James Wilson Middleton
The late James Wilson Middleton, who died at his home at Middletons Corners in Caesarscreek township, in the fall of 1917, was born on that place, the old Middleton home farm, and there had spent all his life. He was born on April 27, 1849, son of James and Angeline (Musetter) Middleton, who were among the pioneer residents of that part of the county, where their last days were spent. James Middleton was bom in Berkeley county, Virginia, and in 1825 came to Greene county and bought a tract of land in Caesarscreek township, where he established his home, his brothers, Thomas and John, having settled there previously, the two having come out here to locate land, afterward returning to Virginia, where they were married and then came back to Greene county to make their permanent home, their parents, Bethuel and Naomi (Ganoe) Middleton, and the other members of the family accompanying them to the new home in the then wilderness, the Middletons thus early becoming a well-established family in the Caesarscreek neighborhood, Middletons Corners thus taking its name; all of which, together with other details of the history of the Middleton family in Greene county, is set out elsewhere in this volume.
James Wilson Middleton was the last-born of the ten children born to his parents and he grew up on the home farm, receiving his schooling in the local schools, and after his marriage in 1871 established his home on a portion of the home place and there continued to make his residence, spending his life there, the owner of one hundred and fifteen acres of the old Middleton farm. In 1888 he erected on his farm a substantial farm house and the other improvements on the place were in keeping with the same. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Middleton gave considerable attention to the raising of live stock. He was a Democrat and had served the public in the capacity of township trustee and of land appraiser. He was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Middleton's death occurred on September 12, 1917, and he left a good memory in the community.
On October 4, 1871, James Wilson Middleton was united in marriage to Emma C. Peterson, who was born on a farm three miles east of the village of New Burlington, in the neighboring county of Clinton, a daughter of Jacob S. and Sarah C. (Ellis) Peterson, the latter of whom was born in that same neighborhood, on the Wilmington-Xenia pike, eight miles south of Xenia, daughter of Henry Ellis and a granddaughter of Abraham Ellis, a Revolutionary soldier, who had settled there in the early days of the settlement of that region and whose descendants in the present generation form a numerous connection throughout this part of Ohio. Jacob S. Peterson also was a member of one of the old families in this part of the state. He was born in Clinton county, where he grew up and where after his marriage he established his home on a farm, but later moved to Wilmington, the county seat, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. He was a Republican and he and his wife were members of the Reformed church. They were the parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Middleton was the first-born, the others being: Ada, wife of George A. McKay, of Xenia; Orville, a real-estate dealer at Pamplin City, Virginia, who has been married twice, his first wife having been Luella Oglesbee and his second, Evelyn Greene; Alice, who married Horace McMillen and continues to live in Clinton county; Jacob Elmer, who married Viola Farquahar and has been a teacher all his active life, now connected with the public schools at Brookneal, Virginia, and Grace, widow of Frank Colvin. For years Mrs. Colvin has been matron of the girls section of the college at Delaware, this state.
To James W. and Emma C. (Peterson) Middleton were born two sons, Orville P. and J. Raymond, both of whom are farming in Caesarscreek township, the latter farming the homestead tract where his mother still makes her home. Orville P. Middleton married Laura Haines and has four children, Wayne, Marion. Grace and Clara J. Raymond Middleton married Lydia Maria Haines and has two sons, Allen and Paul. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Middleton has continued to make her home on the home place at Middletons Corners. She is a member of the Maple Corners Reformed church.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918