A Guide to the John Edward Hickman Papers, 1887-1974

Biographical Note

John Edward Hickman was born on March 28, 1883 on a farm in Liberty Hill, Williamson County, Texas, the son of Nathaniel Franklin Hickman and Mary J. (Porterfield) Hickman. He was one of seven children. His father died at young age, and "John Ed", as he was often called went to work to help support the family. After graduating from a small local college, Liberty Hill Normal and Business College, Hickman taught school first at Hog Mountain in Bell County and then in Lampasas, where he served as the principal of the high school for two years. Hickman graduated from the Law Department of the University of Texas at Austin in 1910, and acted as Quizmaster from 1910-1911. Thereafter, he attended the 1911 class reunions regularly.

On June 22, 1910, Hickman married Ethel Markward. In the same year, Hickman was admitted to the Bar. He practiced law for 16 years, first in Dublin, Texas and later in Breckenridge. Ethel (Markward) Hickman died in January 1921. Two years later, Hickman married Lena Petitt and moved to Breckenridge, Texas. He was elected as an Associate Justice of the Eastland Court of Civil Appeals in 1926, and delivered his first opinion the following year. Hickman continued to serve on that court until 1935 when he was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court to succeed Judge Richard Critz. He became an Associate Judge in 1945 following a constitutional amendment increasing the number of justices to nine. Upon the death of Judge James P. Alexander, Governor Beauford Jester appointed Hickman Chief Justice. Hickman was reelected in 1948 and 1954 without major opposition. From 1952 to 1953 he served as the Chairman of the Conference of Chief Justices. He retired from the Texas Supreme Court in 1960.

Hickman joined the Methodist Church early in life and became a teacher of a popular men's Sunday school class at the University Methodist Church in Austin, which he organized and taught for over thirty years. Hickman also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Southern Methodist University from 1921 until his death.

John Hickman died of a heart attack on April 25, 1962 at the age of 79. He was survived by his sister Lina Owen and his second wife, Lena Hickman.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, speeches, and printed materials document the career of Texas Supreme Court Justice John Edward Hickman. The papers span from 1887 through 1974, with the bulk of the material from 1935-1962. A large amount of professional correspondence and printed materials relate to Hickman's election campaigns. There is also a small quantity of personal correspondence, most of which focuses on Hickman's work as a Sunday school teacher in the Methodist Church and congratulations on his appointment as Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court in 1948. Lena (Petitt) Hickman, Judge Hickman's second wife, wrote editorial comments on correspondence she felt was indicative of her husband's character.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Unrestricted access.

Use Restrictions

Unrestricted use.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

John Edward Hickman Papers, 1887-1974, Center for American History, the University of Texas at Austin

Detailed Description of the Papers