HARRY S. TRUMAN’S
CONNECTION TO OHIO COUNTY
The
following was abstracted from a family tree report prepared by ROLLAND TRUMAN
Attorney-at-law 1206 Security Bldg. Long Beach, California originally dated 1942
and revised in1945. This report was found on the FamilySearch.org web site. The
report is slightly confusing but it includes information regarding many people
from Ohio County, KY that are related to President Truman. Part of this report
was written before Harry S. Truman became President, so it might refer to him
as Senator Truman. I have not changed the report other than to reorganize it so
that it is a bit easier to read. There are a few errors in this report, such as
referring to the Owensboro newspaper as being from Ohio County. I have not done
any independent research on this subject.
From
reading the following it appears that the grandfather of Harry S. Truman was
Anderson Shipp Truman; and that Anderson Shipp Truman had a brother named
Milford Madison Truman, whose descendants lived in Ohio County, KY. The report
follows:
HONORABLE HARRY S.
TRUMAN
PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
HARRY S.
TRUMAN was born May 8, 1884 in the town of Lamar, Barton County, Missouri. He
married Elizabeth Wallace on June 18, 1919. They have one child, MARY MARGARET,
who is a music student at George Washington University, Washington D. C.
According to "This Man Truman" by Frank McNaughton and Walter
Heymeyer, "born of humble circumstances—drugstore helper, then news boy,
railroad hand, bank clerk, farmer, soldier, manager of a clothing store, county
judge, Senator, Vice-President and finally President of the United States—his
career is the prototype of the American man.'' He became United States Senator
from Missouri in 1935 and gained international prominence as leader of the
Truman Investigating Committee which he headed beginning March 1, 1941. In
November 1944, he was elected Vice-President of the United States. On November
17, 1944 we sent out congratulations and stated; "You have made the
Truman’s mighty proud and when you become the President of the United States,
there will simply be no living with us."
On April
12, 1945, HARRY S. TRUMAN became the President of the United States of America.
In this
family tree, we cannot begin to set forth the wonderful way our beloved
President has maintained his office in the few months he has been President.
Current magazines, daily newspapers and many books are being written about his
achievements.
Our main
purpose is to trace the TRUMAN ancestry and to tie in the family history with
PRESIDENT TRUMAN, as we have received numerous letters, telegrams and
telephone calls requesting information.
An article
entitled "Truman's Kentucky Background" by Paul Nafe and Grace
Clayton Banta, released through the Courier-Journal Roto Magazine, (Louisville,
Kentucky) On June 3rd, 1945, and "Harry Truman's Missouri" appearing
in Life Magazine, June 25, 1945, give information regarding his maternal
ancestors as well as many historical facts and pictures.
1. WILLIAM TRUMAN
WILLIAM
TRUMAN, born January 15th, 1787, according to W. L. TRUMAN'S letter, was the
third orphan boy in the group from England. He was a very handsome young man,
about 5'8" in height, weight 145 pounds, and a fine conversationalist. We
quote further from the letter by W. L. Truman: "He (WILLIAM) married MISS
EMMA SHIPP near Versailles, Woodford County, Kentucky. She was a wealthy
aristocrat, well educated. He settled eight miles north of Shelbyville and near
the town of Christiansburg; bought 160 acres (231 acres according to a letter
dated May 31st, 1932 by W. S. TRUMAN of Pleasureville, Kentucky),
and built a fine home for his wife and God gave them seven boys (eight is
correct) and four girls.
On October
3rd, 1945, we received a letter from KATHERINE TRUMAN COOPER of Paducah,
Kentucky wherein she enclosed a copy of the Bible record of her grandfather
(MILFORD MADISON TRUMAN). This is the first record we have seen which gives the
parents of WILLIAM TRUMAN of Shelbyville, Kentucky, who fought in the War of
1812. Here is the valuable information:
"WILLIAM TRUMAN (II), son
of WILLIAM (I), and NANCY TRUMAN, and father of MILFORD MADISON TRUMAN, was
born January 15, 1787."
