Third Sunday at Sam Vipperman's

By Susan M. Thigpen © 1985

Issue: July, 1985

Editor’s Note: Mayberry, Virginia is located 2.8 miles south of Meadows of Dan, Virginia and 4.3 miles south of Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Not much is left of the once thriving community but the memories will live forever.

THIRD SUNDAY AT SAM VIPPERMAN'S. Photo taken May 16, 1915 in Mayberry, Virginia. This house is listed on the Map of Mayberry drawn and published by Dorn and Larry Spangler and may be purchased at Mayberry Trading Post. Row One, Left to Right: Boyd Cox, Sam Vipperman, Claudie Vipperman, Martha Vipperman, Violet Vipperman, Lewis Vipperman, Narva Vipperman, Baby Vipperman, Baby Bowman. (Mrs. Vipperman's mother died when the baby in her lap was born and Mrs. Vipperman, who also had a baby near the same age raised her little sister.) Second Row: Delpert Bowman, Elsie Shelor, Lucy Spangler, Gentrie Scott, Clara Cockram, Frannie Vipperman, Lizzie Spangler, Josie Spangler, Emma Light. Third Row: (Unknown), Burch Barnard, ??? Lynch, Blanch Cockram, ??? Lynch, Ruffin Lynch, Carl Spence, Empress Spangler, Wimmer Yeatts, Mattie Light. Fourth Row: Nathan Cockram, Wallace Vipperman, Junus Bowman, Alvin Barnard, "Babe" Dudley Spangler, Lois Barnard, Myrtle Spangler, Flannie Bowman, Iva Shelor, Edd Vipperman, Curtis ???, Jim Childress, ??? Vipperman, Ernest Cockram.
Click on photo to see larger image.

Mountain folk often gathered regularly, as the title of this short piece indicates, just to socialize and enjoy the companionship of their friends and kin. Often there would be music but just as likely there would just be conversation and games.

For certain there would be laughter, a little courting and plenty of good old fashion fun.

This photograph captured a moment in time on May 16, 1915 in Mayberry, Virginia. Don’t you wish you could step through time and onto Sam Vipperman’s porch on the third Sunday of May, 1916 and join in the fun?