 made a deed to 90 acres of land in Charles County, Maryland..."to my sister Ruth Teares, the wife of Hugh Teares...."  Mrs. Hawkins named a son Henry Holland Hawkins and Elizabeth Teares Middleton, (also named a son "Holland" Middleton).   His second wife, Henrietta was named by him as his executrix in his (William Middleton) will.   Her surname has not learned.   They were married between 1748 and 1758.

Designations:

In the deeds to which William Middleton was a party he was usually called "Gentleman," but occasionally other designations were used such as Planter, Merchant, Mr., and Esquire.  On hundreds of records of the Charles County Court of the years 1739-1748 he is referred to as "one of His Lordship's Justices of the Peace for this County."

William Middleton was a member of the Lower House of Maryland Assembly, representing Charles County from 11 July 1732 through the session that started 26 May 1741.  (Ref. Assembly Records, Archives of Maryland, Vol. 37:445; Vol. 39:55, 151, 220, & 438; Vol. 40:39, 122, 169, 280 & 518; and Vol.  42:83 & 192).  Then after an interval of several years he was again elected to the Body and served, as shown by the following entry:   "Mr. William Middleton, a member elected for Charles County in the Room of Mr. John Courts, deceased took the oaths etc 30 May 1748."  He served as one of the Justices for Charles County for nearly ten years.   (Ref. Commission Records, 1726-1788).   His first and last commissions were dated 18 October 1739 and 22 October 1747.  His service was continuous from 1739 until at least as late as 9 August 1748.

William Middleton's Deeds to His Children:

A deed dated 9 March 1735-6 and recorded 30 March 1736 recites that William Middleton "for the natural love and affection he beareth unto his daughter Eleanor Tyler, wife of Benjamin Tyler...conveyed to her one moiety of that part of His Lordship's Favour," situate between the lands of James Keech and John Abenethy, deceased, which he, William Middleton had bought of Thomas and James Abernethy.

In an unindexed Bill of Sale it is recorded that on 16 February 1743-4, Peter White, a carpenter, sold a negro man named Tomacoe to William Middleton who then endorsed it as follows:  "I hereby assign the within Bill of Sale unto my son, Samuel Middleton, his heirs and assigns."

At the same time another Bill of Sale to William Middleton was recorded.  It was from William Bryan who sold for L11 15s.5d., a negro boy named George.   This Bill of Sale was assigned to Samuel Middleton.

By a deed dated 5 August 1748, William Middleton, Sr., conveyed "to Holland Middleton, William Middleton, Jr., and Robert Middleton, for L10 current money of Maryland and also for natural love and affection which I have unto my sons Holland, William and Robert" certain tracts which he describes:   Holland Middleton to have his portion at the southernmost corner, and Robert to receive the western part.  He then affected a redistribution of a previous transaction by providing that the land formerly belonging to Robert, containing 110 acres, was to go to William, Jr., who also was to receive the tract known as "Griffen's Seat."  The endorsement on this deed is of special interest because of its wording:  "William Middleton, Sr., acknowledged this land to be the right of inheritance of Holland Middleton, William Middleton, Jr., and Robert Middleton."

By a deed dated 6 May 1749, William Middleton, Jr., sold to Hugh Mitchell, also of Charles County, the above-mentioned 110 acres, described as "of manor land called Zachia Manor, subject to a life interest therein of himself, called William Middleton, Jr., party to these presents, Robert Middleton, and Hugh Middleton, sons of William Middleton, Sr. of Charles County.

This completes the thus-far discovered documentary evidence of the names of the children of William Middleton, Sr. -- Eleanor, Samuel, Holland, William, Jr., Robert and Hugh.

At various dates William Middleton owned, either by patent, resurvey, or purchase all or part of:

1720 -- Ye Meadows  400 acres
1730 -- Longpoint
1734 -- Three Brothers 250 acres
1737 -- Mudd's Rest 200 acres
1738 -- His Lordship's Favour 324 acres
1740 -- Griffen's Seat 254 acres
1742 -- Middleton's Rich Thicket 100 acres
1742 -- Middleton's Hope
1744 -- Addition to May Day 120 acres
1747 -- Thompson Town 100 acres
1747 -- Partner's Purchase 126 acres

Children of William and Elizabeth Teares Middleton

Eleanor Middleton, who was married to Benjamin Tyler as early as 9 March 1735-6; settled in Virginia.