"EMMA GRANT SHIPP, wife of
WILLIAM TRUMAN and daughter of RICHARD D. SHIPP(1747) and ELIZABETH DONIPHAN
(1759) was born October 29, 1787."
"WILLIAM TRUMAN, and EMMA
G. SHIPP, daughter of R. D. and ELIZABETH D. SHIPP, were married August 28,
1807."
"Children: RICHARD DONOPHAN"
TRUMAN born March 3, 1812; EDMUND ARMSTEAD TRUMAN was born August 17, 1810;
DELILA ANN TRUMAN was born March 1, 1814; ANDERSON SHIPP TRUMAN was born
February 27, 1816; WILLIAM W. TRUMAN (III) was born January 28, 1818; MINERVA
E. TRUMAN was born June 19, 1820; MILFORD MADISON TRUMAN was born April 1, 1822;
WOODFORD C. TRUMAN was born March 20, 1824; ELIZABETH SOPHIA TRUMAN was born
July 4, 1825; JOHN THOMAS TRUMAN was born March 1, 1829; MARY SHIPP TRUMAN was
born March 2, 1832; SANFORD TRUMAN was born August 10, 1808, their eldest son
who died at the age of two years."
2. ANDERSON SHIPP TRUMAN
ANDERSON SHIPP TRUMAN was one of
twelve children born to WILLIAM TRUMAN and EMILY SHIPP TRUMAN of Shelby County,
Kentucky. He was born February 27, 1816. He was married to Mary Jane Homes in
Shelby County, Kentucky on August 13, 1846. They later moved to Jackson County,
Missouri. Five children were born to this marriage, namely: MARGARET ELLEN,
WILLIAM THOMAS, JOHN ANDERSON, EMILY and MARY MARTHA.
MARGARET ELLEN married JOSEPH TILFORD
NOLAND. Their daughter is MARY ETHEL NOLAND of 216 North Delaware,
Independence, Missouri.
WILLIAM THOMAS married HENRIETTA
STRANG and their son is MAJOR GENERAL RALPH EMERSON TRUMAN of 5106 Garfield
Avenue, Kansas City, 4, Missouri, who is now retired.
3. JOHN ANDERSON TRUMAN
JOHN ANDERSON TRUMAN married
MARTHA ELLEN YOUNG of Grandview, Missouri. She is now 92 years old (1945). They
have three children: HARRY S., JOHN VIVIAN and MARY JANE.
4. HARRY S. TRUMAN. The (initial)
S. in the name of Harry S. Truman stands for both Shipp and Solomon, his own
grandfather, and his wife's father's name. Senator Truman, according to
"Who's Who in America", was born Mary 8, 1884, married Bee Wallace
June 18, 1919, attended army school after being county judge in Missouri, was
captain of Field Artillery, U. S. Army Corps in World War I; is Colonel in
Field Artillery Reserve. In his official capacity he has been credited with the
construction of $25,000,000 worth of highways and public buildings in Jackson
County, Missouri.
2. MILFORD MADISON TRUMAN
Milford Truman had two sons, Laban
Sebree Truman, who is the ancestor of the Truman’s of Columbus, Georgia, and
John Gardner Truman.
3. LABAN SEBREE TRUMAN married
Sallie Gray of Ohio County, Kentucky. He had three children, Everett Howard, Carline
and Catherine Truman. Everett married Pearl Lillian Smith of Louisville,
Kentucky; and she is now the President of the Truman and Smith Institute of
Columbus, Georgia. Her name appears in American Women, Women of Achievement and
the International Blue Book, the "Who's Who in the World." They had
one child, Valerie Evelyn Truman of Columbus, Georgia. She graduated from the
University of Georgia with a bachelor of arts degree and from Oglethorpe
University with a master of arts degree. She is now the Registrar of the Truman
and Smith Institute. She is the wife of Leslie Lloyd Wohlford, who came from
Hampton, Iowa; and they have one child, Alice Jean Truman Wohlford. Little
Alice, (ared one year two months 1944) on her father's side, is a direct descendant
of Peter Stuyvesant, early colonial governor of New Amsterdam (now New York).
