From The Front Room Of The White House

From the Front Room of the White House

History, folklore, fact, and hearsay all contribute to the stories of these past generations of hill people, featuring decades of family history while being subjected to poverty, riches, hierarchy, to the lowest of lows is illustrated. Preachers, teachers, owners, and possibly slavery are explained and illustrated by the lives of four families brought together in one area, one region, and one clannish group.

The story of a first-time writer born to a proud family of coal miners, lumbermen, and their distinguished women conveys the pain and hardship of the families along with the values and tributes experienced through the years until the modern day. These times show violence, compassion, religion, and hard work, combining the families from various aspects of living through the wars, Depression, highlights, and disappointment of the times.

A czar of the local family--he began as a coal miner, union organizer, mine operator, and lawman, only to later serve prison time during hard times for moonshining. He returned to being a lawman and once stabbed a fellow lawman at a dance. He married an out-of-state orphan. That union brought a fourteen-year-old bride whose family once attempted to blow up a courthouse in Virginia due to a land issue.

A one-armed man was the leader of the other family. A self-ordained minister who labored in the mountain life, cutting trees for the lumber company. He provided six sons for the work and joined his wife's family to provide three girls to prepare their food. His wife lived an exciting life raising the sons of a preacher. Shootings and death, even by the wife of one son, with two sons following the self-ordained ministry route, thus created challenges and excitement. Alcohol and religion are a surefire basis for interesting stories that surrounded her and her family.

After writing this story, it seemed violence, religion, and family joined together to create a clannish, proud, and honorable history. Religion and violence seemed the main ingredient for our family through the years. Join us in remembering the stories and events.Sincerely,Billy Holcomb

by Billy Holcomb

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