Dear Bess: August 18, 1924
Transcript
Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for August 18, 2023, brought to you by Harry S Truman National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service.
Today’s Dear Bess letter was written by Harry S Truman on this date in 1924. It’s an interesting letter for a few reasons. For one, it’s the only surviving Dear Bess letter from 1924. In that year, Harry Truman suffered an electoral defeat when he lost re-election for county judge for Jackson County, Missouri. But there was some happiness in his life in 1924, in that he and Mrs. Truman welcomed their only child, Mary Margaret Truman, born in February. Also in 1924, Mrs. Truman’s grandmother, Mrs. Elizabeth Emery Gates, who owned the family home at 219 North Delaware Street, died. Mrs. Gates’ daughter, Mrs. Madge Gates Wallace, Bess Truman’s mother, ended up buying the house and owned it until her death.
Thanks for listening. Here’s the letter.
Hotel Connor, Joplin, Missouri
August 18 1924
Dear Bess:
I hesitated a long time over the salutation and finally stuck to the old much used and really the best one. You might accidentally leave the opening statement exposed and someone would be sure to say we were a couple of idiots if I should start off "Dear Hon" or "Sweetie" or "Honey Bunch" or a half-dozen equally descriptive and proper words.
James and I had a very satisfactory trip and would have been here by nine o'clock had we not run into a small chuckhole and broken a front spring. The hole was not half as large as forty or fifty we'd been over before but the old spring broke right in the center just as completely as if it had been sawed with a hack saw, every leaf. I had another put on this morning for $7.50, half of which Jimmy insists on standing so I won't be out so awful much, might have broken it if I'd stayed home. We had to make a detour and I went through Lamar, the first time I've been there since I was a year old. I couldn't see much change in the town except that Pop's old livery stable apparently is a garage now.
The convention opened with a bang. The mayor turned the town over to us, and a Hebrew gentlemen by the name of Herowitz read an address from Governor Hyde. We accused him of writing it himself but he said he didn't. I told him I didn't think Hyde could write as good a speech as that. We are invited out to a chicken dinner at the club tonight. It is strictly stag so don't get uneasy. Jimmy is trying to get the state headquarters moved to Independence but I don't think it can be done. It looks as if Carl Grey will be the next commander. George Cowls is here. I saw Ralph a little bit ago. He's taken the pledge--says he's not drinking any more. I hope it sticks. I was pretty homesick last night and am yet. I'd like mighty well to see Miss Mary Margaret Skinny Fatty Sweetness, etc. ad lib. right this minute. It's peculiar how your own wife and children grow on you, isn't it?
I hope to see you Thursday about noon or two o'clock.
Your Harry
The only surviving Dear Bess letter from 1924. Harry Truman suffered an electoral loss that year, but had a daughter. He references visiting the town in which he was born, Lamar, Missouri, on his way to an American Legion conference in Joplin.
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/18258409