3. JOHN GARDNER TRUMAN
JOHN GARDNER was born November 22,
1849 at ______. He married SARAH ANNIE JONES on October 9, 1875 at Ohio County,
Kentucky. She was born October 12, 1857 at _____________. (Her sister is NORA
ACKER of Tryon, North Carolina who has twin daughters, ADA and IDA.) According
to a letter dated January 21, 1945 from ADA ACKER JOHNSON of Campobello, South
Carolina, the marriage license is recorded in the Ohio County, Kentucky
Marriage Book "U", page 120.)
JOHN GARDNER TRUMAN and SARAH
ANNIE JONES had twelve children:
FOSTER PENELTON TRUMAN
RAY TRUMAN
ROSCOE TRUMAN
LUELLA MARIE TRUMAN
ARCHIBALD WILLIAM TRUMAN
ROY MASON TRUMAN
NORAH TRUMAN
MILFORD GARDNER TRUMAN (also known
as Billy Norton)
EFFIE ANNA TRUMAN
CARL HUMPHREY TRUMAN
EARL TRUMAN
CHESTER ARNOLD TRUMAN
RAY was born August 12, 1878 and
died February 5, 1879.
ROSCOE was born March 23, 1880 and
died February 8, 1881.
NORAH was born October 12, 1889
and died August 14, 1890.
EARL was born a twin of CARL, born
March 20, 1897 and died the same day as born.
Archibald William Truman, H.D., F.
A. C. S., is a famous surgeon who is now head of the Glendale Sanitarium &
Hospital at Glendale, California. He is a cousin of Senator Harry S. Truman and
looks enough like the Senator to be his twin brother, except that Harry's
forehead is higher.
JOHN GARDNER TRUMAN moved to
Oklahoma, or Indian Territory, in the early Eighties. He visited in Kentucky
only one time after leaving. That was in 1904. WILLIAM MADISON SMITH of
Louisville, Kentucky, in his letter of January 3, 1945, states, "He gave
us kids a very minute description of the opening of the Cherokee Strip in which
he participated." "It compared favorably with Edna Ferber's screen
play 'Cimarron' as portrayed by Richard Dix and Irene Dunn."
SARAH ANNIE died of cancer April
14, 1908 and is buried at Nunn, Colorado. We visited the grave with our folks
on August 12, 1926. The cemetery is located in a desolate and lonely area.
JOHN GARDNER TRUMAN died August
24, 1931 at the age of 82 years and is buried at Inglewood Cemetery, Inglewood,
California, near Los Angeles.
We are indebted to ADA ACKER
JOHNSON of Campobello, South Carolina for information concerning the ancestors
of SARAH ANNIE JONES. She has sent us copies of many historical documents in
regard to this branch of the family, together with many prints of our
ancestors.
SARAH ANNIE JONES TRUMAN was the
daughter of MASON LONG JONES, born January 13, 1835 and died February 25, 1916
and MARY ELLEN COOPER, born January 6, 1835 and died November 10, 1880.
Other children of MASON LONG JONES
and MARY ELLEN COOPER were:
WILLIAM JOSEPH JONES, born August
28, 1859; died May, 15, 1941.
CHARLES TIMOLEON JONES, born
August 7, 1861; died July 24, 1917.
JACOB CARL JONES, born May 22,
1864; died June 12, 1915.
ELIJAH ROSCO JONES, born September
9, 1866.
LENORA CATHERINE JONES, born May
2, 1869.
EFFIE LILLIAN JONES-BALL, born
June 8, 1873; died Apr. 20, 1936.
ARCHIE CLIFTON JONES, born Feb.
14, 1877; died September 24, 1926.
(Wife's child?) MYRTLE C. born
Aug. 13, 1883.
JENNIE J. born June 21, 1853, died
Dec. 11, 1912.
The above records were copied from
MASON LONG JONES' Bible, now owned by ELIJAH R. JONES of Fordsville, Kentucky.
MASON LONG JONES was a son of
WILLIAM SNELLING JONES, born March 7, 1801 and died August 6, 1853; and
SUSANNAH CARTER JONES, born March 13, 1795, died March 27, 1854. Other children
were:
MARY ANN JONES, born Aug. 11,
1821; died November 19, 1897. HENRY FRANCIS JONES, born September 16, 1823;
died Sept. 6, 1832. ELIZABETH JONES, born March 22, 1826; died Feb. 18, 1893.
