Son of James and Mary Middleton, husband of Mary Emma Capps.
BIRMINGHAM - Sidney Albert Middleton, Sr., 79, one of the city's most colorful fire chiefs, who served from 1914 to 1922, died early today at his residence, 1423 North 19th Street.
The retired fire chief, who came to Birmingham as a 21 year old youth from from Marion, SC, had lived in Birmingham 58 years.
He was the 10th fire chief to serve Birmingham. He began his long career as a "smoke eater," November 1, 1897. The Fire Department used horse drawn fire wagons then.
Chief Middleton was promoted to a Fire Department captain in March 1902. On May 20, 1914, he became second assistant chief and later that same year, August 1, he became fire chief.
During his many years with the Fire Department he watched it grow from a few stations with a handful of men to a metropolitan department with modern equipment.
It was during Chief Middleton's career that his department was called upon to fight several of the city's largest fires, including that of the Steele-Smith Company when the walls collapsed, and the Birmingham Electric Company when a number of people lost their lives.
The former fire chief engaged in real estate activities and fire fighting equipment sales after his retirement. He still maintained his contact with his many friends at the Fire Department throughout the years of his retirement.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth [sic] Middleton; two sons, Sidney Middleton, Jr. and Carl Middleton; three daughters, Mrs. W. L. Crunk, Jr. of Richmond, Va., Mrs. Hugh Henderson, Sr. and Mrs. M. L. Waits, both of Birmingham; and a sister, Mrs. Julia Brown of Suffolk, Va.
The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Cavalry Baptist Church, the Rev. James G. Harris, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery, Ridout's in charge.
Published in The Birmingham News, November 15, 1947
BIRMINGHAM - Sidney Albert Middleton, Sr., 79, one of the city's most colorful fire chiefs, who served from 1914 to 1922, died early today at his residence, 1423 North 19th Street.
The retired fire chief, who came to Birmingham as a 21 year old youth from from Marion, SC, had lived in Birmingham 58 years.
He was the 10th fire chief to serve Birmingham. He began his long career as a "smoke eater," November 1, 1897. The Fire Department used horse drawn fire wagons then.
Chief Middleton was promoted to a Fire Department captain in March 1902. On May 20, 1914, he became second assistant chief and later that same year, August 1, he became fire chief.
During his many years with the Fire Department he watched it grow from a few stations with a handful of men to a metropolitan department with modern equipment.
It was during Chief Middleton's career that his department was called upon to fight several of the city's largest fires, including that of the Steele-Smith Company when the walls collapsed, and the Birmingham Electric Company when a number of people lost their lives.
The former fire chief engaged in real estate activities and fire fighting equipment sales after his retirement. He still maintained his contact with his many friends at the Fire Department throughout the years of his retirement.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth [sic] Middleton; two sons, Sidney Middleton, Jr. and Carl Middleton; three daughters, Mrs. W. L. Crunk, Jr. of Richmond, Va., Mrs. Hugh Henderson, Sr. and Mrs. M. L. Waits, both of Birmingham; and a sister, Mrs. Julia Brown of Suffolk, Va.
The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Cavalry Baptist Church, the Rev. James G. Harris, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery, Ridout's in charge.
Published in The Birmingham News, November 15, 1947
Son of James and Mary Middleton, husband of Mary Emma Capps.
BIRMINGHAM - Sidney Albert Middleton, Sr., 79, one of the city's most colorful fire chiefs, who served from 1914 to 1922, died early today at his residence, 1423 North 19th Street.
The retired fire chief, who came to Birmingham as a 21 year old youth from from Marion, SC, had lived in Birmingham 58 years.
He was the 10th fire chief to serve Birmingham. He began his long career as a "smoke eater," November 1, 1897. The Fire Department used horse drawn fire wagons then.
Chief Middleton was promoted to a Fire Department captain in March 1902. On May 20, 1914, he became second assistant chief and later that same year, August 1, he became fire chief.
During his many years with the Fire Department he watched it grow from a few stations with a handful of men to a metropolitan department with modern equipment.
It was during Chief Middleton's career that his department was called upon to fight several of the city's largest fires, including that of the Steele-Smith Company when the walls collapsed, and the Birmingham Electric Company when a number of people lost their lives.
The former fire chief engaged in real estate activities and fire fighting equipment sales after his retirement. He still maintained his contact with his many friends at the Fire Department throughout the years of his retirement.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth [sic] Middleton; two sons, Sidney Middleton, Jr. and Carl Middleton; three daughters, Mrs. W. L. Crunk, Jr. of Richmond, Va., Mrs. Hugh Henderson, Sr. and Mrs. M. L. Waits, both of Birmingham; and a sister, Mrs. Julia Brown of Suffolk, Va.
The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Cavalry Baptist Church, the Rev. James G. Harris, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery, Ridout's in charge.
Published in The Birmingham News, November 15, 1947
BIRMINGHAM - Sidney Albert Middleton, Sr., 79, one of the city's most colorful fire chiefs, who served from 1914 to 1922, died early today at his residence, 1423 North 19th Street.
The retired fire chief, who came to Birmingham as a 21 year old youth from from Marion, SC, had lived in Birmingham 58 years.
He was the 10th fire chief to serve Birmingham. He began his long career as a "smoke eater," November 1, 1897. The Fire Department used horse drawn fire wagons then.
Chief Middleton was promoted to a Fire Department captain in March 1902. On May 20, 1914, he became second assistant chief and later that same year, August 1, he became fire chief.
During his many years with the Fire Department he watched it grow from a few stations with a handful of men to a metropolitan department with modern equipment.
It was during Chief Middleton's career that his department was called upon to fight several of the city's largest fires, including that of the Steele-Smith Company when the walls collapsed, and the Birmingham Electric Company when a number of people lost their lives.
The former fire chief engaged in real estate activities and fire fighting equipment sales after his retirement. He still maintained his contact with his many friends at the Fire Department throughout the years of his retirement.
He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Mary Elizabeth [sic] Middleton; two sons, Sidney Middleton, Jr. and Carl Middleton; three daughters, Mrs. W. L. Crunk, Jr. of Richmond, Va., Mrs. Hugh Henderson, Sr. and Mrs. M. L. Waits, both of Birmingham; and a sister, Mrs. Julia Brown of Suffolk, Va.
The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Cavalry Baptist Church, the Rev. James G. Harris, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery, Ridout's in charge.
Published in The Birmingham News, November 15, 1947
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