Profile Text
Birth Name: Loretta Webb
Date of Birth: April 14, 1932
Place of Birth: Butcher Hollow, Johnson, Kentucky, U.S.
Date of Death: October 4, 2022
Place of Death: Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, along with Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Welsh, German, and Scottish, some French, more distant Swiss-German, Irish, and Dutch
Loretta Lynn was an American country music singer and songwriter. Known for her song “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” which was also the title of her 1980 film biopic; her songs also included “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl,” “Blue Kentucky Girl,” “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind),” “Fist City,” “You’re Lookin’ at Country,” “One’s on the Way,” “Love Is the Foundation,” “Hey Loretta,” and “The Pill.”
Loretta was the daughter of Clara Marie “Clary” (Ramey) and Melvin Theodore “Ted” Webb, who was a coal miner and substinence farmer. She was the sister of country music singers Jay Lee Webb, Peggy Sue, and Crystal Gayle. She had deep roots in the Southern U.S. through most of her family lines. Loretta was married to talent manager and country music figure Oliver Lynn, until his death. The couple had six children, including twin sisters Peggy Lynn and Patsy Lynn, who were country music duo The Lynns.
Loretta had been described as having Cherokee Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this Cherokee ancestry has been verified/documented.
Loretta’s paternal grandfather was Alexander “Alex” Webb (the son of William “Bid” Webb, Jr. and Isabella/Isabelle T. Musick/Music). Alexander was born in Butcher Hollow, Johnson County, Kentucky. William was born in Floyd County, Kentucky, the son of William Webb and Nancy Green, whose maternal grandfather was from Tyrone, County Galway, Ireland. Loretta’s great-grandmother Isabelle was born in Washington County, Virginia, the daughter of George Washington Musick and Catherine/Catharine Hawk.
Loretta’s paternal grandmother was Amanda “Manda” Butcher (the daughter of Simon Peter Butcher and Clarinda Jane “Clara” Webb). Amanda was born in Johnson County, Kentucky. Simon was born in Johnson County, the son of William Butcher and Mary/Polly Wells. Clarinda was born in Johnson County, the daughter of Thomas “Tommy” Webb and Nancy Baker. Thomas was the brother of Loretta’s paternal great-grandfather William Webb, making her grandparents first cousins, once removed.
Loretta’s maternal grandfather was Nathaniel Lewis Ramey (the son of Charles Gordon “Charley” Ramey and Rebecca Jane Salyer/Salyers). Nathaniel was born in Johnson, Kentucky, or Virginia. Charles was born in Volga, Johnson County, the son of Thomas Jefferson Ramey and Sarah/Sara “Sally” Williams. Rebecca was born in Flat Gap, Johnson County, the daughter of John Martin Salyer/Salyers, Jr. and Rachel Elizabeth “Phoebe” Connelly/Conley.
Loretta’s maternal grandmother was Sarah Elizabeth Blair (the daughter of Britton Jackson Blair and Mary Katherine Watkins). Sarah was born in Johnson County, Kentucky. Britton was born in Leander, Johnson County, the son of Noble Blair and Talitha Stambaugh. Loretta’s great-grandmother Mary Katherine was born in Johnson County, the daughter of Pvt. Reece/Rhesa Walter Watkins, a Welsh immigrant; and of Sarah/Sara Irene “Sallie” Stambaugh. Loretta’s grandmother Sarah’s parents appear to have been cousins.
Source: Genealogies of Loretta Lynn – https://www.wikitree.com https://www.findagrave.com https://en.geneastar.org https://www.geni.com https://homepages.rootsweb.com https://sanandamaitreya.com
Birth record of Loretta Lynn – https://www.familysearch.org