Lyman Beecher Middleton (1861-1943)

CLAUDE, LYONS, PIPER, RICE, MIDDLETON, SHOENHAIR

Posted By: Eileen Reed (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:52

December 6, 1861 –-- July 26, 1943

Born in Troy Township In 1861 and Spent Most of His Life In Wright County.

Lyman B. Middleton, 81, died in his apartment home in this city, early Monday morning. He had been confined to his bed for a number of months and his passing was not unexpected. About six months ago he fell and broke his hip, but apparently recovered from the shock of the accident and the resultant injury. But for several months he had been failing rapidly. Mrs. Middleton passed away, May 11 [12], 1942.

Mr. Middleton was born on farm in Troy township, Dec. 6, 1861. He was educated in the original " Troy Center" school house and worked with his father on the farm until he decided he preferred merchandising to farming. He opened up a general store in Webster City and later, built the first store building in Woolstock. He traded his stock and building for a farm in Troy township. After a few years of farming, he opened up a hardware and implement business in Eagle Grove. That was in 1886. Later on he formed a partnership with A. G. Brennick, buying out his partner's interests four years later. In the meantime pianos were added to the general hardware and implement line. In 1896, Mr. Middleton sold his interests in Eagle Grove and moved to Cottagehill, Florida where he again engaged in the mercantile business. He also engaged in the piano business in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1898, he moved back to Eagle Grove and re-engaged in the sale of pianos and musical instruments. He took his oldest son, the late Dr. C. E. Middleton into partnership with him in 1901. He moved to Washington, D. C. two years later and in 1907 came back to Eagle Grove and entered business again with his son. A younger son, Wayne, was taken into the firm a few years later and the business continued under the name of the Middleton Piano Company. In the meantime, both Mr. Middleton and his son, Claude, became interested in the then infant automobile game. They shipped the first Model T Ford cars into northwest Iowa. They had almost the entire north part of the state as their wholesale and retail territory. In 1909, the auto business was moved into the building now occupied by the Dahlberg Garage and was the first building in the county devoted exclusively to auto sales and auto servicing. The Ford soon became a popular car, their business expanded and the Middletons induced Howard Mountford, associated in their music business to turn his talents to car sales and servicing and he was taken into the firm. Soon the Ford company began to cut down on their wholesale dealer’s territory and Mr. Mountford took over four of the nine counties left in their territory and moved to Algona, L. B. and C. E. Middleton continuing here selling and distributing Ford cars in the remaining five counties. In the meantime they added the Haynes and Glide cars for wholesale and retail distribution. In 1916, the Middletons sensed that the Ford Company would in time, handle distribution of ford cars direct from the factory, so they sold their wholesale and retail auto business to the Gould-Routt interests from Dallas Center. Incidentally about a year and a half later, Ford cancelled out all distributor contracts. Since that time, 1915, Mr. Middleton has lived in comparative retirement. The owned a residence property in Washington, D. C., where they lived for a time, but moved back to Eagle Grove about 12 years ago.

Mr. Middleton never lost faith in Eagle Grove and this community. He invested liberally in Eagle Grove property. The building now occupied by Graham’s Store was built for the Middleton Piano Company wholesale and retail piano and musical instrument business. Mr. Middleton was a real salesman, a salesman’s salesman. He was an accomplished musician. As a young man, he played the violin at church and other services. He knew the merchandise he sold thoroughly. He became an expert in his knowledge of piano construction and became just as proficient in his knowledge of auto engines and everything pertaining to automobiles. He took special pride in the introduction and distribution of hundreds of Everett pianos in northwest Iowa. It was his enthusiastic love of music and admiration for the best in musical instrument manufacture, and later in the field of auto transportation, which made his business career so successful.

Mr. Middleton was united in marriage with Miss Marie J. Claude, March 1, 1882. Both Mr. and Mrs. Middleton were able to attend and enjoy their 60th wedding anniversary celebration March 1st of last year. All of their living children were present. They are: Mrs. N. C. Rice (Harriett), Algona; Wayne of Waterloo; Earl of Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Mrs. Richard Piper (Ione), of Washington, D. C. Two children preceded their parents in death; Dr. Claude E. Middleton passed away suddenly in February, 1933 and one daughter, Verna, who died in infancy. Two brothers survive and three sisters, Jesse C. and Samuel A., and Mrs. Frank Shoenhair, all living in Eagle Grove; Mrs. Walter Lyons of Keytesvllle, Mo., and Mrs. Ed Lyons of Berkeley, Calif.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon in the Kubitschek & Kastler funeral home with the Rev. J. R. Tumbleson in charge. Interment was in Rose Hill cemetery.

Eagle Grove Eagle --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
29 July 1943