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Young Bess Wallace, Young Harry Truman, handwriting background.

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The Dear Bess and Dear Harry Podcast, from Harry S Truman National Historic Site

Harry S Truman

From Harry S Truman National Historic Site; a chance to share some of the stories associated with Harry Truman, Bess W. Truman and their times. We will share letters written between Harry Truman, Bess Wallace Truman, Margaret Truman, and others. We will link to digital versions of the letters in case you'd like to see them. You may need to refresh the page for the latest episode.

Episodes

Dear Bess: March 10, 1913

Transcript

Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for March 10, 2022…brought to you by Harry S Truman National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service.

Our letter for you today was postmarked on this date, March 10, in 1913. It’s certainly one for which we wish we had a corresponding “Dear Harry” letter, yet none from this period from Mrs. Truman are known to survive. We can only imagine the conversation that led to the opening line in this letter, whether it was on paper, over the phone or in person.

Here’s the letter. It’s fascinating.

Grandview Postmarked March 10, 1913

Dear Bess: You are muchly mistaken if you think I was in a bad humor when I penned your last epistle. It may have sounded as if I was because I laid such emphasis on having no mammy at home or because I was at the time disgusted with pinheads in general and myself in particular. You see I'd just succeeded in bringing on my stiff neck again and I was sure it was a mollycoddle stunt. I'll try and be more cheerful this time. For one thing I've been to see Mamma this morning and she's promised to come home and visit us a few minutes tomorrow. I took Uncle Harrison down to see his grandnephew and niece. The girl laughed at him and was glad to see him, but the boy yelled every time he came near. I guess the girl was flirting young, showing plainly that she is a girl by smiling sweetly on an old bachelor. Ethel says widows and old bachelors have the fun anyway.

I sealed your letter and the thing came unsealed after it started. The stickum on these envelopes is not of the best. I shall put some extra paste on this one. (I said paste because I can't spell the other word.) If there is any other apology I ought to offer, except for a lack of brain power which I can't help, it is hereby offered for that last spasm of mine called a letter.

I don't know what I was intending to prove by your letters. It was something important at the time. I guess I'll read them back for six weeks or so and then tell you. I was reading of a girl not long ago who read a letter to her mother and told her it was from one of her young man friends. The mother raised sand with her and told her she never heard of such gush. The girl showed her her father's signature and it is said you could hear the snow falling out in the backyard. I think that was a most awful mean and undutiful daughter. My dear uncle is sawing logs on the couch. Every once in a while he hits a splinter and such a choking and scraping of saw teeth (false teeth) you never heard. He holds the record for snoring. He was cussing the jail system this morning. He said if he had his way he'd close every church and jail in the country. Just build a stockade and head the criminals into it and give them a hundred stripes with a whip for the first offense and hang 'em for the second. Then he said judges and marshals and all other such truck would be unnecessary and useless. I don't know why he included churches in the destruction but I guess it's because he hates preachers so badly. He says a highwayman is a gentleman alongside of a preacher or detective. He can almost convince you that it's so, too. I don't think they are quite so bad as a class but there are individuals among preachers who ought not to be able to look a good highwayman in the face. There was once a Presbyterian one in Belton who was a quack doctor and a genuine dinky hoss trader. He's the only really great character that burg ever produced. They tell a story about him when he was going to medical college in St. Louis. He was very hard up for cash and went away from school for two or three weeks, when he came back he had plenty of money. One of his classmates asked him where he'd been and he said, "Oh I'se been down here in Kentucky preaching like ----- for the last three weeks." He'd been holding a camp meeting and industriously passing the hat. It is said that he could preach a sermon that would make a marble statue weep. He could also make a horse trader weep over his bargain. He finally did some shady medical practice and they fired him. And do you know every woman and kid in the church cried and the men hated to see him go. I guess he was a genius with a screw loose. I wish you'd go to the Orpheum Saturday, but if you won't I guess I'll give Boxley a hint to take me tomorrow. I have to go see him tomorrow. Will try and call up this time. Our lawsuit comes up next Monday and I guess I'll be busy as a cranberry merchant on the twenty-fourth of December for the rest of this week. Here's hoping Warfield has a comedy show instead of one to make the caryatids weep as he did last season.

You now owe me a letter. You can let one of them come Wednesday and the other Friday.

Most sincerely,

Harry

A fascinating letter today, with a lot in it. Harry Truman is apologizing to Bess Wallace for what must have been an interesting dialogue...we wish we had Bess' letters to gain a clearer picture. And it's always fun to hear an insight into Truman's Uncle Harrison Young, whom the future president was named after.

A copy of the original can be seen here: https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-1910-1919/march-10-1913-postmark?documentid=NA&pagenumber=7

Dear Bess: March 1, 1919

Transcript

Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for March 1, 2022, a service of Harry S Truman National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service.

We’d like to share with you a fascinating letter today, written on this date in 1919, shortly before Captain Harry S Truman returned home from serving in France during the Great War. Please take the time to follow the link and take a look at the original letter on the Truman Library’s website. Truman wrote it on Knights of Columbus letterhead. The Knights of Columbus was, and is, a Catholic fraternal organization. Captain Truman had many Catholics in his artillery battery, and remained close to them for the rest of his life. In the letter, Captain Truman talks some military politics with his fiancée Bess Wallace.

