The father of the three Salts children is unknown. Sarah J. Salts, the mother of the three boys, raised her sons in her father's household as Salts children. Documentation identifies Sarah Salts, daughter of Daniel Salts as their mother. But all three of Sarah’s son’s death certificates have been obtained. None of them gives the name of their father/s.

Sarah J. Salts was the mother of three male children. But to-date, no husband has been identified. Evidence, proving that Sarah was in fact the mother of the three Salts boys can be found on the 1900 and 1910 censuses. She has been identified as "mother" in the household of her son Newton on both censuses.

Another source that identifies Sarah's children is Newton A. Saults' obituary. In 1940 at the time of his death, his brother James was living in Bristol, Tennessee and his brother John was living in Orlando, Orange County, Florida. It also gave the locations of his children. Through his obituary, his brother's names are found, which match the names of the other two boys found in Daniel Salts' household. This cleared up the mystery of who the boys were and also answered the question of "why Newton called Elmira Salts his cousin" on a later census. She was in fact, the daughter of Newton’s uncle, Leland Salts, his mother’s brother.

Birth calculations for Sarah J.
1850 - 25 b. 1825 (one month before she turned 26)
1860 - 40 b 1820
1870 - 38 b 1832
1880 - 55 b. 1826
1900 - 74 b. 1826
1910 - 84 b. 1826
1911 - 85 b. 1826

1850 - Washington County, Tennessee Census101
SALTS, Daniel age 47 collecting officer TN
SALTS, Rebecca 55 VA
SALTS, Sarah J. 25 TN
SALTS, Nancy F. 18 TN
SALTS, James M. 5 TN
SALTS, Henry 23 blacksmith TN

1860 - United States Federal Census: Tennessee, Washington County, Jonesboro Post Office, Jonesboro Disrict, page 139, Ancestry.com image #13, lines 22 through 29, dwelling #905, family #905, taken on the day of August 16th in 1860.103
SALTS, Daniel 55 day laborer TN
SALTS, Rebecca 68 day laborer Maryland
SALTS, Sarah 40 sewing and washing TN
SALTS, Nancy P. 35 TN
SALTS, James 15 Printer TN
SALTS, Newton A.11 TN
SALTS, Tennessee V. age 10 TN
SALTS, John W. age 2 TN

1870, June 3rd - United States Federal Census: Tennessee, Washington County, District 15, Jonesboro Post Office, page 11, Ancestry.com image #11 and 12, lines 40 on page 11, and 1-6 on page 12, dwelling #73, family #79, taken on the 3rd of June in 1870.104
SALTS, Daniel age 71 Miller born Tennessee
SALTS, Rebecca age 77 Keeping House born / father of foreign birth / Virginia
SALTS, Sarah J. age 38 Keeping House born Tennessee
SALTS, Nancy F. age 30 Keeping House born Tennessee
SALTS, E.V. age 18 Keeping House born Tennessee
SALTS, Newton age 20 Laborer on Farm born Tennessee
SALTS, John age 11 Attending School born Tennessee

1880 - Washington County, Tennessee Census172
SALTS, Thomas B. Salts 51 head tiner TN TN TN
SALTS, Sarah J. sister 55 S keeping house TN TN TN
SALTS, Nancy 49 sister at home TN TN TN
SALTS, John 29 other tinsmith TN TNTN

1900 - Washington County, Tennessee Census199
SALTS, Newton A. head Aug 1848 51 m29yrs farm laborer TN TN TN
SALTS, Mary E. wife Feb 1853 47 m29yrs TN TN TN
SALTS, Thomas H. son June 1879 20 s day laborer TN TN TN
SALTS, George W. son Jan 1883 17 s TN TN TN
SALTS, Sarah J. mother May 1826 74 wd 3/3 children TN TN TN

1910 - Washington County, Tennessee Census200
SALTS, Newton head 61 m1-39yrs TN TN TN day laborer
SALTS, Mary E. wife age 57 TN TN TN 5/3 children
SALTS, Sarah J. mother 84 wd TN TN TN 3/3 children

8 March 1911 - Death
Sarah never married and is buried in the Salts family plot with her son Newton and his wife, Mary E. Salts. They are all buried in Maple Lawn Cemetery, Jonesboro, Tennessee. On her death certificate it states that she was single. Her age was given as 85 years old and she was born in Washington County, TN.201