Some personal memories of mine related to my extended family that may be of interest to other family members.

Ruth B. Middleton                   Duff E. Middleton

John W. Middleton                 Jack E. Middleton

Flora E. Hall                           Donna M. Middleton   

Family Index Page                   Joyce M. Middleton

Concerning my mother, Ruth Bernice Herndon (Hall) Middleton:   (1903 - 1996)

Mother was born in western Kansas near Stafford.  At the age of three her mother died, and she and her older sister Viola went to her mother’s sister to live.  Her mother's sister was Flora Hall who lived in Guthrie, Oklahoma with her husband John S. B. Hall.  When mother was about 5 her father, Dee Herndon, married again and wanted his daughters to return to Kansas and live with him.  Viola went back to Kansas, and mother stayed to be raised by her Aunt Flora.  I have said more than once, she was independent enough at the age of 5 to decide where she was going to live, and nobody ever told her otherwise until Ned and I placed her in a nursing home 80 years later.  After my father died in 1954 she sold the property on East Central and purchased a home in Wichita at 814 N. Parkwood. She taught piano lessons from her home and had as many as 30 pupils per week as I remember it.  She was a member of the Piano's Teacher League and managed to do some foreign traveling as well.  It seems to me that she went to Russia, and also another trip to Europe in the early 60's.

         (Back to top)

Concerning my father, Duff Eugene Middleton   (1896 - 1954)

My father was born the youngest of 12 children, near Augusta, Kansas in 1896. His father, John Westley Middleton was Sheriff of Butler County, KS. who died in 1903. When my father was about 6 years old most of the John Middleton family moved to Ponca City where my father graduated from High School.  My father volunteered for the army in World War I and served overseas with the 142nd Field Artillery in France.  When returning from the service he lived in Tulsa, OK and then moved to Wichita, KS.  He was a professional musician and began teaching at Friends University.  He was an amazing musician, extremely talented with the violin and trombone.  He could play every instrument in the band or orchestra.  He also wrote the official state march of Kansas.  He met mother at Friends University, who was attending Friends and was a pianist that accompanied my father in some of his musical jobs.  In those days, without the benefit of taped, or recorded music, nice restaurants hired small groups of musicians to play background music for the customers at meal time.  They were married in 1926 and I was born in 1928.  At that time my father was a teacher at the only Wichita High School.  He then became supervisor of instrumental music for the public school system when North High School was opened in 1932.  He retired from teaching after 19 years with the public school system.  He then joined me in the water well drilling business.  He loved horses, and I suppose that is part of the reason for my interest in them as well.  We moved to a 13 acre farm 1 ˝ miles east of Beech Aircraft on Central in 1941,  when I was in the 6th grade.  When we moved there, Central was "Highway 54", Kellogg was a dirt road,  and our address was 6724 E. Central.  Later, as the city grew they renumbered the streets, and the address became 11906 E. Central.  Highway 54 was moved to Kellogg.  He was killed in an automobile accident Nov. 17th, 1954.  He had been north of the Harvey county line estimating a drilling job.  When returning his car was hit by a pickup truck at the blind intersection of the Harvey County Line and what is now Webb Rd.  He was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the vehicle and then pinned under the left rear wheel of the Packard he was driving.  He was pronounced dead at the Harvey County Hospital in Newton, KS.

(Back to top)

Concerning my grandfather, John Westley Middleton   (1838- 1903)

            and Flora Creal Middleton  (1851 - 1926)

 

I never met my grandfather, as he died more than 20 years before I was born.  He was born in Champaign County, Ohio in 1838.  He joined the Union Army in 1862, and served until being mustered out as a Lieutenant in August of 1865.  (Iowa Civil War History)   He and his family came to Nebraska in 1871 by covered wagon.  They settled in western Kansas before moving to the Towanda, El Dorado, Augusta area.  He was a buffalo hunter, farmer, first mayor of Augusta and also served as the Sheriff of Butler County for two terms. (1892 – 1896)  He owned and managed a stone quarry in Augusta and during that time provided the native stone for numerous buildings in El Dorado, and many of the monuments in the Elmwood Cemetery of Augusta, including his own lot.  He and Flora had 12 children (9 girls, 3 boys), my father being the youngest.
       

