Larry Hagman’s Southern Roots

By James Pylant

COPYRIGHT © 2002. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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In the long-running television series “Dallas,” ruthless Texan “J. R. Ewing” was portrayed by actor Larry Hagman, a native of the Lone Star State. Like his fictional counterpart, Hagman was from a prominent North Central Texas family, but there the similarity ends. Though “J. R.” was a Dallasite, the famous actor was born in Fort Worth, Tarrant County. Larry Martin Hagman, the only child of Benjamin Jackson Hagman and Broadway legend Mary Martin, was born on 21 September 1931. 1

Hagman attended school in his mother’s hometown of Weatherford, in Parker County,2 which adjoins Tarrant County on its western border. Mary Martin was 16 years-old when she wedded accountant Ben Hagman, but their marriage lasted only a few years. Several years following her divorce, she married Richard Halliday, a film editor and writer. They had one child, Heller Halliday. 3

Mary Virginia Martin was born in Weatherford on 1 December 1913 and she died in Rancho Mirage, Riverside County, California, on 3 March 1990.4 She had one older sister, Geraldine “Jerry” Martin, who was born on 3 September 1902, also in Weatherford.5 They were the daughters of Preston Martin and the former Juanita Pressley. Preston Martin, whose law practice in that town spanned more than 40 years, was a Mississippian, his birth occurring at Popular Creek, Choctaw County, on 6 April 1872.6 He and Juanita Pressley, a music teacher, were married in Fort Worth on 10 August 1899.7 His wife was a native Texan, born in Brenham, Washington County, on 27 May 1878.8 Mr. Martin died on 20 December 1938 in Weatherford.9 Mrs. Martin then joined her actress daughter in California, where she died at age 66 on 9 August 1944 in Los Angeles.10

Geraldine Martin, Mary Martin’s sister, was the namesake of their paternal grandmother. James Alberta Martin and the former Geraldine Hearon, the parents of Preston Martin, were married on 19 September 1867 in Mississippi. Born on 7 September 1845, James A. Martin was a native of Alabama and lived in that state until, at age five, he moved with his parents to Popular Creek, Mississippi. He enlisted in the Confederate Army and served through Forrest’s Cavalry, and after the war’s end taught school and farmed in Mississippi until moving his family to Texas in 1877. Here, the Martins settled at Long’s Creek, 15 miles southeast of Weatherford, where James A. farmed and ranched until 1905, when the family moved to Weatherford. James A. Martin continued living in Parker County until age 81, when he moved to Floydada, Floyd County. He lived four years, his death occurring there on 25 April 1931.11 The Martins had nine children: Howard (born 1868), Assistant Attorney General of Texas; Lela (born 1870), who married W. M. Massie; Preston; Eugene H. (born 1874); Luther (born 1878); Barnard (born 1880); Andy J. (born 1883); James G. (born 1886); and Claude M., born 1888).12

According to C. M. Martin, his grandparents — the parents of James A. Martin — were Jackson Martin and the former Nancy Sawyer.13 The 1860 Federal Census of Choctaw County, Mississippi, shows the Popular Creek household of 46 year-old Jackson Martin, a farmer and South Carolinian, with Alabama natives Nancy A., age 36; teacher William L., age 18; James A., age 14, and Mississippi natives Andrew, age five; Lilley, age three; and Beulah, age eight months. Jackson Martin’s real estate was valued at $3,000.00, while his personal property was estimated at $12,475.00. 14 The 1870 Federal Census shows Jackson Martin still farming in the same county, but his real estate was then valued at $1,500.00, while his personal property had dropped to $1,450.00. Jackson, age 56, and Nancy, age 46, had four children in their household: 16 year-old Andrew; Lillie, age 13; Buler [Beulah], age 10, and Isiac, age four.15 By then, James A. Martin had been married nearly three years and had a household of his own. At Popular Creek, James Martin, age 25, a farmer, is shown with Gerlden, age 23 and two year-old Howard and one year-old Liler. His real estate was valued at $1,000.00, while his personal property was valued at $500.00.16

