Henry Middleton
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Henry Middleton (1717 – June 13, 1784) of South Carolina was the second President of the Continental Congress, and thus the leader of what was to become the United States, from October 22, 1774 until Peyton Randolph was able to resume his duties briefly beginning on May 10, 1775.
He was preceded in office by Peyton Randolph and succeeded first by Peyton Randolph for a few days, then by John Hancock.
While a delegate to the Continental Congress, he resigned in order to prepare for the coming war. He was replaced by his son Arthur Middleton (1742-1787), who went on to sign the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation.
Arthur's son, also named Henry (1770-1846), had a long career in politics. He was Governor of South Carolina (1810-1812), U.S. Representative (1815-1819), and the Minister to Russia (1820-1830).
Several of Henry's other children married well:
- Henrietta was married to Edward Rutledge.
- Sarah was the first wife of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney.
- Thomas married Anne Manigault; one daughter Esther married Ralph Stead Izard a distant cousin of South Caroina Congressman Ralph Izard & Alice De Lancey.(Alice was niece of James DeLancey; James DeLancey's sister Susannah was the wife of Sir Peter Warren (Admirial). Another daughter Elizabeth Middleton was married to Ralph DeLancey Izard son of Congressman Ralph Izard.
{Note: Joseph-a brother of Anne Manigault- was first married to a daughter of Arthur Middleton and Mary Izard; by Joseph Manigault's second marriage he was the father of Confederate General Arthur Middleton Manigault (1824-1886), whose wife was a cousin 1st removed of Confederate General Benjamin Huger}