Dear Harry: September 15, 1937
Transcript
Welcome to the Dear Bess/ Dear Harry podcast for September 15, 2022, brought to you by Harry S Truman National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service.
We have a treat for you today, a rather rare “Dear Harry” letter. Rare because it’s believed that in the mid 1950s, Bess Wallace Truman destroyed much of her correspondence with her husband in their fireplace at 219 North Delaware Street. How much was destroyed? We’ll probably never know. We know this story because their daughter Margaret Truman shared it in her memoir ¬Souvenir, and repeated the story afterwards. Why did Mrs. Truman do this? It’s hard to say. She was an intensely private person. But rather than be mournful of what we don’t have, let’s be grateful for what we do have.
This letter ties to a letter that we published yesterday on this podcast, a letter Senator Truman wrote to Bess Truman, from a hospital in Arkansas. Senator Truman was going through a battery of tests, and put a positive, even humorous, take on it. In this letter, Mrs. Truman is being very concerned about her husband. The letter also makes mention of Mr. Fred Canfil. Harry Truman would, if he could, likely say that Mr. Canfil was essential to him, but almost every Truman scholar would state we wish we knew more about Mr. Canfil. For many years, Mr. Canfil served as a manager of the Jackson County, Missouri, courthouse, then served as an assistant to Senator Truman. Then, for almost ten years, Mr. Canfil was US Marshall for the Western District of Missouri. Fred Canfil was loyal to Harry Truman, and the feeling was very much mutual.
Thank you for listening. Here’s the letter.
[Independence, Mo.] [September 15, 1937] Wednesday
Dear Harry -
Was surely glad to finally get you last night - had to tell who I was - so I guess you are pretty well barricaded. Nobody but Fred Canfil knows where you are - & he and I have been telling everyone you were out of reach of telephone & wire - and I guess you are at that! I'm afraid you have been holding out on me - judging from your letter which just came the Navy Dr. told you something unpleasant about your heart - and you swore he said it was O.K. after promising to tell me exactly what the report was!
I guess I'll have to write to the hospital down there to get the correct dope on you this time. Here's hoping it's all fine. Am glad it's cool down there. It's grand here but somewhat warmer. May, Natalie, Marg & I are going riding after school. Marg was delighted about the imminent arrival of your pralines. She laid me out for not calling her when I got you last night - but I couldn't have gotten her without waking up both babies.
We had an announcement this morning of Clyde Williams' daughter's marriage. You know what that means.
Mr. Canfil calls every morning to see if there is anything he can do - I gave him a couple of apple growers' telegrams to answer. He found out from Mildred they were already working on it in Wash. - Am sending mail to Vic every day - Stay as long as you possibly can.
Lots of love, Bess
We have two treats for you today. For one, this is a relatively rare "Dear Harry" letter, written by Bess Wallace Truman to her husband, Senator Harry S Truman of Missouri. Secondly, we have a guest voice...sharing the letter and story today is our Superintendent, Carol Dage. Carol recently marked her 33rd year at the park. She started as Curator, and is now Superintendent.
https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/personal-papers/harry-s-truman-correspondence-file-1919-1943/september-15-1937-postmark