Although Choctaw County Courthouse lost much of its early records in two nineteenth century fires, the first book of deeds was found in recent years in an old smokehouse. Recorded in this volume is Jackson A. Martin’s purchase of a mule, wagon and yoke from S. S. Lott in February of 1868.17

Family tradition tells that both James A. Martin and Geraldine Hearon came from plantation-owning families, and that the Hearons were also merchants.18 Geraldine Hearon was born on 26 January 1847 in Alabama and died in Parker County, Texas, on 4 October 1910.19 According to the 1880 Census of Parker County, her father was a South Carolinian and her mother was a Tennessean.20

Also living in Choctaw County at the time of the 1860 Census was the large family of farmer Stephen Herron, a 54 year-old South Carolinian. In this household were Elizabeth, age 42, born in Tennessee; Alabama natives Christopher C., age 16, and Milton, age 15, both farm laborers; Jereldine, age 13; Baxtor, age 11; Luther, age nine; Alexander S., age seven; Mississippi natives Edna, age six; Adella, age four, and Marcus, a two year-old. Stephen Herron’s real estate was valued at $6,000.00, and his personal property was given at $15,000.00.21

The Hearons migrated to Mississippi from Clarke County, Alabama, where they are shown on the 1850 Federal Census. At age 46, Stephen Hearon’s occupation is listed as a merchant, thus supporting the Martin family tradition that the Hearons were merchants. His age is 46, and again South Carolina is recorded as his birthplace. His real estate was valued at $1,500.00. Also listed were Elizabeth, age 32, born in Tennessee; and children Christopher C., age seven; John, age six; Milton, age four; Geraldine, age three; Baxter, age one; and four month-old Luther. Another resident of the Hearon household was a 20 year-old named Jno. Holder. Enumerated above Stephen Hearon was James Hearon, age 70, a farmer from North Carolina, and 58 year-old Minerva, a Virginian.22

