Recollections of My Grandmother
Sallie Hay Edwards
By Sallie Counts Compton
2003
I remember Grandma Sallie as a happy person. She worked hard but always had time for a clean joke. If she and Grandpa “Hamp” ever had a disagreement, they kept it very private. She was every inch a lady. She set a good pattern for her daughters teaching them how to love and take care of their babies and to care for a home. She made quilts most of her life. Even in later years she would piece the quilts for some of the children when she would visit them.
Grandma Sallie was a well known and well respected midwife. She was in great demand for many years. She delivered my second child when she was 80 years old. That was probably the last one she delivered. She was the midwife when I was born too. I would love to know how many babies she helped to deliver…besides the 15 she and Grandpa Hamp had.
I didn’t get to visit my grandparents much. When Mama went to visit she would leave us younger kids in the care of the older ones most of the time. Walking was the only transportation we had and they lived several miles from us. I’m sure Mama knew the smaller children couldn’t walk that far.
Editor’s note: Sallie Hay Edwards was born on August 02, 1860 in Buchanan County, Virgina. She is the daughter of Ambrose Hay and Phoebe Counts. Brice Hamilton Edwards and Sallie were married on November 27, 1875 in Buchanan County, Virgina.
Sallie Counts Compton is the daughter of Phoebe Edwards 1889 – 1960 and Ambrose Wilson Counts 1880 – 1969 and granddaughter of Brice Hamilton Edwards and Sarah “Sallie” Hay. Sallie married Walter Bascom Compton and they were blessed with six children.