Ruth Middleton, born 1712; married Benjamin Belt.

Samuel Middleton, died intestate somewhat before 28 June 1764; (Ref. Inventories, Vol. 84:228); he married Elizabeth Ward; died Charles County, Maryland, will date 1 July 1783; will proven 12 September 1784; (Ref. Charles County Wills, B-1; 393-394).   He had issue: Horatio, Ann, and Samuel Ward.   Son Horatio married Susannah Stoddert of the same family as Benjamin Stoddert, first secretary of U.S. Navy.   Son, Samuel Ward married a Mrs. William Hooe Winter and their daughter, Catherine, was the mother of the Confederate Admiral Raphael Semmes.   His mother was married at the Middleton family home "Locust Hill" in Charles County, Maryland soon after 1800.

Holland Middleton.   This line is continued in the section "The Third Generation."

William Middleton, Jr., married Mary Coghill about 1740 or earlier, the daughter of William and Anne (Smallwood) Coghill.   They made their home on the tract that William Middleton, Sr., had received by the will of Robert Robertson, and which William Middleton sold 6 May 1749 to Hugh Mitchell, subject to the life interest therein of himself and two of his brothers:  "these three being sons of William Middleton, Sr., of Charles County, Maryland."  (CC Deed Z-2).   Children of William and Mary Coghill Middleton were Isaac Smallwood Middleton and Hugh Middleton.

Robert Middleton who married Anne______, was a witness to a deed in Prince William County, Virginia, 27 April 1761 (Ref. Middleton Papers, Semmes Collection, Maryland Historical Society) and moved to Georgia with brothers Holland and Hugh.  He signed in Georgia 1770 "Sr." so the Colonel Robert Middleton who later signed his name "Jr.," in Georgia must have been his son.   Other children of Robert Sr., are not known, neither is his place of death.  Hugh C. Middleton of Augusta, Georgia, mentioned in his notes:  "Pa always said he thought his Grandfather Hugh had two brothers to come to South Carolina with him and that one or both of them went to Kentucky."   Robert Middleton, Jr. who married Elizabeth Haynie (sister of John Haynie who died in Columbia County, Georgia, in 1802-3) mentioned his sister, Elizabeth Middleton, in Mississippi.   He was a Colonel in the Revolution in Georgia; also a member of the Georgia Legislature and a member of the Georgia Convention that ratified the U. S. Constitution.  He lived in Richmond, Columbia and Green Counties, Georgia (later near Holland Middleton).   About 1789-90, he went to Lexington, Kentucky, bought a lot of land, left much of it and floated with his family and goods down the Mississippi River on a raft to Natchez.   There he bought a farm on the Louisiana side near Vidalia, and by 1805 was apparently dead.   His daughter, Elizabeth, married in 1805 David Morgan (later General David Morgan).  Reference marriage record on file in Natchez for Elizabeth and also another one on file around this time for Hatton Middleton.  Although I don't have the proof with this "family name" Hatton, I believe he is probably a brother to Elizabeth (Middleton) Morgan.

Hugh Teare Middleton, born about 1730; died 30 November 1803 at his home, "Locust Dale," Edgefield County, South Carolina.  He married four times and had three sets of children.   The names of two of his wives are mentioned in the administration of his estate, Lucy Williams (3rd wife); and Agatha Garrett (4th wife).  His children were Hugh Middleton who predeceased him and whose wife was born Mildred Martin; John Middleton; Martha (Middleton) Tenent; Sarah (Middleton) Quarles; Elizabeth Middleton who later married Alexander Speer; Mary Middleton; and Philadelphia Adelia Middleton who later married Andrew Calhoun Hamilton.   (Note:  Major Hugh's son, Hugh, Jr. died the summer of 1803 leaving a wife Mildred (daughter of Charles Martin), and a son William H. Middleton.   Mildred Middleton, his widow, married in 1804, Captain Samuel Savage, Jr.   They moved to Alabama near Florence.  In the county court records of Florence, there have been the names, Samuel Savage and William H. Middleton (1820s) on the same papers.   One of them mentions John Middleton in Edgefield County, South Carolina and Hugh Middleton Jr., father of William H. Middleton.
 
 

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