Here's the letter. Rosieres, France, near Bar-le-Duc March 1, 1919

Dearest Bess: This has been a beautiful sunny day - the only one for a long time and the first one this month! It was made more joyous by two letters from you. The days are always fine when mail from home comes even when it's raining. My first sergeant reminded me of a day in the drive when I was chasing around figuring a barrage and raising sand with everyone in sight when the mail man gave me a letter from you and I calmed down at once and forgot the barrage, battery and everything else for a while. You won't be the only one to weep when we meet I'm afraid. I'm glad you like the pictures. They flatter me considerably but then we all like picture that make us look better than we are. It was no joke about that fool horse inspector wanting us to cook oats for our horses. He was canned shortly afterwards though and my horses are gone to Germany or somewhere else now and I don't have horse inspectors to worry about any more, and I hope I never have. We only have inspection of the men now - clothes, billets, mess etc etc. I didn't take any pleasure in making that fellow cry who overstayed his time in Verdun and I'd rather be beaten than call a man down but I have to do it to make 'em behave and to keep my job with honor and efficiency. It's one of the many requirements in Army Regulations to make men obey the rules but I don't like to do it. And as for ever thinking of calling you down - why I'd go jump in the river first. I can't even remember of having called Mary down for anything badly as she needs it sometimes. You'll have to do all the disciplining in our household because my heart fails me on cronic [sic] rule breakers and hard cookies in the army if they put up the right kind of talk.

I'm so sorry to hear of Mrs. Bryant's death. Please extend my heartfelt sympathy to Helen. There's nothing much you can do or say in a case of that kind because it's something we've all got to look forward to but may the day be far distant when either of us have to face the same situation. We have two mothers that are only produced once in the world and if I had my way they'd live forever, or at least as long as I do. But we don't order such things and I reckon it's as well for us we don't.

I had hoped that C. C. Bundschu would keep his mouth closed and state only the real facts relative to himself and let the rest of us alone. As far as I've heard he seems to be making some statements that may make it rather unpleasant for some of us when we get home. K. D. K. [Col. Klemm] was not popular with officers nor men but he played no favorites. He was just as mean to one as another and I think it was a policy he inaugurated from some mistaken idea of German discipline being the best brand. He's been transferred to the 106th at his own request because it's going home before we do. To give him his due he is an efficient officer and would have been a Brigadier General had the war gone on another sixty days. I'm off of him for life but I don't care about its being made public property just yet. He didn't treat me any worse than he did the rest of his B. C. but my Irish thought he did and probably conversed more about him than they should have. Take all the early talk from the first arrivals with a grain of salt because I'm sure they'll talk too much. I hope I shan't have to say a word when I get home either in public or in private about anyone of the 129th to hurt his standing at home. As I told you C. C. was sent home for inefficiency - unjustly we all thought but if he goes to talking too much we won't be so sure about the unjustness of it.

Capt Thatcher is Major Thatcher now and Major (Doctor) Wilson is a Lt. Col. They both deserve the promotion and we're all glad they got it. Col. Elliott is still with and so are Maj's. Miles & Gates. Col. E. T. Smith of the 106th FA is our new commanding officer and he's a good one. Regular Army man, not a West Pointer which is in his favor.

My Battery is still producing champions. I have the Division Featherweight and Lightweight boxers in my organization. Have a man on the Division football team and two men on the basketball team. I lay claim to having had the shootingest outfit, I hope to have the best marching one and I know that when it comes to hand to hand combat no other battery has me beaten. If we can't find someone to lick in an adjacent organization we begin on ourselves. One of the men came into my office this morning and informed my clerk that two of my hearties had just had the best fist fight he'd ever seen. I was not supposed to hear of it and I didn't. I saw 'em both afterwards and from the appearance of 'em it must have been a right successful go. They are friends now and no harm done. I sure feel sorry for Henry Allen if this outfit ever gets to him.

Be sure and keep writing because the letter'll follow us up even to Funston. I love you

Always Harry.

Harry S. Truman Capt 129 FA American E. F.

Captain Harry Truman wrote this letter to his fiancee Bess Wallace shortly before returning home to Jackson County, Missouri. It's full of some fascinating tidbits. Please be sure to check out the digital copy of the original, as it's a wonderful example of a well-written letter! It's here, courtesy of the Truman Library:

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-1910-1919/march-1-1919?documentid=NA&pagenumber=3

Dear Bess: February 25, 1919

Transcript

Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for February 25, 2022, a service of Harry S Truman National Historic Site and the National Park Service.

We have a gem of a letter for you today, written by Captain Harry S Truman, still in France following the cessation of hostilities of World War I. He wrote it on this date in 1919. Captain Truman is anxious to board a transport ship and come home to America, mostly because soon after he gets home he will marry Miss Bess Wallace, whom he has loved for about 29 years.

Harry Truman was quite proud of the men under his command. Although some of his men died from illness and disease, not one man from the 129th Field Artillery was lost in battle. Harry Truman was proud of the service he and his battery provided during the war.

Here’s the letter.

February 25, 1919 Rosieres, France, near Bar-le-Duc Dear Bess:

