BECKHAM, IVY F. was born 4 February 1895 in Hill County, Texas, he died 10 February 1949 at Pinhook, Wayne Co., Tennessee. He was the son of John Finley BECKHAM (3 Nov 1864 – 24 Sept 1928) and Mary C. BECKHAM (30 Jan 1870 – 13 Jan 1927). Ivy married Lorene HOUSE of Lutts, Tennessee in 1923.

Ivy BECKHAM was inducted on 27 June 1918 at Florence, Alabama and served as a corporal in the American Expeditionary Forces in France and Germany from 8 Sep 1918 until 31 Oct 1919. He was discharged on 14 Nov 1919 at Camp Gordon, Georgia. According to his discharge he was a mail carrier at the time of his induction. He was described as having blue eyes, dark hair, light complexion and was five feet, eleven inches tall.

According to a story told by Ivy BECKHAM, he was in charge of a group of Chinese soldiers and had to take them back to China aboard a cattle train. This resulted in him returning to Wayne County much later than others.

After being discharged in 1919, Ivey Finn came back to Wayne County and from 1921 to 1922 he served as a Star Route Mail Carrier, his route being from Lutts to Collinwood. In 1923, he became a truck driver and substitute mail carrier on Rural Route No. 2. In 1932, he and Lorene purchased her father, John HOUSE’s General Store which they operated until the time of his death in 1949. Ivy and Lorene had three daughters: Geraldine, Sue and Laura Jo.