WILLIAM WASHINGTON JONES, born Sept. 26, 1828. JAMES MCDOWELL JONES, born March
8, 1831; died May 13, 1862. RICHARD JONES, born November 1, 1833; died November
12, 1833.
The above records of names and
births, including others not listed were copied from WILLIAM SHELLING JONES'
Bible, now (1945), owned by Mrs. A. D. MORTON, Hardinsburg, Kentucky.
As already noted, the mother of
SARAH ANNIE JONES was MARY ELLEN COOPER, who was a daughter of JOSEPH HENRY
COOPER, born May 2, 1802 and died Oct. 19 1892; and SARAH McDANIEL, born August
9, 1805 and died June 13, 1880.
JOSEPH HENRY COOPER was a son of
JACOB COOPER who died in 1805 in Chester County, South Carolina and served in
the South Carolina Militia from 1780-1785. His mother was REBECCA McKINNEY, born
June 15, 1760 in Virginia and died Nov. 2, 1838 in Breckinridge County,
Kentucky. Her parents were JOHN McKINNEY AND ELIZABETH McDONALD.
The parents of JACOB COOPER were
JACOB COOPER, who was granted a land grant April 6, 1753 at Anson County, North
Carolina and who died about May 11, 1769 in Craven County, South Carolina, and
MARY ________ .
WILLIAM
MADISON SMITH, Louisville, Kentucky states that "grand Dad (WILLIAM
MADISON) was a high type citizen, a consecrated Christian, a Deacon in the
Baptist Church for years, and a Mason. He was also a Democrat. He was born in
the East End of Ohio County, Kentucky, and for his charity and good-neighbor
policy, was called "Uncle Milt". He was a total abstainer from
alcoholic drinks and never used tobacco in any form. When they celebrated their
fiftieth anniversary in 1895, eight children were present, only JOHN GARDNER
being absent."
WILLIAM
MADISON SMITH, in his letter of January 5th, 1945, informs us also that he is a
bachelor, has been a clerk in the Louisville, Kentucky Post Office for 25 (35)
years, and is a farmer on the side. He own most of the farm on which his Grand
Dad, WILLIAM MADISON, resided after settling in Kentucky. He has traveled
considerably throughout the United States, made a trip to Alaska and in 1939 he
visited the Holy Land, France, Egypt, Smyrna, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Switzerland,
Germany, Belgium and England, returning to the United States on Thursday before
war was declared the following Sunday.
The
Owensboro Messenger, Ohio County, Kentucky in its Sunday issue of July 22,
1945, contains a featured Article by W. E. Daniel, with pictures, giving a
detailed account of the Truman’s in that area:
“MILFORD
was one of twelve children of WILLIAM TRUMAN AND EMILY SHIPP TRUMAN of Shelby
County, Kentucky. MILFORD TRUMAN was born on the 1st day of April, 1822 near
Cropper and Bagda, small villages in Shelby County, Kentucky and about 35
miles east of Louisville on the perimeter of the Bluegrass section.
In 1845 he married LOUCINDA NEVIL. Ancestors on both
sides had originally migrated from Virginia. According to a letter dated January
3rd, 1945, from WILLIAM M. SMITH of Louisville, Kentucky, nine children, seven
boys and two girls, were born to them. After the birth of the first two
children, they moved to the vicinity of St. Joseph, Missouri to operate a farm
for his married sister. While residing there, a third child was born. In the
early 50's they moved to Fordsville, Ohio County, Kentucky and purchased a farm
on which they lived until his death in 1901. His wife's death preceded his by
about three years. Both were buried in the Fordsville Cemetery.
The children in the order in which they were born are as
follows:
HUMPHREY D., Deceased. Buried at
Canadian, Texas. He married ELIZABETH PHILLIPS. He performed the marriage
ceremony for NORA JONES (sister of SARAH ANNIE JONES who married JOHN GARDNER
TRUMAN) and HENRY ACKER, according to their daughter, ADA ACKER JOHNSON of
Campobello, South Carolina.