I scored again today. Got a letter from you and it had a Hershey in it praise be. Of course the letter is a joy forever, but a letter and a Hershey - well its worth two praise be's and several thank you's. We can't obtain Hersheys over here and in my opinion there's hardly any chocoloate that equals it for flavor and satisfaction. We get a brand over here that's made by an old party named Menier. It's called Chocolat Menier and it's like Walter Bakers brand that you put in cakes only it's sweet. I hope you'll encore that stunt, and do it often. Yes we are ordered to Le Mans and are schedule to sail April 20, 1919. But don't put too much faith in that date because such festivals are movable and not fixed. If we shouldn't succeed in getting our men altered to fit their service records it may require an unreeling of pink tape to such an extent that we'll be delayed thirty days. What's a mere 30 days to G. H. Q. (which some say means get home quick - I doubt it myself)? There's also a new General Order out to the effect that all battery and company commanders whose funds are messed up will be detached from their organizations and held in France until a proper balance is struck. Now they may reach out and yank me off the gang plank just as I'm getting aboard in order to have me untangle my money from the company's but if they do I'll be much richer by some hundred of francs. You know a battery commander has as many duties and as much prying around to do as the chairwoman of a Ladies Aid; besides having to write to various wives, widows, mothers, sisters, cousins, aunts and paw in laws as to the general health and financial condition of Privates James William O'Grady, King and O'Toole, you've got to keep 'em clothed and fed. If they lose their clothes or trade 'em for Vin Rouge and don't make 'em pay for the loss the B. C.'s stuck. If your reserve ration goes up in Willie Stew by a careless mess sergeant the B C pays. If the battery fund gets tangled the B. C. pays etc etc ad lib. One bird I have refused to write to his mother because Uncle Sam fined him $60.00 for going A W O L to see her and I got a letter from the Commanding General of the Second Army wanting to know why I didn't make him write her. Well he did all right, all right but he wound up his epistle by saying he was only doing it because the Captain would put him in the jug if he didn't, and I let it go because it was true.

They aren't all like that though. I have an overwhelming majority I wouldn't trade for a million dollars. They have real Irish hearts and they love their mother and sweetheart just that way. Some letters to mothers I've censored are masterpieces and I know they are meant because I know the men.

I don't think there's any of 'em thought who are as deeply in love as their own Captain to whom they bring their troubles and I guess that's why he can sympathise with 'em.

Please write as often as you can to one who loves you madly.

Always yours Harry. Harry S. Truman Captain 129 FA American E. F.

A most charming letter for today, written on this date in 1919, as Captain Harry S Truman and his men are awaiting word that they'll be coming home after serving nobly in France in the Great War.

Harry Truman was most fond of the men under his command, and he writes about them a bit in this letter. And he's ready to come home and marry Miss Bess Wallace.

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-1910-1919/february-25-1919

Dear Bess: February 16, 1911

Transcript

Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for February 16, 2022, a service of Harry S Truman National Historic Site and the National Park Service.

We have a compelling letter for you today, written February 16, 1911. It has everything you could want in a Dear Bess letter. Harry Truman relays to Bess Wallace some of the daily happenings on the farm in Grandview and elsewhere. His fascination with and devotion to Miss Wallace is most evident. But note Truman’s line about being an optimist. It’s a key line in understanding Harry S Truman. No matter the situation in life, Truman had the remarkable ability to be positive about the situation. It was an important part of his personality. And it served him well when he eventually served in government office. And it served America well from 1945 to 1953 while he was President of the United States.

Here's the letter…

Grandview, Mo.

February 16, 1911

Dear Bessie,

I caught the train I was after Tuesday night. I got off at Sheffield and walked about a mile and a half north to Air Line Junction. I was scared to an icicle almost, but it was all for nothing. I didn't even see a hobo. You know not so long ago a man was held up on the Kansas City Southern tracks right where I had to go. They made him exchange clothes and then knocked him on the head for luck. I would not mind the knock on the head so much but I certainly wouldn't enjoy the other. I am not going where I'll even get knocked in the head though if I know it.

I certainly did enjoy myself Tuesday night. That stew couldn't be beat. You know I have always had a kind of a desire to be a chafing dish artist, but I never even had the dish. Ethel had one you know and I got so I could make fudge on it. Farmers have no use for chafing dishes. They have to plow, put up hay, and trade horses. A fellow traded me a horse yesterday. That is, he parted me from a hundred dollars and I have a horse. You know horse trading is the cause of the death of truth in America. When you go to buy they'll tell you anything on earth to get your money. You simply have to use your own judgment, if you have any. I haven't much but I think I got my money's worth. Can't tell though until I work him a few days. A neighbor of ours once had a sale of his furniture and stock. He had a great may horses and some that were no good. He had one that was probably an octogenarian in the horse world. He was very aged anyway. This horse he wanted to sell to a poor lame man who had tried to by it before the sale. So he took a quart of bad whiskey and soaked the poor lame one and then told him he wasn't going to put the horse up. Well that fellow begged so hard that the horse was sold to him for $170. Just about $100 more than it was worth. The owner had a "buy bidder" to run him up. So that between the booze and the bidder he was mulcted for $100. O' the honest farmer. I have found that they sell gold bricks now. That is what rural delivery and party-line phones have done for our uplift.

I am not a pessimist though. There are some honest ones and they are always well thought of even by the crooks. They are always the last ones you get acquainted with too.

We have moved around quite a bit and always the best people are the hardest to know. I don't know why that is either.

My ink is in the same condition as yours. Mary has ordered ink for the last half-dozen times. I have been where it can be bought. But I can never remember it until I go to write. I sincerely hope you forgive this excuse for a letter. You know I am somewhat behind on sleep and the wheels that constitute my brain refuse to run smoothly and therefore I cannot write a decent letter. When a person has hired help he has to be up and thinking all the time to keep them busy as well as be busy himself all the time. If they can draw your money and do nothing, they are all willing to do it. I know because I've been there myself. You've probably heard of George Ade's man who bothered the directors so much for more money that they made him a director, and he was the best man to browbeat the clerks in the whole establishment ever after.

That's usually the case. It's all a matter of viewpoint. A man's might lucky if he has two.

I am not going to bore you any longer. I hope you answer it though.

Most sincerely, Harry

A gem of a letter today. Harry Truman again allows his pen to tell Miss Wallace about his travels, about some horse trading...and talks about how he is an optimist in life.

That is one of the most key lines from all of the Dear Bess letters...that Harry Truman is an optimist.