(Back to top)

Concerning myself, Jack Eugene Middleton   (1928 -      )

I majored in music in my high school years.   (My dad was the superintendent of instrumental music in the public school system for 19 years.  My mother was an accomplished pianist, and Piano teacher.  Actually, the way that my mother and father met was when my dad was a teacher at Friends University, and my mom accompanied him in some of his musical programs.)   I played in the Wichita Symphony for a couple of years, and as a member of the Musician's Union had such gigs as the Shrine Circus, the Barnum and Bailey Circus, and even had a few weeks trying to bring Vaudeville back to the Orpheum Theatre.   I attended the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan two summers during my high school years.  Clarinet was my main instrument, though I did play the Alto Sax occasionally.  In my later years, I picked up the guitar, and to tell the truth, I actually enjoyed the chording possibilities, and the learning of words to Christian hymns and chorus’s much more than the professional side of the reed instruments.  It was through music that I met my first wife.  Donna Harrison was the first chair violinist in high school and I was the first chair clarinet.  It seemed only natural that we should go together, and starting in my Junior year in high school did just that.  I was offered a job by the Band leader of the Barnum and Bailey Circus to travel with the circus band when I graduated from High School, but I declined, as that would have meant leaving my girl friend.  Neither Donna nor I thought that was a very good idea!

Donna went to Wichita State for one year after she graduated from High School East in 1947.  She worked on a music degree for one year and then quit college, getting a secretary’s job at Boeing.  That job plus my new job drilling water wells, gave us enough money (we thought) to get married October 2, 1948 at the First Presbyterian Church Chapel.  Her mother attended First Presbyterian some, and Donna thought the chapel was “Pretty”.  Our reception was held across the street at the 20th Century Club.  John and Carol Rule were the couple that stood up with us.  Carol had been Donna's best friend thru Junior High School years. 

My religious background was “Christian Science”.  I had perfect attendance for a couple of different years in their Sunday School Program.  When we moved to the country…It was more difficult for mother to get to church, and our attendance records dropped some.  Donna’s religious background varied from Baptist, to Presbyterian, to Methodist according to whatever her mom was into at the time.  When we talked with Rev. Sammy Napolitan, one of the ministers at First Presbyterian about our wedding plans, he observed there was quite a bit of difference between Christian Science and whatever Donna was, but we figured love could handle that, and it didn’t make that much difference anyway.  He was closer to right, than we were, of course.  I figured if it was important, Donna and I agreed that she would not become a Christian Scientist, and I would not become a Baptist-Presbyterian.  All other options were open!.

As owner and operator, I was a “Well Driller” with up to three rigs drilling water wells in the Wichita area for 8 years.  As a member of the Air Force, I was a crew chief on the T-6 airplane during the Korean War.  My career then significantly changed to Bible College as a young Christian, and upon graduation, I became pastor of the Wichita Bible Church in 1958, which they endured for 34 years, until my retirement in 1992.  I also served during that time as a Law Enforcement Chaplain with both the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for a total of 35 Years.  Needless to say, some of these things overlapped in time or else I would need to be about 100 years old…(That’s only how old I feel, not actually my current age).

More information on Jack Middleton and some of his personal memories can be obtained from the following PDF file...."A Trip Down Memory Lane".  ( This is a large file and will take a couple of minutes to download with a DSL connection.)

(Back to top)
Concerning Donna Marie Harrison Middleton  (1928 - 1999)

 

       

     Emma Harrison      

Donna was born in Wichita, KS to Eugene Cameron Harrison and Emma Edith Shaffer.  Her father was a investor and manager of oil leases.  He died in January of 1948 while Donna was attending Wichita State.  She had a brother, Jim (James Baker Harrison) that was nine years older than her.  He was a graduate of Washburn School of Law and was an practicing attorney.

