Samuel Amherst MIDDLETON

MIDDLETON, JAMES, TANCK, MIDLAND, SHOENHAIR, LYONS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 8/12/2012 at 13:40:12

July 27, 1875 --- August 27, 1952

Sam Middleton, Pioneer Eagle Grove Resident, Dies Wednesday

FOUNDER OF MAPLEWOOD DAIRY HERE

Also Served On City Council and As City Clerk For 15 Years

Samuel A. Middleton, 77, died at his home on South Commercial Wednesday morning about 8 o'clock. Cause of death was given as a stroke.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, August 29 in the Methodist church. Rev. H. G. Dawes will officiate and burial will be in the family lot in Rose Hill cemetery. A Masonic service will be held at the Kastler Funeral Home Thursday (tonight) at 8. Mr. Middleton was stricken first last Friday and has been seriously ill since that time.

Sam Middleton was a pioneer resident of Eagle Grove and Wright county. He also started one of Eagle Grove's first businesses, the Maplewood Dairy, which is still operated by his sons Burdette and Bruce. He was born in Troy township on July 27, 1875. He was educated in Troy schools and graduated from Eagle Grove high school with the class of 1895.

In June, 1899 he was united in marriage to Etta James. To them were born five children, Dorothy (Mrs. Calla Tanck of Renwick), Lura (Mrs. L. T. Midland of Madison, Wisconsin), Roger, Burdette and Bruce of Eagle Groe, all of whom survive. He is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Frank Shoenhair of Eagle Grove and Mrs. Achsa Lyons of Keyetesville, Missouri. Also by five grandchildren.

Mr. Middleton founded and operated the Maplewood Dairy. He started the business when he was a youth with one cow and a milk route. The venture was successful from the start and Sam was soon milking 40 cows with an established milk and cream business. He then branched into the ice cream business and was one of the pioneers in that industry in this area. He was a member of the state and national ice cream manufacturers association and active in industry affairs for a number of years.

In 1906 Sam was elected to the city council and served the city in that capacity for two terms. He was then named city clerk and served for 15 years in that post. Much of Eagle Grove's early growth came during Sam's tenure as a city official. Following the graduation from high school of his twin sons Bruce and Burdette the Maplewood Dairy was expanded and a new building erected on South Commercial. Mr. Middleton had taken on the agency for Kelvinator refrigerators and after the two sons entered the business he devoted his time to the refrigeration business for a number of years. About 10 years ago he retired from business activity but continued to operate the farm on South Commercial where the dairy is located.

He leaves a host of friends and numberless legends and stories of himself and the Middleton family. Typical of the stories that Sam liked to tell about himself is his own private slogan while operating the Maplewood Dairy, "Sam's Best Is None Too Good".

He was a member of the Masonic lodge and the Methodist church and active in both organizations. In the first mentioned he was a Past Master, High Priest and Principal Sojourner. His death will be mourned by the entire community.

August 28, 1952
Eagle Grove Eagle - Iowa

Source: Paul Wilde