Hagans served in many state and local government positions including Mayor of Morgantown, Judge in Second Judicial Circuit Court, United States Congressman for West Virginia, West Virginia State House of Delegates and Delegate to the 1872 West Virginia State Constitutional Convention. He was the son of Harrison Hagans, a Preston County delegate to the 1861 Wheeling Convention and he was also Waitman Willey's son-in-law.