 Donna was an exceptional musician.  She began playing the violin when she was 4 or 5 years old.  She took advantage of some free instruction that was being offered by the school system in instrumental music at that time.  My father, Supervisor of Instrumental music with the public school system had started that program in order to have better musicians for the High School years.  I did not meet Donna until she began attending Wichita High School East where we both were in the orchestra.  It took me some 6 weeks to get up enough nerve to ask her out for a date.  She agreed to go with me to a Halloween Party being held at a friends home.  We were both hooked, and began going "steady" some time shortly after that.  We were both in the Wichita Symphony after graduating from High School.  We were married October 2, 1948 in Wichita, KS.  We rented an apartment on East Central a couple of blocks west of Oliver, which was an upstairs room with a shared bathroom.  The room we rented was very similar to the upstairs bedroom that Susan used on North Lorraine.  A total of about nine windows on three sides.  A gas stove for cooking was also the room heater, and we had an ice box type of refrigerator.  Donna (nor I), could ever remember to drain the water pan under it, so it frequently ran over as the ice melted and made quite a mess.  We lived there for 6 weeks until an apartment opened up in another upstairs arrangement on 311 S. Belmont.  It was considerably nicer, however the stove and kitchen we used was in the basement of the house.  There was no outside private entrance to this place so we just walked through the ladies house to use the "apartment".  We lived there for about 6 months until a one bedroom apartment opened up on East Central just West of Edgemoor.  It was a fourplex, and some of the same type of fourplex's are still in existence in that block.  The one we rented has since been torn down.  We lived there until I went into the service in October of 1950.  Donna stayed there alone for a couple of months until she quit her job at Boeing and came to Louisiana so we could be together.

I became a Christian in August of 1950, just before joining the Air National Guard.  I was in doubt about that move, but the draft board was breathing down my neck, so I signed up.  Donna, who had Christian background, and was no doubt a Christian, at that time suggested that I should pray about it.  That is the first time, I ever recall having it suggested to me I should pray about anything.  The Christian Science view of things, doesn't seem to include personal requests.  They figure that all is under control what with there being no sin or evil in the world, just a good God.  At any rate, that is how I joined the National Guard unit in September that was then told it would be activated the next month!

We had three children, Susan born in Louisiana, Richard and Linda in Wichita.

                

   Susan, Richard and Linda about 4th Grade Pictures

When I became a Christian, it offended my parents no end.  My dad visited the Bible Church once with my mother and Donna just after I left for Louisiana.  As fortune would have it, the pastor was preaching about Christian Science and tossed in a few things about the Masonic Lodge.  Donna had actually invited them to hear that message, thinking it was just what they needed.  Probably so, but their reaction was distinctly negative.

Donna was exceptionally beautiful, and as a very good violinist, my dad really liked her.  He thought Christianity had sort of ruined me, but it didn't hurt her at all.  When I went into the ministry, and became pastor at the Wichita Bible Church, Donna was highly respected by nearly all of the people in the congregation.  She had a very non-judgmental attitude and could always be friendly to anyone and everyone.  One of the ladies in the church ( Grace Pearcy in 1967 ) wrote a poem about Donna being the ideal pastor's wife. 

FAR ABOVE RUBIES
 
There is one in the heart of our church
Who quietly fills her place,
Who tranquilly, faithfully does her tasks
With charm and Christian grace.
Never a frown disfigures her brow
Nor mars her countenance fair,
Her lips speak only the kindliest words
And a sweet smile lingers there.
The clear, true notes of her violin
Whispering praise or a prayer,
Bespeak the peace that dwells within
O'ershadowing worry or care.
As the white gull rests on the quiet sea
E'er it soars to heights above,
Serenely, calmly does she rest
On the sea of her Father's love.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
Her children - blest by her life,
She is a benediction to one and all
For she is our Pastor's wife.