A digital copy of the letter can be seen here: https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-1910-1919/february-16-1911?documentid=NA&pagenumber=1

Dear Bess: February 11, 1913 (postmarked)

Transcript

Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for February 11, 2022, from Harry S Truman National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service.

We have a great letter for you today, postmarked on this date, February 11, in 1913. If you ever need proof that Harry S Truman was ever completely head over heels in love with Bess Wallace, the first few lines of this letter will suffice. It’s wonderful, too, to hear Truman refer to his father, John. John A Truman was a much respected livestock trader, with a good reputation in Grandview, Independence, Kansas City, and elsewhere. It’s unfortunate that John Truman, who died in late 1914, didn’t live to see the successful adults his children became, including one President of the United States.

Here’s the letter.

Postmark February 11, 1913 Grandview Feb. 10, 1913

Dear Bess: You have succeeded in enlarging the size of my hat. The idea of anyone, especially you, ever wanting to decorate my striking likeness with a silver frame has almost made me unable to contain myself with any degree of satisfaction. I even smiled when Mary informed me we were out of water at 6:30 P.M. after a hard day's work too. You know it is necessary for us to haul water a half mile. Also it was dark at six-thirty this evening. I had to hitch up a horse to get that water and eat supper all alone. I can only attribute my good humor to that request. Hang the chaperon. She generally (he I should say) doesn't know straight up about common sense. She (he) can write piffle about how may fingers to stick out when you eat salad and if it's proper to eat pie ala mode with a spoon when ice cream is slushy but for good sense she (he) is no authority. You may be sure I'd never have the effrontery to offer my photo to you because that, it seems to me, would be a case of rank egotism. You want one, you ask for it, you swell my head, make me feel good which is a good deed anyway Q.E.D. Hang the chaperone. I have had a very strenuous day my reason factory is not very good, but you'll get that tintype if I have to bust one dozen cameras. A silver frame! I can't live it down. Now don't forget I want yours worse than ever.

My dad arrived with his two loads of cows last night at seven o'clock. Mamma said he was on his ear in proper fashion when I wasn't there to meet him. He called me in the morning from Lowry City, and the K.C. central had to repeat the message, and instead of leaving that town at 5:00 P.M. he left at noon. She called at twelve o'clock and five o'clock. I'm glad she did. There was no harm done and I spent the evening where I wanted to. We have more old cows now than you have chickens I guess. Fifty-two new ones and thirty we already had. It sounds like the stockyards on a busy day. Of course there are some calves and the cows have more trouble sorting out their proper calves than the people did their babies after the Virginian's mixing them up. Instead of being two hours night and morning tending to the cows it is now twelve hours all day. I am of the opinion it will grow pretty old before grass comes. Anyway Papa is very happy he can get up at unearthly hours and cipher around with a lantern and stay out at night long enough to use one. He would rather yell at a cow than eat a meal. I would rather eat. His being away from home has caused me to get in bad with the W.C.T.U. The mayor of Grandview arrested the saloon man for selling whiskey. He asked me to go his bond to keep him out of jail. I went it same as I'd go a preacher's if he asked me to. This man's a pretty good fellow only he sells booze. I don't suppose it would have done him any good to stay in jail and I'm sure he likes me better. The only ones who will have it in for me are the "backyarders" as Uncle Harrison calls the North Carolinians. I'm not hankerin' for their friendship anyway. They yell temperance and want to lynch a saloon man but they'll go to the city and get gloriously stewed. I told them if they wanted really to shut up the saloon to do as I do and drink no booze, then the saloon man would have to get a pick and shovel and go to work.

I am going to send for Mr. Faversham's tickets for Thursday evening of the week he's here. Will that suit you? We have a man from St. Claire County here. He came home with Papa. It is my duty to show him K.C. tomorrow. Do you envy me my job? I don't. He's a fine man and I like him but I'd rather do something else. He's never been to K.C. and I don't know what to show him except Emery, Bird, Thayer's Eleventh Street entrance and the Shubert (from the outside). Maybe he'll get down to the stockyards and be so interested we can spend the day there. Let's hope so.

You owe me a letter. Also may I come Sunday as usual? Wait till we sell a cow and I'll get you that tintype.

Most sincerely, Harry

Another fun letter for you today. Miss Wallace wants to frame Mr. Truman's picture! In a silver frame!

And always nice to hear a little bit about Harry Truman's father, John. He died too soon, and too young.

Dear Bess: February 7, 1911

Transcript

Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for February 7, 2022, from Harry S Truman National Historic Site and the National Park Service.

A fun letter for you today, with a lot in it. This is the fourth-oldest known Dear Bess letter, written on this date in 1911. Harry Truman is very much on cloud nine from experiencing a recent visit to 219 North Delaware Street in Independence. Was it on this visit that Truman played the piano for Bess Wallace’s mother, Madge Gates Wallace? Mrs. Wallace’s father, George Porterfield Gates, who built the 219 North Delaware Street we know today, bought the piano that Truman likely played in June of 1883, from the Smith American Organ Company, which had an office in Kansas City. It may be that the Steinway piano in the home today, bought around 1932 by the Trumans, replaced this piano.

In this letter, too, Harry Truman makes mention of his memories of First Presbyterian Church in Independence. It was there that young Harry Truman, age 6, met Miss Bess Wallace, age 5. There was never another girl for Harry Truman. They had a destiny. They just didn’t know it yet.

Here’s the letter.

Grandview, Mo. February 7, 1911

Dear Bessie: You were right. I was about to send you another epistle but thought I had better wait, maybe you would remember that you were indebted to me for one.

