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Editor's Note: The author is the son of Hartington natives Ruth (Petersen) Stevens and Walt Stevens, who met in the early 1930s while working at the Cedar County News. Paul Stevens worked as a correspondent, Bureau Chief and finally Vice President of the Associated Press for 36 years before retiring in 2009. — Paul Stevens Retired Associated Press Bureau Chief If you’d have told my mother back in 1946 that a letter she wrote home announcing the birth of her first child - me - would one day be part of the collection of the Truman Library, she would have laughed it off.
But in February, that’s just what happened when my wife, Linda, and I visited the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum to present the four-page, handwritten letter to supervisory archivist Dr. Sam Rushay.
Now, for the rest of the story: Discovered years ago in the treasured belongings of my parents, Ruth and Walt Stevens, was a four-page letter written by my mom from their small apartment in Excelsior Springs, Mo., located 15 miles northeast of Kansas City.
It was dated May 14, 1946, and written in her calligraphy-caliber handwriting in blue ink on fragile thin writing paper. How it survived intact for all those years is nothing short of miraculous.
The letter was written to her mother (Amelia Petersen) and sister (Helen Anderson) in Hartington, where mom and dad met while working at the weekly Cedar County News. Her newspaper training led her to not bury the lead: She and dad were expecting their first child - who just happened to be me. Just months after his release from the Army after three years of service in the European Theatre during World War II, Dad was named editor of the Excelsior Springs Daily Standard and began work in January 1946. He had proposed to mom (Ruth Marjorie Petersen) several weeks earlier in Hartington on her 27th birthday, Dec. 10, 1945.
Mom’s letter not only announces my birth but also provides a slice of what life was like in Excelsior Springs for two people in their late 20s, months following the war – the dawn of my Baby Boomer generation when everyone was busy making up for lost time.
What piqued Rushay’s interest was her mention of President Harry Truman and his visit to William Jewell College in Liberty to receive an honorary degree on May 20, 1946 – two days before mom wrote the letter which told how dad covered Truman’s appearance and she got to tag along to see him for the first time and snap a few of her own pictures.
Two years later, Dad – who by then was editor and publisher of the Standard – covered Truman’s 1948 election-night visit to Excelsior Springs and the Elms, and later interviewed him following his re-election.
I did a story about the letter that was published last year in the Excelsior Citizen, an online newspaper in Excelsior Springs, that was spotted two days later by Dr. Rushay, who wrote me to say the letter “contains excellent content about President Truman's visit to William Jewell College in 1946. While most of this letter doesn't concern Mr. Truman, we would be interested in having the original, if you have it and want to donate it to the Truman Library. We do not accept copies.”
On Feb. 21, Linda and I traveled to the Truman Library to meet Dr. Rushay and present him the original letter.
He said the letter will likely be added to the Harry S. Truman Collection, which is a collection of documents that individuals have donated over the years.
A finding aid, or guide, to the collection is located on their website. He said eventually the Harry S.
Truman Collection will be digitized and made available in the online NARA Catalog at https://catalog. archives.gov/.
So here is the letter - which I transcribed into text using my iPhone, quite a contrast with these delicate sheets of paper that provided a glimpse of my family’s history and my start in life. Dearest folks, Perhaps I should have headed it “Grandma, Aunt Helen and Uncle Ted,” ‘cause that’s what you’ll become next winter! Surprise!! The doctor says our wee one will arrive November 27 or later, and I’m in hopes he’ll arrive on my birthday.
We both would rather have waited a year before starting our family, but these things can’t always be governed, and regardless, we’re mighty happy over this whole thing. I made my first trip to the doctor last Thursday morning after much coaxing by Walt - nodoubt you can imagine how I tried to put off that trip!
It wasn’t too bad, though, and Dr. Robichaux tells me I should have no trouble at all. He’s quite young, served in the Navy as a lieutenant commander overseas, and has a terrific number of babies on his to-be list. I have really felt pretty rotten most of the time - constipation, nausea, morning sickness all day, and belching.
Started this heaving episode about weeks ago it’s the funniest thing- you feel just swell, and all at once, you’re making a bee-line for the bathroom, and it’s no respecter of time. Morning, afternoon, or night. This belching is what is bad - and I even embarrass Walt by my loud outbursts, but it can’t be helped. I should be over all this before long tho, at least I hope so.
My craving has been for fruit and I eat lots of oranges and apples between meals, which is a good thing too. This is the reason I’d to come home now, before it’s evident, for I know there’d be much finger-counting going on in Hartington even though it’s legal as all get-out. However, the doctor doesn’t want me to take that long a trip until I’m past my three months, which should be next week. I’d love to be there Decoration Day, but I guess I’d best wait till the following week.
We both hope it will be a boy, but we won’t be unhappy if it should be a girl. A name discussion has been underway here for weeks and I think Walt will give into the name of Paul. Of course, we’ve lots of time for that.
Enuf about the baby for a while!
Received your letter this morning, Mom. We had received our News Sunday, so noticed the honor Shirley had received. I’m surely glad for her, and that scholarship comes in handy, as long as she plans to go to the University next fall. We, too, thought that was a terrible picture of her in the paper; she surely is much cuter than that.