Clarke County is where Stephen Hearon and Elizabeth Black were married a decade earlier on 6 February 1840.23 Larry Hagman’s roots run deep in that southwestern Alabama county, and his Hearon kinfolks are found abundantly in its records. Further research might untangle the relationships and intermarriages with other old Clarke County families.
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NOTES AND REFERENCES
  1. Texas Birth Index <www.rootsweb.com> listed the birth of Larry Martin Hagman, born 21 September 1931, Tarrant County, son of Benjamin Jack Hagman and Mary Virginia Martin. Note: This database has since been removed from Rootsweb. Susan L. Stetler, ed., Biography Almanac (Detroit: Gale Research, 1986), Vol. I, p. 734, gives the same birth date and lists Fort Worth as the birthplace. However, Who’s Who in America, 1984-85, Vol. I, p. 1339, states Weatherford was Hagman’s birthplace.
  2. In an article in the Weatherford Democrat, Mon., 23 June 1986, Larry Hagman said Jim Wright (later the U. S. Speaker) was his boxing instructor in high school in Weatherford.
  3. Obituary of Mary Martin, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Mon., 5 November 1990.
  4. Ibid., which states “some reports placed the date [of her birth] one year later.” Biography Almanac, Vol. II, p. 1095, gives 1 December 1914 as her birth date.
  5. Obituary of Mrs. Jerry Martin Andrews, Weatherford Democrat, 10 May 1979. Her full name is given as “Jerry Geraldine Andrews,” as informant on the death certificate of Juanita Pressley Martin, no. 12559, California State Department of Health Services, Sacramento. Her tombstone inscription in Greenwood City Cemetery, in Weatherford, states “Andrews/ Geraldine Martin / Born Sept. 3, 1902/ Died May 10, 1979,” as copied by the compiler in February, 2002.
  6. Obituary of Preston Martin, Weatherford Democrat, 23 December 1938.
  7. Obituary of Juanita Pressley Martin, Weatherford Democrat, 17 Aug. 1944.
  8. Juanita Pressley Martin, California state death certificate 12559.
  9. Preston Martin obituary, 23 December 1938.
  10. Juanita Martin obituary, 17 August 1944.
  11. Obituary of J. A. Martin, Weatherford Democrat, Fri., 1 May 1931. A biographical sketch of James Martin in the Parker County Historical Commission’s History of Parker County (Weatherford, Texas: the commission, 1980), p. 431, states that his middle name was Alberta. The biography was compiled by Don W. Martin, a grandson.
  12. J. A. Martin’s obituary names surviving children as Mrs. W. M. Massie, J. C., Claude M., Bernard, Preston, Eugene and Luther Martin. “Two sons, Howard and Andy, died several years ago.” Farmer Jas. A. Martin (age 34) and wife Geraldine (age 33), both Alabama natives, with children Howard, age 11; Lela, age 10; Preston, age eight; Eugene, age six; Luther, age two; and Bernard, age four months (born in January), are shown in the 1880 Federal Census of Parker County, Texas, population schedule, Justice Precinct 6, enumeration district 189, supervisor’s district 3, p. 458B, dwelling 16, family 16; National Archives microfilm T9-1322. (Hereafter, National Archives is designated as NA.) J. A. Martin, age 54 (born Sep. 1845), wife, G., age 53 (born Jan. 1847), and sons E. H., age 26 (born May 1874), Luther, age 22 (born Mar. 1878), Bernard, age 20 (born Jan. 1880), Jas. G., age 14 (born Mar. 1886), and Claude M., age 11 (born Nov. 1888) appear in the 1900 Federal Census of Parker County, Texas, population schedule, Precinct 6, enumeration district 77, supervisor’s district 3, p. 237A, sheet 4, dwelling 65, family 65; NA microfilm T623, roll 1664. J. A. Martin was farming on his own land, while his three oldest sons were listed as farm laborers. His wife was the mother of 12 children, only nine of whom were living. Howard Martin’s obituary in the Weatherford Daily Herald, Sat., 2 April 1906, states that he was the “assistant attorney general of Texas.”
  13. James A. Martin, death certificate, no. 18296, Texas Department of Health, Austin.
  14. Jackson Martin household, 1860 Federal Census, Choctaw County, Mississippi, population schedule, Huntsville post office, p. 117, dwelling 835, family 805; NA microfilm M653-579.
  15. Jackson Martin household, 1870 Federal Census of Choctaw County, Mississippi, Township 18, Range 7, p. 280; NA microfilm M593-725.
  16. James Martin household, 1870 Federal Census of Choctaw County, Mississippi, Popular Creek, p. 260, dwelling 8, family 8.
  17. Betty C. Wiltshire, Abstracts of Choctaw County, Mississippi Records (the author: 1993), p. 93.
  18. Parker County Historical Commission, History of Parker County, p. 431.
  19. Dates of birth and death from tombstone inscription of Geraldine Martin, Greenwood City Cemetery, Weatherford, Texas, as copied by the compiler in February, 2002. Place of death from obituary of Mrs. Geraldine Martin in the Daily Herald, Wed., 5 October 1910.
  20. 1880 Federal Census, Parker County, Texas, population schedule, Justice Precinct 6, enumeration district 189, supervisor’s district 3, p. 458B, dwelling 16, family 16.
  21. Stephen Herron household, 1860 Federal Census, Choctaw County, Mississippi, population schedule, p. 17, dwelling 110, family 107.
  22. Stephen Hearon household, 1850 Federal Census, Clarke County, Alabama, population schedule, p. 206, dwelling [blank], family 20; NA microfilm M432-3.
  23. Marriage Records, Vol. B., p. 49, Clarke County, Alabama.



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