Size: About 260 pages, 17 photographs, and one 16mm film.
Access: Open.
Copyright: Roy T. Romine has donated his copyright interest in his papers to the Government of the United States. Copyright interest in the handwritten writings of Harry S. Truman and in the writings of Bess Truman and Margaret Truman Daniel is presumed to belong to Margaret Truman Daniel.

Myra and Mary Colgan were first cousins of Harry S. Truman. Their mother, Emily Truman Colgan, was the sister of Harry Truman's father, John Anderson Truman. Harry Truman lived with the Colgan family briefly in 1905 when he was working in Kansas City and remained close to the sisters throughout his life.

The papers of Roy T. Romine include photocopies of personal letters written by Harry S. