The restored sanctuary and new support annex will serve two major purposes:
1. It will operate as a Heritage Center to facilitate history education and discovery via the work of the Jefferson Junior Historians and its support volunteers and staff. Family histories and genealogy research by congregants will also be a major focus as will the recording of oral histories and the development of cultural projects that expand and improve the experience of visitors to Jefferson.
2. It will also operate as a religious worship and service center for individual and family needs. Community groups and non-profit organizations may also use the facility for events and meetings that do not involve alcohol, secular or profane groups, and school proms, parties, and dances.
An example of a family tree outline thus far developed for the Living History Center at UMBC by Kari Dickson is presented for the Reverend Nelson Beckham Sr. family. The Rev. Beckham preached at UMBC for the two decades between 1900 and 1920 .
Nelson Beckham Sr.
Rev. Nelson Beckham Sr.’s family:
Reverend Nelson Beckham Sr. was born February 23rd, 1841 in Georgia. He Married to Mandy Beckham. Together they had 6 children:
1. Richard Beckham 1860 – 1925. Married to Harriet Wesby 1882 – 1949.
a. Richard Beckham Jr. was born in 1906. He married Pauline Jones (1904-1980) in 1926
b. Lettie V. Beckham (1908-1937) married “Peck” Figures and they had one child
i. Richard Figures of Marion County. (1935-1997)
2. Nelson Beckham Jr. (1869-1925) first married Mary Haggerty in 1888. Mary passed in 1905. Nelson remarried to Sally Patterson Bagley
a. Elisha Beckham. 1890-1975. Lived near Woodlawn in Harrison County, Texas
b. Albert “Fat” Beckham 1891-1942. Married to Letha “Sissy” Greer 1895-1940
i. Mary Lee Beckham Married Joseph Haggerty and resides in Dallas, Texas
ii. Albert Beckham resides in Harrison County, Texas
iii. Nelsey Lee Beckham Webb Powell. Married Jessie Powell and resides in Harrison County, Texas
iv. Thirkiel Beckham Resides in Houston, Texas
v. Ruth Beckham Williams. Married Mickey Williams and resides in Dallas, Texas
vi. Anna Lee Beckham Webb. Widow of Jessie Webb and resides in Harrison County
vii. Corrine Beckham Armstrong, Married Oscar Ray Armstrong and resides in
viii. Sally Mae Beckham Jenkins. Married Norris Jenkins lived in Dallas, Texas
ix. Hershel Beckham resides in Houston, Texas
x. George Henry Beckham Resides in Houston, Texas
xi. Huey P. Beckham resides in Dallas, Texas
xii. 3 infants, passed before given names
c. Tom Beckham 1894-1929
d. Robert Beckham 1897-1993 married Edmonia Bagely Beckham (….-1981) in 1922
i. Omega Beckham Marshall resided in Long Beach, California
ii. Clyde Beckham Sr. resided in Houston, Texas
iii. Robert Beckham Jr Resided in Houston, Texas
iv. Dottie Beckham Haggerty (….-1982) married Julius Haggerty
1. Dyvette Kay Haggerty
2. Judy Ann Haggerty
3. Derrick Roy Haggerty
4. Julius Haggerty, Jr.
e. George Beckham 1900-1981 resides in Houston, Texas
f. Arie Beckham 1900-1979 resides in Harrison County, Texas
g. Mamie B Jones 1905-1954
3. Paul Beckham (? – 1927), Married Rose Spradling -1922. Resided in Houston, Texas
a. Nelson Beckham resided in Houston, Texas
b. Aubrey Beckham Resided in Houston, Texas
4. Henry Beckham (?-1923) Married to Octavia Beckham. Resided in Jefferson Texas
a. Henry Beckham Jr resided in Jefferson, Texas
b. Charlie Beckham resided in Jefferson, Texas
c. Lillie Beckham Jones married John Henry Jones and resided in Jefferson, Texas
5. Lucy Beckham Jackson married to Morris Jackson and resided in Harrison County, Texas.
a. Morris Jackson Jr
b. Bertha Jackson King widow of Sol King
c. Lucille Jackson Brown Wife of Louie Brown
6. Becky Beckham Kennedy (…-1962) married to Lucious Kennedy (…-1958) both in Dallas, Texas
a. William R. Kennedy Sr.
b. Estelle Kennedy Frost
c. (Mary) Katheryn Kennedy Dorsey