S. Dail Yeatts was born at Dry Fork, Virginia, the son of the Rev. G. Dewey Yeatts and Artie Watlington Yeatts. He spent thirty-four years serving in public education. Dail is married to the former Claudine Barbee, and they have two sons. Sarah E. Mitchell grew up in Southside Virginia, less than ten miles from Dry Fork. She is a researcher, writer, and editor.