JOHN AND BEVERLY BEAUCHAMP

The following bio was taken from page 110 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

John and I have lived all of our lives in Texas. Both of us can trace our families back to the Carolinas. John’s great-great-grandfather was Joseph Benedict Beauchamp, who came to Texas from South Carolina and fought in the Texas Revolutionary War. He is buried in the Old Macedonia Cemetery and his marker was erected by the Texas Historical Society. He was married to Catherine Lindsey, who at one time owned the land on which NASSA is presently located. She didn’t like the property because it was too swampy, so she traded it for land in Panola County where a survey is named for her.

My great-grandfather was Solomon Young Allen, who came into Texas from Pike County, Georgia; however, his grandfather lived in North Carolina. Solomon fought in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and moved to Texas with his brother John soon after.

My grandfather was Robert Young Allen, and my grandmother was Martha Parks Toon Allen. Both lived most of their lives in Tatum, Texas. Both were better known as Bob and Parkie. They had a large family of nine children. I had lots of cousins and uncles and aunts, and I can remember the big Sunday dinners at Grandmother’s house.

John’s parents are R. C. and Owaisa Beauchamp. John has followed in his daddy’s footsteps, both having been coaches. His father served as coach, principal, and superintendent at Beckville, Texas, where the new football stadium has just recently been named The R. C. Beauchamp Stadium. R. C. and Owaisa have two sons Bobby and Johnny and one daughter, Sue Martin. My parents are Jake and Kathleen Allen of Tatum, Texas. I have one sister, Sandra Gay Dowdy. Daddy and Mother both had businesses in Tatum while we were growing up.

Johnny was born in 1943 and I was born in 1944. We grew up in communities located within six miles of each other and met while in high school. We married in December 1953 and attended Stephen F. Austin State University, where we both graduated. After Johnny’s graduation in 1968, we moved to Longview, where he spent two years as coach and teacher in the Springhill School system. I taught in Nacogdoches while Johnny was still in college. From Longview we moved back to Nacogdoches, where he and I both taught again, then on to Katy, Texas, west of Houston, where he coached. After two years there, we started back toward East Texas, spending two years in New Waverly and then going to Carlisle High School, where we have been for the past six years.

After five years of marriage, Johnny and I started our family. In 1969 John Brent was born in Longview; in 1973 Bradley Young was born in Houston; and in 1976 Brandi Jo was born in Longview. All are presently in Carlisle School in Price, Texas.

We are living in the Goodsprings Community just outside Henderson. We are active members of the First United Methodist Church in Henderson where John and I teach Sunday School classes. We sponsor the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and enjoy carrying them to National Conferences all over the United States. We love being active in sports and also enjoy traveling with our children. Our favorite vacation area is Colorado, where we enjoy skiing.

Submitted by Beverly Beauchamp