I certainly enjoyed myself the evening I was there and you may be assured I shall repeat the offense as often as I can or you will allow me. That cake and coffee couldn't be beat. I am like a girl that once boarded where I did. She said there was nothing better than cake but more cake. I heartily agree with her. It makes no difference about the variety just so it's cake.

I think you and Nellie could probably get some religious excitement on Ethel's part if you would do as a certain woman did Aunt Susan was telling me about.

You know they used to hold outdoor meetings when the weather was good and everyone for miles around attended and stayed sometimes for weeks. Along in the fifties they were holding a meeting not far from here and the preacher had exhorted and ranted and done everything else they usually do when they try to get something started as they call it, but it was no use. He wasn't a quitter though. Finally down one of the aisles one of the good sisters jumped out and began screaming and dancing up and down as they usually do when they get religion. The preacher made a dive for her with his hand extended saying, "Oh! Sister I am so glad to see you come out and say you have religion." Her answer between screams was, "I haven't got it. I haven't got it. There's a lizard on my dress." And she kept on dancing until Aunt Sue and someone else took her outside and one of those little lizards fell off her dress. Try it on Ethel. It will work I think.

I remember Miss Southern very well. Your opinion of her is good. Mary said that the preacher was giving dancers, card players, and theater-goers fits. Well he has done all these things until he is tired of them. Now he has taken to no preaching for a change. I also have strayed from the Presbyterian fold, though I remember my Sunday school days very well. I am by religion like everything else. I think there is more in acting than in talking. I had an uncle who said when one of his neighbors got religion strong on Sunday, he was going to lock his smokehouse on Monday. I think he was right from the little I have observed.

We had a neighbor out here who could pray louder and talk more fervently in meetin' than anyone I ever heard. He'd say in every prayer, "O Lord help this congregation to stop and think where they's a going at." We finally found that he beat his wife and did everything else that's "ornery".

I think religion is something one should have on Wednesday and Thursday as well as on Sunday. Therefore I don't believe these protracted meetings do any real good. They are mostly excitement and when the excitement wears off people are as they always were. I like to play cards and dance as far as I know how and go to shows and do all the things they said I shouldn't, but I don't feel badly about it. I go when I feel like it and the good church members are glad to hear what it's like. You see I'm a member but not a strenuous one. I suppose I am getting to be a bore by this time but I like to get letters so well, especially from you, that I do the best I can to deserve them. I shall be in Independence on the fourteenth to attend the probate court (think of it), and if you are at home I should like very much to come around again.

I am glad your mother likes my efforts on the piano. I am ashamed of it myself. But you know a farmer can't be a pianist much as he'd like to be. Mary is getting to be a pretty good piano player. Ivory tickler, as Shorty Short says. He says his piano has a wheelbarrow movement and a fire escapement. It was an old-fashioned square.

Write when you can to

Yours sincerely, Harry

This is a fascinating letter. Harry Truman, exuberant after a visit to see Miss Bess Wallace, thanks her for welcoming him. He also shares his thoughts on religion, including a humorous story in the style of Mark Twain. He also mentions his piano playing, which was better than he gives himself credit for.

A digital copy of the letter can be seen here:

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-1910-1919/february-7-1911?documentid=NA&pagenumber=6

Dear Bess: February 1916 (likely, undated)

Transcript

Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for February 1, 2022, a service of Harry S Truman National Historic Site and the National Park Service.

We’d like to highlight a fun letter for you today, although we doubt Harry Truman would consider this letter fun. Unfortunately we don’t have a date for this letter, as Truman did not note a date on the letter, and there is no postmark on the envelope. It’s believed that it’s from February, 1916, based on the chain of events in the letter. One of the great characters in the Harry Truman/ Bess Wallace courtship is an automobile. By this time, Truman was driving a car known as a Stafford, a touring car model, built in Kansas City. Truman had bought the car a few years before, and used it for more efficient travels from Grandview to Independence to visit family and Miss Wallace. The car was impressive for its day, but as you’ll hear the car required a lot of maintenance. Unfortunately, Harry Truman sold his car shortly before leaving for France in the Great War. But thankfully we have several photographs showing Harry Truman and Lizzie, including some with Bess Wallace. The car succeeded in its mission and started Harry Truman’s love affair with cars.

Katy Flyer, Okla. [no postmark]

Dear Bess:

I am going to send you a penciled note to let you know how I came to be here.

I suppose that you remember that I started for Monegaw Springs on Sunday. Mamma went along and we almost reached the springs without an accident. We got within a half mile of them and ran over a stump. I spilled Uncle Harry over the front seat and threw Mamma over my own head. Neither of them were hurt, except Uncle Harry renewed his profane vocabulary. I backed Lizzie off the stump and ran her into town with a badly bent axle. Mamma and I started for home at 6:00 a.m. on Monday. Got within seventy-five miles of it and it began to rain. Had the nicest slipping time you ever saw. What with a crooked axle and a bent steering wheel I could hardly stay in the road. Five miles south of Harrisonville Lizzie took a header for the ditch and got there, smashing a left front wheel into kindling. I phoned to Ferson and he sent me his front wheel. The accident happened within a half mile of a R.R. station, Lone Ture by name. Mamma and I sat there from 1:30 til 8:00 p.m. waiting for the wheel. It arrived all right and I couldn't get it on. Then it began to rain in real earnest. I got soaked. A good farmer came and took us up to his house and we stayed all night. Next morning he hitched his team to Lizzie and pulled her out of the ditch. (I had tried to put the wheel on wrong end to, the night before.) He would not have a cent for keeping me nor pulling the car out. We started for Harrisonville and get about five miles north of there when we ran through a puddle and get the mag wet. Had to phone back to Harrisonville and get a man to come and tear it up--cost a five-dollar bill. Another good farmer took us to dinner free. Finally got to Grandview at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday. Mr. Hall called me and said if I wanted to go to Texas and New Mexico free, R.R. fare sleeper and meals, I could. Took Lizzie to town and gave Ferson his wheel, left her at the factory, and I'm on way to Ft. Worth and the Pecos Valley aboard a special Pullman with a nice crowd of farmers. Several of my close neighbors are along. I endeavored to call you last night but your line was busy. I wanted to come over and see you before I left and also borrow your Kodak. Hope you'll excuse this scrawl as I forgot my pen and stationery.

