Born Again

Born Again. . Life in the Joppa Ridge area centered on community, and its heart was often the Church. Memories were made at weddings, revivals and funerals. Members were empowered by congregational support, and that support was relied upon from generation to generation. The 1910 wedding of farmer Veachel Beckner and teacher Josephine "Josie" Wilkins (center, front row) was a joyful event, creating memories for many of her "Joppy" students gathered around her., Homes and vistas of Joppa Ridge helped create this national park. Close-knit families moved to unfamiliar houses with unknown neighbors, yet the foundation of faith began at Joppa took them to new congregations, where they built a new sense of place. Stories passed on from Veachel and Josie Beckner, and many more like them, bring "the Ridge" back to life for succeeding generations., [Caption]: The community gathered in this photograph of the Beckner wedding bear the surnames at least 25 families - Age, Alecander, Beckner, Blair, Curtis, Davis, Dennison, Deweese, Evans, Gentry, Hawkins, Herron, Holton, Hunt, Jones, Meredith, Miniard, Page, Rutherford, Sanders, Smith, Strange, Thompson, Tibbs and Tinsley.