These same men owned the water plant, power plant and the store where the coal miners bought their families food. The “Company Houses,” where the workers lived, were owned by the men who owned the coal mines. Van Lear was named after the director of Consolidation Coal Company, Van Lear Black, and during the coal mining days there was between 5,000 and 7,000 people in the town. Webbs father, and is right on the outskirts of Van Lear, Kentucky. The family moved to the house on the hill when Herman was an infant. Melvin Jr., Loretta and Herman were born in a little cabin down the creek from Butcher’s Holler. As the swing swayed gently back and forth, Herman started to tell stories. Herman Webb, a man in his 70’s, with white, wavy hair and Paul Newman eyes that sparkled when he laughed, sat next to me on the swing of the front porch in “Butcher Holler”. A rather musically inclined family I will have to say. Melvin and Clara had eight children, Melvin Jr., Loretta (Loretta Lynn), Herman, Jay Lee (Willie Lee), Donald Ray, Peggy Sue, Betty Ruth and Brenda Gail (Crystal Gayle). Down in a hollow, in the coal mining hills of Eastern Kentucky, lived Melvin and Clara Webb.
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