You are the only one getting any letters this trip. Hope to be home by Sunday and get a ride in the new car while Lizzie has only three feet. I'm headed for Ft. Stockton, Texas, clean off the map on the western border.

Most sincerely, Harry

This is a fun letter to read. Hopefully it's fun to hear. It's an undated letter. But if you've ever had bad luck with a car, even one you love, you can sympathize with Harry Truman.

A digital copy of the original can be seen here: https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-1910-1919/ca-february-1916-no-date?documentid=NA&pagenumber=1

Dear Margaret: January 28, 1952

Transcript

Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for January 28, 2022, from Harry S Truman National Historic Site and the National Park Service.

But today, instead of a Dear Bess or Dear Harry letter, we have an absolutely wonderful Dear Margaret letter, from this date in 1952. Mary Margaret Truman was born in February, 1924, in 219 North Delaware Street. She was very much the apple of her parents’ eyes. When she was born, she was the fourth generation living inside the house, as Elizabeth Gates, Madge Gates Wallace, Bess Wallace Truman and now Margaret were under one roof. Unfortunately grandmother Gates died a few months later, and Margaret had no memory of her.

For many years in her youth, Margaret shuttled between Washington and Independence while her father served as United States Senator for Missouri. This continued while her father was President of the United States. She had sort of an agreement with her father…she wanted to be a professional singer, he wanted her to finish college. She did, and embarked upon a singing career that took her around the globe, and signed a recording contract with RCA Records. In addition to being a singer, Margaret Truman became a radio and television performer, and was a prolific writer. Her biographies of her parents are essential reading. Margaret Truman died in early 2008, a few days before her 85th birthday. The bond between father and daughter is evident in this letter. Have a listen.

[The White House, Washington, D.C.] January 28, 1952

Dear Margie:-

It was a most happy weekend. It always is when you are with your mamma and daddy.

Your pop has been carefully watching the progress and change in his daughter - just as he watched it from five to fifteen. You've never had any advice from your dad except in your interest. When you were anxious to be a singer at fifteen your dad told you to be sure you had an education first. You took his advice. Now you are faced with a successful career. Be very careful that you remember your background and bringing up. Sometimes I'm almost in sympathy with your tough old Grandma Wallace when she weeps and storms about your "show" appearances. But you do not have to let those people pull you down. You can raise them up! I want you to succeed in whatever you undertake. To do that you must give it all you have, keep your balance and display all the Truman-Wallace mulishness where right and wrong are in the balance. Right must always prevail.

Do not let the glamour of the Rockefellers, the Watsons and the so called "stars" get you. There are decent honorable people among the "Big Rich" just as there are among the very poor. Honor knows no class. It is just as great and as necessary at one of the scale as at the other. No one can say which is the top. Jesus Christ was the son of a carpenter (the foster son) and was one himself. He was looked down upon by the "Socially Great" of his time. So was Martin Luther, John Knox, Wycliff, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln.

Remember always to keep your balance no matter how great you may become in your own time. Great men and women are assayed in future generations.

Your dad may never be reckoned among the "Great" but you can be sure he did his "level best" and gave all he had to his country. There's an epitaph in "boot hill" cemetery in Tombstone, Ariz., which reads "Here lies Jack Williams. He done his damndest." What more can a person do? I hope that will be yours and your dad's epitaphs.

Love. Dad.

A Harry Truman classic, written by the President to his daughter on this date in 1952. Margaret Truman by this time had been a professional singer for several years now, and was selling out concert halls around the globe.

In this letter, Harry Truman, father, gives his daughter some sage advice. The pride that he felt for his daughter is most evident.

A digital copy of this letter can be found here: https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-margaret-truman-1927-196

Dear Bess: January 25, 1912

Transcript

Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast, brought to you by Harry S Truman National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service.

We have an interesting letter for you today, from January 25, 1912. In this letter, Harry Truman refers to going to his Aunt Ella’s home…she lived at 216 North Delaware Street in Independence, across the street from where Bess Wallace lived. Harry Truman often stayed at 216 North Delaware when visiting Miss Wallace. There is a lot of interesting tidbits in this letter…but note in the middle of the letter a reference to a proposal!

In the first paragraph of the letter, Harry Truman uses the phrase “Dutch Jew.” We share the line exactly as he wrote it. It’s an interesting letter to re-read in context of what Harry S Truman did as President of the United States over 36 years later.

Grandview, Mo. January 25, 1912

Dear Bessie:

This is the third letter I have started to you since Tuesday night. You know I took a fool notion not to go over to Aunt Ella's after all and went back to K.C. I figured that I had rather lose an hour's sleep while I was up already than to get up to do it. That sounds like a Dutch Jew wrote it. I was talking to Abie Viner's pa this morning and that's the reason. Abie and his pa belong to the Scottish Rite. They are in the chandelier business. I never saw so many varieties nor such pretty ones as the old man showed me this morning. His store is at 1110 McGee, right back of the Empress. Abie has been married seven years. Think of it. The Scottish Rite has done its best to make a man of me, but they had such a grade of material to start with that they did a poor job I fear. It is the most impressive ceremony I ever saw or read of. If a man doesn't try to be better after seeing it, he has a screw loose somewhere.

