Pioneers of Ellis County
The Hardeman Family
Contributed by Jean Caddel
John Marr Hardeman, Doctor of Medicine, was the second son of Constantine Hardeman (1778-1850) and Sarah Marr (1783-1823). His grandparents were Thomas Hardeman (1750-1833, son of John and Dorothy Edwards Hardeman) and Mary Hardion Perkins (1754-1798). John M. Hardeman was born Feb. 4, 1804 in Tenn. He married Mary Hardeman, a cousin, in 1828. She was born in Tennessee Feb. 12, 1912 and died in Ellis County Sept. 19, 1857. John M. Hardeman died in Texas Oct. 15, 1891.
Dr. Hardeman had studied medicine in Tennessee before moving to to Texas in late 1835 with the rest of the Hardeman delegation from Hardeman County, Tenn. He first went to the Matagorda Municipality and served in the Texas Army from July 4 until Oct. 4, 1836. In 1837 he moved to Washington County, Texas, with his uncle, Dr. Blackstone Hardeman. He participated in the Medican War, serving with the Guadalupe Valley Rangers under Ben McCulloch. He received a Headright Certificate (No. 127) for land in Milam, Burleson and Washington Counties and also received Bounty Warrent No. 9883 for 320 acres for service in the Texas Army in companies commanded by Capt. William Scurlock and Capt. Thomas S. McFarland.
John M. Hardeman is enumerated in the Ellis County 1860 census as widowed with six children: L. N. (f), age 21; L. L. (m) age 18; Jas. H. age 15; G. C. (m) age 12; M. (f) age 10; JK. R. (m) age 8. In 1880 the children were gone from home and John (age 76) had married Malinda J. [?] (age 71). Mary Hardeman married Napoleon B. Rankin Nov. 20, 1862. Leonard Hardeman m/1 Mary Rankin March 9, 1867 and m/2 Mary Miles Jan. 9, 1879.
At the time of his death Oct. 15, 1891, Dr. Hardeman was a member of the Texas Veterans Association. He was buried on his farm just south of Chambers Creek, and about 1-1/2 miles north of Italy, Texas, just off Hwy 77.
In 1936, the State of Texas erected a joint monument at the entrance of the Italy Cemetery where two plots are reserved for him and his wife, Mary. It is inscribed:
John Marr Hardeman
A Soldier in the Army of Texas in 1836
Born in Tennessee Feb. 2, 1804; Died October 15, 1891
His Wife
Mary Hardeman
Born in Tennessee Feb. 12, 1812; Died Feb. 19, 1857
Abstract of letter from his great-granddaughter (Melba French) to the Editor of The Italy Press, dated Feb. 5, 1967:
Dear Italy Press:
My great grandfather, John Marr Hardeman, was one of the first settlers in the Italy area of Ellis County. He settled along the Chambers Creek area with his large family and slaves and claimed 100 acres for each child....The last two descendants to sell their farms were the Knox John farm and Eli Briles farm.
John Marr was scholard [sic] and has gone down in history as such. His monument is at the entrance of the Italy Cemetery [but] he, along with his family and slaves, was buried on his farm. The burial ground used to be on P. W. Watson's farm and he took care not to have the old cemetery plowed over. I do hope [the present owner] will do the same. There are not many of us left to tell this story, so I'm hoping you younger folks will get this little bit of history. I remember when the State of Texas put the monument in the cemetery. They ask us if they could move his grave to the Italy Cemetery so they could set the memorial there. My mother (a granddaughter) escorted the State employees to the old cemetery where they took one scoop of dirt from the grave and moved it to the cemetery in Italy as his grave...."
"Not so, his stone and remains are still in his family graveyard along with his family. Some of you please see that this old graveyard is not destroyed. It is part of your history. I would be interested in doing somethingto restore it to its original form and using it as a historical grave yard.
"Are there any of the black Hardemans still living in Italy? I'd be interested in hearing what their family had to say about life with the Hardeman family, as they were growing up.".
Sources: Wilson, Francis W., M. D. The Hardeman Impact on Early Texas History; copyright March 1986; Land Warrants, State of Texas Land Office; 1840 Republic of Texas Census; 1860 and 1880 Ellis Co. Census; Washington Co. and Ellis Co. Deed Records; Ellis County marriages; "Frontier Times", Sept. 1936, information from Joseph Hardeman, Tacoma, Washington.
To reach the old Hardeman farm from Waxahachie, take I-35E to Forreston; turn left under expressway to Hwy 77 and right on 77; continue 3.6 miles from Forreston sign on south to Kinfolks Rd; right on that rd 1/4 mile. The cemetery is not fenced and has not been kept in a number of years. All stones were down, most buried or covered by grass. All but three of the known stones have been found, plus a number of field stones. We hope to find the missing stones since we feel they are buried somewhere in this small area. The cemetery is located in a small grove of trees near the private road. The gate is closed and you will need permission to enter.
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