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Document 2147

HARRY S TRUMAN
Signed as Presiding Judge on the 145th anniversary of Washington's first inauguration.
Partly Printed Check signed: "Harry S Truman" as President (Presiding Judge) of Jackson County, 8x3½. Kansas City, Missouri, 1934 April 30. Also signed by two county officials. Payable to "Frank Nnonan" (sic, Noonan) for $45.00 from the "Salary Fund". Endorsed: "Frank Noonan" on verso. In 1922, the clothing store run by Truman and his war buddy Eddie Jacobson went out of business. A high school graduate and a World War veteran (Major), he needed a job. Another war buddy, Jim Pendergast, introduced Truman to his father, Mike, who asked him if he'd like to run for eastern judge of Jackson County. Mike's brother Tom ran the strongest political machine in Missouri. Truman was in need of a job and, on his 38th birthday, began his first political campaign. He was elected and was sworn in on January 1, 1923. Lacking any legal background, Truman went to law school from 1923-1925. He won the Democratic primary but lost his bid for reelection in 1924 because of Ku Klux Klan opposition. In 1926, he ran for Presiding Judge of Jackson County and was elected. Truman never lost an election again. He was reelected in 1930 and served from 1927-1935. You can view his 1931 inauguration by going to http://www.whistlestop.org/archive/photos/images/59-929.htm. In 1932, Truman aspired to run for Governor of Missouri, but Tom Pendergast told him someone else had been selected for the job. In 1933, he wanted to run for Congress but, once again, he was told the nomination was going to someone else. A few days after Truman signed this check, in May 1934, Tom Pendergast asked him to run for the U.S. Senate. He agreed, ran a tough campaign and won the three-way election with just under 50 percent of the vote. Truman was reelected in 1940, elected Vice President in 1944, succeeded to the Presidency when FDR died in 1945 and was elected to a full four-year term in 1948. Cancellation holes touch the "H", "S" and "T" of signature with cancellation stamp touching the "T". Folds do not touch signature. Overall, fine condition.

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