Sarah learned to play the organ, and was active in their church, particularly in the Sunday School. She could also strum a little on the banjo. All of the children seemed to be musically inclined, particularly the boys on their guitars.
When Sarah was old enough to leave home she went to work at Dan River Mills in Danville, hemming pillow slips.
Sarah married Oscar T. Slayton on January 10, 1924. She was 27 years old and Oscar was 33 years old. He was born April 5, 1890 at Sutherlin, Virginia, and was the son of John J. and Katie M. Slayton. They moved into a newly built house on the property of his parent's farm.
In 1928, Sarah and Oscar decided to make a move to an area in Canada, near Delhi, Ontario, where many other Southern families were living and tobacco farming. At first they were share croppers, but soon Oscar bought a farm of his own. It was a large farm, with some 200 acres and a huge brick farm house which had 7 bedrooms. There were six kilns (tobacco barns) for curing the tobacco, and a large barn with a separate area for grading the tobacco. It was then stacked in the barn, and the buyers from the different tobacco companies would come by to appraise and give the farmers a price they would pay for the whole year's crop of tobacco leaves.
Sarah and Oscar had their first and only child, Astor Mae Slayton, on July 9, 1929. They had nephews come up from Virginia to help harvest the tobacco, and always used the same curer, Mr. L.T. Allen from Keeling, Virginia. In time, Oscar bought a second farm nearby. Sarah's brother, Jim Wiles and his wife, Annie and daughter, Ann, had also moved to Ontario, and were farming. Most of the neighboring farmers were from the south, Virginia and North Carolina, but there were people from Belgium, Holland, Hungary and other small countries from what they called the "Old Country". These people were hard workers and soon owned their own farms. Each nationality built their own "hall" in the small town of Delhi, and gathered there every Saturday night for their own music and dancing. Eventually, a bike racing facility was built in Delhi. It was a steeply sloped circular track for racing bicycles, which was a favorite sport in their countries in Europe.
Oscar was 51 years old when he died on June 23, 1941. He was buried at Highland Burial Park in Danville, Virginia. After his death, Sarah and Astor continued to live on the farm, as their share croppers had the responsibility for carrying on the work of running the farm. The second farm had been sold. Astor was 12 years old and had two more years before she would be ready for high school. When that time came, Sarah decided they should move to the larger town of Simcoe, 15 miles from the farm, so that Astor could go to the High School there.
In Simcoe, Sarah became active in the First Baptist Church, with the Ladies Auxiliary Group, and Ladies Aid Society. They catered meals to many business organizations, in the church dining room, to make money for the church. They had lots of business, even from visiting groups from other cities. She made many friends. She became a member of the "Rebecca Lodge" which was the female part of the Masonic Lodge, of which Oscar had been a member. She also was working at a department store as a seamstress. She bought two cottages at Pt. Dover on Lake Erie, and rented them out.
In 1947, when Astor graduated from High School, she chose to attend Penn Hall School in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. It was a two year Junior College for girls. Upon completion of those two years and graduation, she went to work for Bell Telephone of Canade.
Sarah decided she would like to return to the United States to live, but wasn't sure where they should relocate. She and Astor had taken trips to Florida and liked the area of Hollywood, Florida, on the East Coast just below Fort Lauderdale. In 1954, they moved there, and bought a small motel in Hollywood. Astor got a job with Southern Bell Telephone Company, where she met her future husband, Jack Starck. They married and had two children, Sandy and Randy, which gave Sarah much joy. She was so proud of those grandchildren. At age two, Sandy was walking with Grandma Slayton uptown to the cafeteria for dinner. Sarah walked there just about every evening, for dinner. She loved to eat out.
