Biography of G. C. Middlebrook

	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1898. Pages 355-356

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 


G. C. MIDDLEBROOK. - As an all around prominent man of Grant county, 
there is probably no one of its citizens who more justly deserves the 
title than Mr. Middlebrook, the postmaster, bookseller and stationer at 
Milbank. He is yet in the prime of vigorous manhood, intelligent and 
well educated, and as such is highly esteemed and respected.

	The gentleman whose name introduces these brief paragraphs was 
born at Fairfield, now a part of Bridgeport, Connecticut, May 15, 1856. 
His father, Stephen Middlebrook, was a native of the same place, but 
moved to Iowa in 1858, and from there to Minnesota in 1860, and to 
Wisconsin in 1871, where he now resides, retired from active business. 
He formerly worked at the lumber business, and is supposed to be of 
English descent. His wife, who in her girlhood was Nancy Palmer, was a 
native of Vermont and of English descent. She died in 1875, at the age 
of forty-five years. They were the parents of a family of eight 
children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the second in order of 
their birth. He was but one year old when the family moved to Iowa. Two 
years later he moved with his parents to Minnesota, where he lived until 
he was twelve years of age, and then moved to LaCrosse county, 
Wisconsin. He was educated in the common schools of West Salem, LaCrosse 
county, and in 1879 moved to Grant county, South Dakota, and filed a 
homestead claim to a farm in Alban township, which he still owns. In 1881 
he moved to the village of Milbank, and was there employed as 
assistant postmaster for about two and a half years. He was then 
employed as postal clerk in the railway mail service for eighteen 
months. In 1886 he was appointed postmaster at Milbank and served four 
years, and in 1895 was re-appointed and is still holding the position. 
In 1891, in connection with the duties of his office, Mr. Middlebrook 
opened a book and stationary store. In 1897 he built the fine business 
block in which he is now doing business.

	May 15, 1884, Mr. Middlebrook was united in marriage to Miss 
Julia L. Smead. Miss Smead was born in Portage, Wisconsin, a daughter of 
A. H. and Belle (Dayton) Smead. To Mr. and Mrs. Middlebrook has been 
born one son, Bruce, now nine years of age. Our subject is a member of 
the Masonic order, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern 
Woodmen of America, and has held the position of secretary of the 
Masonic lodge. He is a member of the Episcopal church, and in politics 
he affiliates with the Democratic party.