At one point in time, the Wichita School System was considering naming a new school after a former teacher or Wichita dignitary.  Donna's tact and skill can be seen in her letter to the Editor of the Wichita Eagle at that time.  It appeared in the letters to the editor of the Wichita Eagle, under the title

"Name a School for Duff Middleton"

"I noted with interest an article reporting that plans for two new elementary schools are being developed for the Wichita school children.  The Board of Education should consider naming one of these schools for Duff E. Middleton, a dedicated educator who was superintendent of instrumental music in the Wichita public schools for 19 years.  I first met Mr. Middleton as a child at Gardiner Elementary School when he visited free instrumental music lessons, which he had introduced throughout the public school system during the depression years.  These music lessons provided a quality of life for hundreds of children at a time when paying for private lessons would have been impossible.  This music instruction continues today in the public schools, and continues to benefit our community.  I met Mr. Middleton's oldest son when we both played in the East High Orchestra, and later became Mr. Middleton's daughter-in-law.  Though he died in an automobile accident in 1954, I am still asked by many people I happen to meet if I am related to Duff.  They invariably  recall pleasant memories of his excellent teaching when he directed both bands and orchestras at East High and North High.  He composed a "war chant", which is still often played at North High football games.  His encouragement to me as a musician and as a daughter-in-law naturally makes me prejudiced, but I believe many citizens of Wichita would join me in wishing to honor his memory in this manner.  MRS. JACK E. MIDDLETON, Wichita"

   

Picture from Passport - 1982

 

Graduated from Gardiner Elementary, Hamilton Intermediate, Wichita High School East (1947), attended Wichita State University (1947-1948),   Past member of Wichita Symphony, Employment included: Secretary for Boeing, Deputy Election Commissioner in Sedgwick County, Administrative Secretary for the Wichita Park Board.   Also pastor's wife at Wichita Bible Church with various responsibilities including organist, violinist, VBS superintendent, Sunday School teacher, Ladies League President.
(Back to top)

 

Concerning my great aunt Flora Ellen Herndon Hall.  (1871 - 1955 ?)

The closest person I had that seemed like a grandparent was mother’s aunt Flora Hall who had raised my mother.  She lived in Guthrie, OK and we would occasionally visit her there.  Her husband John had been involved in real estate and did quite well.  He bought up a lot of property in the Guthrie area when it was the capitol of Oklahoma.  Then they moved the capitol to Oklahoma City, and much of his property was devaluated.  Guthrie celebrated the ‘89’ers day events commemorating the opening of the Cherokee strip each year, and I was at aunt Flora’s on some of those occasions.  She lived in a downtown building on the second floor, with windows that looked out on the parade route.  Indians attending the event camped out in the back of her building in teepees, with horses, and all.  Enough to entertain me, and scare me half to death as I remember it. 

Mother would ship us boys down there for a week at a time.  I would go down one week, and then Wilbur and Ned the next week.  Probably three boys at one time was more than she could take. Close to Aunt Flora’s place were three movie houses.  They rotated the movies in each of the Theatres every three days.  For a dime I could go to one of the shows, and watch it over and over for the whole afternoon.  The next day I would take in the second Theater, and the third day likewise.  The fourth day I could start the series all over again.   Aunt Flora seemed pleased to pay the dime to get rid of me for the afternoon.  A few years ago I visited Guthrie and took some pictures of the main street.  I am not positive, but am pretty sure the building that Aunt Flora lived in is currently 110 E. Oklahoma.  It sure looks like the windows on the second floor that I could hang out of and watch the parade.  In the center of the building is the stairway that led upstairs, and to the left of the doorway is the area that was a candy store back then.  The first floor of the building was a store that sold candy, and I don’t remember what else, a mini-grocery store I think.  I do recall that another of the luxury’s of going to Oklahoma to visit, was that I could stop in that store and the owner (No doubt a renter from Aunt Flora) would let me pick out and have any of the candy that he had in the glass case.  It just didn’t get any better than that!  Aunt Flora seemed to always get up at 5:00am and fix biscuits for breakfast.  I can still see her making the syrup for them by boiling sugar and water, and I don’t know what else.  Those hot biscuits were fantastic.  She had a great sense of humor, and I recall she would often ask after a meal, did I want some Chocolate cake or Cherry pie for dessert?  When I would decide, she would then get a twinkle in her eye, smile and say “Sorry, I don’t have any!”

(Back to top)