When Jack and Astor would go on vacation to the mountains each summer, Sarah would go too. They all enjoyed getting out of hot Florida, and into the cool green of the western part of North Carolina. So, when Jack decided to transfer to Raleigh, North Carolina, Sarah was happy to make the move, too, as she would be closer to her brothers and sisters. She sold the Cardinal Motel, and the family made the move in June 1967. In Raleigh she rented an apartment in Cameron Village, where she lived for the next 18 years. Those were the best years of her life. She had always worked hard, and now, she would be free to do whatever she pleased. She made many new friends her own age. They would get together to eat lunch or dinner, celebrate their birthdays, and go on day trips. Since there was a cafeteria right across the street from her apartment she didn't have to worry about fixing a meal, if she didn't feel like it. If one of her neighbors was ill, Sarah would bring her a take-out dinner.
When Sarah's grandson, Randy, was first married in April of 1984, she was showing signs of confusion. She was 87 years old. A year later, she was diagnosed as having Alzheimer's Disease, and went to stay with Jack and Astor, who looked after her for the next year, before going into Kinton's Nursing Home in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina in April of 1986. Sarah died on March 8, 1989 at age 92, and was buried beside her husband in Highland Burial Park in Danville, Virginia on March 11. Engraved on her marker, "Time cannot steal the treasures that we carry in our hearts."
My mother was a kind and gentle soul. She had an inner beauty that shone thru in her loving and caring ways. She never met a stranger, and always extended kindness and help to anyone in need. She never raised her voice or spoke harsh to anyone. She often was referred to as a lovely and gracious lady, which she truly was. We all loved her dearly. Our only regret is that she never had the joy of knowing her great-grandchildren.
While living in Hollywood, Florida Astor and Jack had their first child, Sandra Lynn Starck "Sandy" born March 4, 1957. Then on October 11, 1959 they had their second child, Garrick William Randall "Randy".
At birth, Oscar Slayton wasn't given a middle name but he had to have one when he was in the ship yards, so he chose "T" for Thomas.
Oscar, elected as his "war service" in World War I, to go to the Ship Building Yards, at Newport News, Virginia. Astor has his metal badge with the numbers on the back imprinted in the metal. It is in the shape of an anchor, with the imprinted picture of a ship in a round circle, and then, a shape of an eagle on top.
The people from Erie, PA would come across Lake Erie in their boats and tie up at Port Dover, which is a beach town, on every holiday. There were always lots of things going on like big name bands would come to play at the Dance Pavillion every Saturday night. The Dance Pavilion was located right on the beach. Astor had a friend who owned a sail boat so, she had a lot of fun.
He was a well-known tobacco grower, was born in Danville, Virginia the son of John Slayton and the late Mrs. Slayton. He came to this district 15 years ago. Besides his wife, formerly Minnie Sarah Wiles, Mr. Slayton is survived by is father, Mr. John Slayton; daughter, Astor Mae: a brother, John R. Slayton, of Virginia; and eight sisters, Mrs. C.T. Thomason and Miss Emma Slayton of N.C.; Mrs. C.W. Moorefield, Mrs. P. Clark, Mrs. M. Clark, Mrs. F. Walton, Mrs. Amos Page, and Mrs. Gordon Land, all of Virginia.
Rev. W.H. Howard of Delhi officiated, assisted by Rev. W.J. Copsey of Lynedock. During the service Mrs. Herbert Craven sang "Good Night, Good Morning", accompanied by Mrs. W.L. Turnbull.
The pall bearers were Jack Hagerman, Wilmot Wardell, Huges Hall, Sanford Collings, Walter Rogers and Herbert Craven. The body will be shipped to Danville, Virginia for interment.
Mrs. Slayton died Wednesday morning in Kinston's Nursing Home in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina. She was born October 14, 1896 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia and was the daughter of the late James Henry Wiles and Lettie Moore Wiles. Mrs. Slayton was of the Baptist faith.
She was married to Oscar T. Slayton, who died June 23, 1941. Survivors include one daughter, Astor Mae Slayton Starck of Raleigh, North Carolina; one brother, Armistead Wiles of Danville; one sister, Louise Wiles Jefferson of Ringgold; two grandchildren and one great-grand child.