[1] In 1678, Middleton's father (Edward) and his uncle, Arthur, moved from Barbados to South Carolina, and settled on 1,780 acres of land 14 miles north of Charles Town.

[2][1] Middleton's father died in 1685, leaving to his wife, Sara, and their young son, Arthur, the plantation.

In the following decade, English colonists learned how to cultivate rice in fresh water swamps, exploiting the knowledge and labor of enslaved Africans.

[1] A well-established member of the Carolina gentry, Middleton became an influential figure.

Middleton died on September 17, 1737, at the age of 56, and at that time he owned 107 slaves.