HARRY S. TRUMAN
Truman, was born May 8, 1884, at the family home in
Lamar
,
Missouri
. His father was John Anderson Newman (1851-1914) farmer, livestock salesman.
His mother was Martha Ellen Young Truman (1852-1947). He was the oldest of three
children; Truman had a brother and a sister Vivian Truman, a farmer and Mary
Jane Truman, both of
Grandview
Missouri
.
Harry S. Truman, 35, married
Elizabeth
“Bess” Virginia Wallace, 34, on June 28, 1919, at Trinity Episcopal Church
in
Independence
,
Missouri
. Truman had one daughter. (Mary) Margaret Truman (1924-2008), singer, author.
Born in
Independence
,
Missouri
, she earned a degree in history and international relations from
George
Washington
University
in 1946 and studied voice.
At five Truman was taught to read by his mother. He
attended Noland and
Columbia
grade schools in
Independence
. In 1901 he graduated from
Independence
High School
, where, according to English teacher Tillie Brown, he was a hardworking,
though, not a particularly brilliant, student.
Valedictorian of the class was Charlie Ross, later President Truman’s
press secretary. His favorite
subjects were history and Latin. He enrolled at Kansas city Law School,
1923-1925.
Truman served in the Missouri National Guard, 1905-1911 and
rejoined in May 1917 to May 1919 rising from lieutenant to major. He tried a few
different jobs and enerpenurialship and latter he was elected Judge. His career
included Judge of Jackson County, Missouri (1922-1924), US Senator (1935-1945)
and Vice-president (March-April 1945).
Truman was administered the presidential oath in April 12,
1945 after the death. In 1948 he was nominated to the presidency by the
Democrats that convened in
Philadelphia
in July. He was elected president in November 2, 1948. His vice president was
Alben William Barkley (1877-1956); he served from 1949 to 1953.
Harry Truman was hospitalized on December 4, 1972 due to
long congestion and kidney malfunction. He lapsed into unconsciousness on
Christmas day and died the next day due to “organic failures causing a
collapse of the cardiovascular system”.
Inaugural Speech
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