I simply can't get "I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls" of my mind. I think it's the prettiest waltz song of the whole bunch. Mary has gone dippy over "Day Dreams" and won't let me have the piano to play it cause she wants to herself. I wrote you the craziest letter after I got to K.C. Tuesday evening you would ever read. I didn't have the nerve to send it next day. Did you know you made a most excellent joke Sunday evening and neither of us laughed? I had asked you if you weren't tired of my hanging around so long at a time. You of course said I was who would get tired and I said I would never get tired. Then you, thinking I suppose that something was coming sure enough, grabbed the weather and said, "Oh heck I wish I had some rubber boots!" And we never laughed. I'm glad, for I meant it. You shouldn't have been afraid of my getting slushy or proposing until I can urge you to come to as good a home as you have already. I don't think any man should expect a girl to go to a less comfortable home than she's used to. I'd just like to be rich for two reasons. First to pay my debts and give Mamma a fine house to live in, and second and greatest, I'd make love to you so hard you'd either have to say yes or knock me on the head. Still, if I thought you cared a little I'd double my efforts to amount to something and maybe would succeed. I wouldn't ask you to marry me if I didn't. Say, now ain't it awful -I have already burned up two perfectly good sheets of stationery to keep from saying that, but this one goes. If you don't like that part skip it, which you can't because you won't know it's there. Well, it's just what I think and I mean every word of it.

Won't it be fine if Miss Dicie has her dinner and her party on the same Saturday? I am just dying to see Mrs. Polly and that baby. (Kid, I almost said, but I believe you said it was a lady.) I am afraid that I won't get to take you to hear DePachmann because he comes on the first Friday in the month. Save me the date as close as you can though, and if I can get away and you care to hear him, we will.

Mamma is raising sand with me to come to dinner, and I believe she said there was caramel custard, or was going to be, this evening so I'll have to stop. I guess you'll be glad anyway for I'll frankly admit that this is a bum excuse for a letter, but I hope you'll send one in return. I'll be highly pleased with any kind on any kind of paper. So just send me a letter.

Sincerely,

Harry

A most interesting letter from early 1912. In the letter, Harry Truman again opens his heart to Miss Bess Wallace, with a touch of self-consciousness about his situation. Was he worthy of Miss Wallace? Could he ever be?

You can see a digital copy of this letter here:

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-1910-1919/january-25-1912

Dear Bess: January 21, 1913

Transcript

Greetings and welcome to the Dear Bess and Dear Harry podcast for January 21, 2022, a service of Harry S Truman National Historic Site and the National Park Service. We have a gem of a letter for you today, postmarked on this date from 1913.

Near the end of the letter, you’ll hear a primary goal of Harry S Truman, that goal being financially well off, at least well off enough to support Bess Wallace in the manner he felt necessary. Harry Truman was very conscious of that. Over the next few years, Truman ventured into all sorts of business affairs to improve his financial situation, with decidedly mixed success. But eventually, he learned that love conquers all.

In this letter, too, we learn that during a recent visit to see Miss Wallace, Truman slept in Miss Wallace’s brother’s room. That means that, at least that night, 219 North Delaware Street was quite crowded…with George and Elizabeth Gates, who owned the home, Madge Wallace, Bess Wallace, George Wallace, Frank Wallace, Fred Wallace, and Harry Truman. He was increasingly part of the family.

Postmarked January 21, 1913

Grandview

Dear Bess, Here goes for your note to get my letter. It was a very good thing you urged me to get a move on when I was leaving. I ran like a record breaker to get the car. It was a useless proceeding though for there was another one right behind it. The one I was on let it go ahead at Spruce and then switched back at McGee. The Met. seems to care not how it runs its cars.

Have you been doing any more target practice? It was the largest kind of an accident that I ever managed to hit the mark. Luck was with me. Has Fred ever convinced your mother that he had nothing to do with the pot?

I have been emptying my desk this morning and my hands are as dirty as a school boy's. Like said schoolboy it is too cold to go wash them. Therefore those finger prints. I am entirely too lazy to start a new sheet. Please excuse them won't you after I have been honest enough to tell the truth? I bet I got fifty pounds of waste paper off this desk. You never saw so many circulars and letters and ads all in one pile. They came near causing the stove to go up the chimney. Of course yours were not among them. I hope to keep them long enough to settle arguments within the future. I wish that future would hurry and arrive.

I have been out and sold a ton of straw since I wrote that. It was a rather cool job loading it. I am very glad to get back to the house. Bess, I wish you had consented to go to hear that Russian pianist. I believe he'll be worth hearing but I guess I'll not go. I'll save the money to go to some other show with or else throw it away on a hat. Four dollars ought to get a pretty good one. I wish I could get an overcoat for that much. It seems to me that it would be an excellent thing if people wore the same styled costumes for the seasons instead of changing. There's China and Holland. They seem to be as well satisfied with their clothes as we are with ours. If we could do that, think how much we'd be ahead for booze and other luxuries. I'm for it especially because I need the money for booze. I shall probably be in town the day you get this. If I am, I'll call up.