I had quite a thrill Monday in seeing President Truman at Liberty - in fact, I was in the front row of the roped-off territory, not more than 25 feet from the walk he marched on with the processional to and from the auditorium. Walt had a press ticket so he was inside the auditorium in the orchestra pit. I was really quite impressed after seeing and hearing him talk. He is quite short and stocky and has such a broad friendly grin.
His voice is also much better than it sounds over the radio. Walt said there were newsmen there from all over the country; he sat next to a reporter from the Baltimore Sun. At any rate, there were plenty of them taking pictures of the President. I had Walt’s camera and took four snaps of him, but I got so excited, I forgot to cock the camera on two of them which I’m certain would have been good. Walt got such a bang out of that, but it griped me.
I hope I’ll be able to send you some of them. Will also include a paper containing the story Walt wrote of sidelights of the President’s trip - 1
gathered several of the stories while outside in the crowd.
Last Thursday night the office force held a farewell dinner for Paul and Mildred and presented him with a Schaeffer pen and pencil set. And last night, Paul and Mildred and Walt and I drove to K.C. To have dinner with Perry Olsen and Dorothy Buschman.
We had a wonderful steak meal. That same afternoon I was invited to a tea given by the Sinawik club at one of the classy homes in the city here. I attended with Mildred.
There were about 200 women there and it was a lovely party. They served little decorated cakes, peppermint ice cream, dainty sandwiches, nuts and mints, coffee or tea. The program consisted of several accordion selections by a chaplain at the Veterans hospital, a lady harpist from K.C. played, and her husband sang, and three girls from the Independence high school dramatics class gave readings - and all were excellent. The hostesses all wore formals. I met so many people that I’ll never remember them.
Received a nice note from Evelyn yesterday thanking me for the cookbook. Sounds as if they had a swell trip. We also had a letter from Eve Smith - finally. She’s certainly been tied down for a change with all that company. That cologne I sent her arrived the day before Mother’s Day, and she was sg pleased with that. Also heard from Bev. She’s not too fond of Elgin - says it’s hard to become acquainted there.
We received a Wedding gift from Veronica Bonander - six cork-back table mats with a linoleum-like surface in three designs done in pastel flowers. They’re very pretty and will be so practical.
So Otto and Thea are planning a plane trip to California? Thea will be in her glory in a plane, won’t she? Bet Frank and his wife are happy over their event, too.
We were quite surprised t© know that Russ is back in Yakima. They’ll at least have a nice place to live there and it’s no doubt a good deal for Russ.
I must answer their letter soon, too.
I baked cinnamon rolls again Saturday and they were good this time too. Sunday, We had Marge and Jack over for dinner. I fixed a pork roast in the cooker and it was delicious - made the best brown gravy too. Also had com, a vegetable salad, and ginger bread with bananas and whipped cream for dessert. We drove to Lexington, Mo., that afternoon; that’s quite an old civil war town, you know. Also saw the Wentworth military academy there. Jack took us to Phillips Tavern for our supper that night.
Thursday mom Didn’t get this finished yesterday, sq I’ll try to get it finished this morning. Last night, Walt had Lions Club so Marge and I decided to eat downtown too. Then we went to the show “Miss Susie Slagles.” That was a good show, wasn’t it? Tonite Walt and I are invited to a dinner for Paul and Mildred at the Russell Kennings (he’s manager of the light and power company here). Sooo, you see I’ve done very little cooking this week. We’re getting a little tired of so much society and will be glad to have an evening at home. I must iron this afternoon.
The Lioness Club met Tuesday night, but since we went to K.C. I didn’t get to attend. It’s really getting to be quite a joke about all the p.g. women in the club and every month finds a few more. We haven’t told anyone but the Jugers and Marge and Jack about ours, tho. And we’re not telling anyone else but our folks for the time being. We were so amused when Irene wrote us they are expecting December 14th. Little do they know we’re going to beat them!
Irene and Les Jacobsen sent us some pictures we had taken out there, so will send them on to you. Guess we’ll tiy to get out there Sunday, if it doesn’t rain (it does every Sunday).
Hope they still have some strawberries.
How many rooms you have back of Ted’s shop? Will you have to get rid of some of your furniture? Is Helen working yet?
I’m still up in the air about coming home for Decoration Day I think I’ll check up on the schedule from here to S.C. If Irene and Otis came up home On that day I could probably ride with them. I’d hate to take that bumpy bus! Could you meet me if I shouldn’t get a ride from S.C.? I’ll check and drop you a card at once.
I should start lunch now and it seems I’ve written plenty of news.
Lots of love, Ruth, Walt and (Paid)
ADDED NOTE FROM WALT: Dearest folks, What do you think of the big news - we are most happy about it and hopeful that everything comes out all right. Ruth has had her share of early-pregnancy sickness but should be feeling better soon. Our sense - as I know you are - that she will make a wonderful mother (if she can keep the doting father from spoiling the child). All is well - except that it is much too warm here today.
Love, Walt
