Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame

William Madison “Billy” Beauchamp was born on August 15, 1889, in Breman, Georgia. When he was 11, the family moved to Oklahoma, staying there until 1906 at which time they settled in Kenna, New Mexico. He attended Artesia Junior College from 1910 to 1912 and taught school in a one-room schoolhouse at Queen, New Mexico. He came to Lea County in 1914 as a circuit riding Methodist preacher based in Lovington. He traveled and preached from Warren, which was thirty miles north of Lovington, to Tatum, Prairieview, Midway, Monument, Knowles, High Lonesome, Eunice, and Jal.

Beauchamp met his wife-to-be on one of his early days in Lovington. He couldn’t catch his horse, when along came a pretty young lady on horseback who volunteered to help. That was the start of a budding romance that lasted many years. They were married on December 18, 1918. W.M. Beauchamp and Grace Elizabeth Love Beauchamp had three daughters: Ruth Catherine, Alma Grace, and Mary Anne.

He served as minister of the First Methodist Church until 1923 when he resigned because of poor health. He started his political life in 1925, being appointed the third county treasurer of Lea County. Next, he was elected county clerk, then served in the New Mexico State Legislature as a representative for two terms. He was appointed to the State Tax Commission and served a short while and was appointed District Court Clerk by Judge McGhee in 1939. He served in that office for 29 ½ years under numerous judges and administrations.

Beauchamp was a third generation Mason, being a lifetime member and past worshipful master of Lodge #46. He was a charter member of the Lovington Lions Club, president of the Lovington Chamber of Commerce, Noble Grand of I00F and a member of the Lovington School Board. During all the years that he served as a public servant, he was never far away from the ministry. Billy recalled a time when Texans had to wait three days after getting their license to be married. During that time, he married 330 couples in one year in Lovington. One couple in particular, obtained their license in Plains, Texas which meant they had to be married in Texas. Midway was a unique situation since its school house, where the ceremony was to be performed, sat directly on the state line. They had to stand in the doorway, which was in Texas, in order for the ceremony to be legal.

William M. Beauchamp, better known as Uncle Billy died April 17, 1982.