Nichols, Etta Grigsby (1897–1994)

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Nichols, Etta Grigsby (1897–1994)

American midwife. Name variations: Margaret Etta Grigsby Nichols; Etta Grigsby. Born Margaret Carrie Etta Grigsby, May 19, 1897, in Del Rio, TN; died Nov 25, 1994; dau. of Nova (Turner) Grigsby and John L. Grigsby ("country"medicine practitioner); granddau. of John B. Grigsby (physician); m. James Harrison Nichols, Oct 15, 1916; children: 4.

Famed mid wife who worked in Tennessee's southern Appalachian mountains, delivered her 1st baby (1930) and her last in May 1989; added a birthing room to her home; originally charged a delivery fee of $2 ($15 by 1989), but often delivered babies for free for poor women; delivered more than 2,000 babies during her career.

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Nichols, Etta Grigsby (1897–1994)

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