Just Days After the Birth of His First Grandson, Harry Truman Rejoices in Being a Grandfather

Harry Truman's career was an unlikely one.  The last President not to have a college degree, he served in the military and worked in an unsuccessful haberdashery store until he became Jackson County Judge, which was an administrative rather than legal position.  From there, he rose within the Democratic machine and became first Senator, then Vice President, and finally President.  He was known for his Mid-Western honesty, frank talk, and fearlessness in attacking corruption and special interests, best exemplified by his "Truman Committee," which investigated abuse during the run-up to World War II and the war itself.  But he did not love scandal, and carefully protected his personal life, preferring to be with his family.

Bess and Harry Truman had one child, Margaret.  In June of 1957, a few years out of the White House, he received news that she had given birth to a boy, Clifton Truman Daniel, who was Harry Truman's first grandchild. 

The General Services Administration (GSA) constructs, manages and provides workplaces for federal employees, oversees the preservation of historic buildings, regulates the sale of supplies to federal agencies, manages and stores government records, handles emergency preparedness, and stockpiles strategic supplies for wartime. It has ten offices around the country.  The Commissioner of the Kansas City region was a Truman friend and appointee, June Holloway.  In 1957, political reasons, Holloway had been removed from his position in Kansas City, where Truman had protected him, and moved him to Seattle. 

The library dedication mentioned here is Truman's Presidential Library, which was dedicated a week later on July 6.

Typed letter signed, June 29, 1957, to Holloway. "Thank you very much for your kind letter of the 24th.  Both Mrs. Truman and I appreciated your congratulations on the arrival of our new grandson.  It is the first situation in which I have ever been involved that did not evoke a great blast of controversy and I am enjoying the experience.  Everything seems to be shaping up well for the library dedication on July 6th, and I am disappointed you will be unable to join us here on that occasion."

Truman's grandson grew up with his grandfather, who died when the former was in his teens.  As he recounts, it was only late in childhood that he realized his grandfather had been president, such was the humility of Harry Truman.