JOHN GARDNER, Deceased, married
ANNIE JONES.
RICHARD, Deceased. Buried in
Yellow Creek Cemetery, a few miles from Owensboro, Kentucky. Married JOSEPHINE
DAVIDSON.
THEORDORIC NEWTON, Deceased.
Buried in a country cemetery near Fordsville, Kentucky. Married POLLYANA CROW.
WILLIAM CLAUDIUS, Deceased.
Buried in Fordsville Cemetery. Married MARY ROBY.
MARY MARJORIE, Deceased. Buried
in Fordsville Cemetery. Married JOHN H. SMITH March 19th, 1884. They lived to
celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. He died January 21st 1941. There
were four children, namely:
WILLIAM
MADISON of Louisville, Ky. A sister and brother survive.
ANNA
ELIZA, now 81 years old (as of January 1945) lives at Van Zant, Kentucky. Is very feeble. She married
JOSEPH M. COOPER in January 1884.
He is deceased.
LABAN
S., now 77 years old (Jan. 1945) married SALLY GRAY. Live on his farm RFD #1, Narrows Kentucky. Wife still
living.”
LABAN SEBREE
TRUMAN
LABAN
SEBREE TRUMAN was born about 1868, at ________County, Kentucky. He married
SALLY GRAY of Ohio County, Kentucky on _________ at ___________. They lived on
his farm on RFD #1, Narrows, Kentucky, where his wife still lives (January
1945). They had three children: EVERETT HOWARD, CAROLINE and KATHERINE.
EVERETT HOWARD TRUMAN married PEARL
LILLIAN SMITH OF Louisville, Kentucky in 1914. She is now president of the
Truman & Smith Institute of Columbus, Georgia. Her name appears In
American Women, Women of Achievement and the International Blue Book, the
"Who's Who in the World". She is a noted author and teacher and is
known professionally as PEARL SMITH TRUMAN. They have one child, VALERIE
EVELYN. She is graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts
Degree and Oglethorpe University with a Master of Arts degree. She is now the
registrar of the Truman & Smith Institute. In 1942 she married LESLIE
LLOYD WOHLFORD who came from Hampton, Iowa. They have one child, ALICE JEAN
TRUMAN, born August 15, 1943 at Columbus, Georgia.
KATHERINE TRUMAN has taught school
in Paducah, Kentucky and is married to D. T. COOPER, Principal of a Junior High
School. Their address is Colonial H eights, Kentucky. She is presently working
on the Truman History in connection with her branch of the family.
Update 9-26-2012
In the book Truman by David McCullough, copyright 1992, at page 409, there is a reference to a letter that President Harry Truman wrote to his family in Kansas; the President had traveled to Europe by ship to meet with Churchill and Stalin. In the letter President Truman wrote of meeting a seaman on board the ship named Lawrence Truman and stated, "He comes from Owensborough (sic), Ky., and is the great grandson of our grandfather's brother. He's a nice boy and has green eyes just like Margaret's."
Update 9-26-2012
In the book Truman by David McCullough, copyright 1992, at page 409, there is a reference to a letter that President Harry Truman wrote to his family in Kansas; the President had traveled to Europe by ship to meet with Churchill and Stalin. In the letter President Truman wrote of meeting a seaman on board the ship named Lawrence Truman and stated, "He comes from Owensborough (sic), Ky., and is the great grandson of our grandfather's brother. He's a nice boy and has green eyes just like Margaret's."
Thank you very much for helping to preserve and sharing our family's history. I have been starting to piece together our Smith Family Tree and it is refreshing to become more acquainted with our roots. Much appreciated - John Henry Smith III: Born in Owensboro, Kentucky 1958, Graduated from Kennett High School, Kennett, MO and University of Missouri @ Columbia 1980. Served 20+ years as a Senior Chief Fire Controlman (Surface Warfare) United States Navy (Retired in 2002). Presently teach and coach Middle School. Feel free to contact me at jhsmith3@aol.com. Have a glorious day!
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