My head is empty and I am slated to milk and feed. Papa has gone to Belton to get himself tortured by a dentist. I'm glad it isn't me. I hate dentists as a class and as individuals until I get a swelled up jaw and then they're fine people to have around. Mamma is sitting here in the room. She insists on telling me a lot of things and then asking my opinion. I've gotten in bad two or three times because I said yes where no should have been. She finally decided that I am a very poor stick to talk to. Wasn't a bit backward about telling me so either. I only grinned. She said she hoped I paid more attention to other people when they were discussing things. I told her I'd rather listen to her than anyone and that mollified her to some extent. Of course I made a mental reservation when I said that. Of course you could never guess who that would be, unless maybe you happened to have a mirror handy. Did you ever pay attention to my humble request for another picture of you? Why don't you do like May does George and give me two or three. They'd be as highly appreciated I assure you. Just try me and see. You've no idea how crazy I am about you and you won't have until I get somewhat richer than at present. Do you suppose that time will ever arrive? I guess not as long as lawyers cost like they do.

You probably owe me a letter. Anyway I'm of that opinion. Please send it and say I can come down as usual on Sunday anyway. I sure did enjoy myself last Sunday and I certainly appreciate Frank's sharing his sleeping quarters with me.

Most sincerely, Harry

A charming letter, postmarked this date in 1913.

A digital copy of the original can be seen here: https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-1910-1919/january-21-1913-postmark?documentid=NA&pagenumber=1

The originals of these wonderful letters are preserved in perpetuity by the Truman Library and their wonderful staff.

Dear Bess: January 19, 1919

Transcript

Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast, a service of Harry S Truman National Historic Site and the National Park Service. We have a precious letter for you today, written by Captain Harry S Truman on this date in 1919. Captain Truman wrote this in France, after the hostilities in World War I were over. Truman mentions the flu that his fiancée and sister were dealing with, some Army logistics, and more. Of special note you’ll hear Captain Truman tell Bess Wallace that he won’t talk about the War much once he came home to Missouri. That is so common among Veterans, many of whom are reluctant to talk about their war experiences. Perhaps you have someone in your family who feels the same way that Captain Truman did.

Camp La Beholle, near Verdun

January 19, 1919

Dear Bess: I am certainly in a gladsome mood today-got two letters yesterday and one today. They were dated Dec 19-23-28. I am certainly glad to hear that you are up and almost well. You know I am pulling for you to be entirely well as quickly as possible. I don't know when I've been so worried as when I heard that you and Mary both had the flu, and I've never felt so fine as when I heard you were both getting well.

You asked me if you can address a letter to me at this place. No it can't be done because we may move any time to some little old town in the back areas and then the letter would never find me. If it is addressed to 129 FA American E.F. it will always catch up even if it is a little slow sometimes.

You spoke of C.C. Bunschu's having a letter published saying that we'd be home soon. C.C. will I guess because he was detached from the regiment and sent to the S.O.S. a few days after the regiment was pulled out of the lines. I always thought him a very efficient officer but the powers that be especially one second in command never did like C.C. and that principally was the reason he was sent back. The last I heard of him he was at Bordeaux awaiting transportation home.

Please let me beg of you not to say anything about my letter of commendation. I only told it because I thought I was very lucky and that you'd like to know it. You know the most embarrassing thing that can happen to a fellow over here is to have his enthusiastic friends or relatives publish his private correspondence or hold him up as someone who deserves especial credit. There's not one of us who have done anything that any other one of us could not and would not have done if the opportunity had offered. Most real citations-and citations can only be made by generals in general orders-are a terrible embarrassment to the men they affect. There were three of our lieutenants cited and they are having an awful time living it down. Webster's letters of commendation is causing him no end of kidding just because his folks don't know what a citation is and what it means. General Traub made the fact that I happened to have the best chief mechanic in the artillery brigade a subject for a general memorandum and he wrote me a formal letter of commendation on the condition of my materiel. His statement was that it "showed especial efficiency in the commissioned and enlisted personnel of the organization." Well the enlisted personnel did the work and should have the credit. I sent the letter to Boxley, and if you care to see it he will show it to you. However I don't want it published because it can cause me to be court-martialed for stealing it out of the files of the organization, and would cause me no end of embarrassment. My chief mechanic happened to be a whirlwind and I happened to be lucky, and that's all there is to it.

I have never seen Mary Paxton and I guess I'll be very lucky if I do. I would certainly like to see her. You know we can't go anywhere but to old ruined Verdun or out to Douaumont or some other skeleton surrounded place nearby and I don't suppose I shall see her unless she get assigned to the Verdun area.

Fred is mistaken about your having to get information about me from Miss Maggie. I have written her exactly four letters since I've been in France. I had no idea she would consider that they were worth any comment as I simply told her as I have you of some of the sad and funny things I've seen and heard about and told her of one of our night "Marches."

My long letter to you covered my tracks and experiences pretty well but I'm afraid if must have been an awful bore. I don't intend to talk about the war much when I get home if I can help it because the boys back in the S.O.S. can tell better stories than anything that really happened to us who were lucky enough to see any of the real thing and I think it will be better to let them do the talking - besides I've already told you everything that's happened to me from start to finish and you certainly won't want to be bothered with it again. I saw a piece in the "Herald" saying that some Congressman from Mass. had skinned the armchair brigade alive because they had not been fair to Nat'l Guard officers. I'm going to vote for him for President when I get home. Enough said.

I do wish I could see you but I'm about of the opinion that summer will be well on its way when I do. We know nothing of our future movements and I doubt if Newton D. himself does either or cares much long as the draft boys are well taken care of.

Be sure and keep writing. I love you.

Always, Harry

This January, 1919, letter packs a lot. You can tell that Captain Harry S Truman is worried about the health of his fiancee and sister. He talks about the logistics of mail, a particular problem with commendations, and shares that he doesn't think he'll talk much about the War when he comes home to Missouri.

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/truman-papers/correspondence-harry-s-truman-bess-wallace-1910-1919/january-19-1919?documentid=NA&pagenumber=5

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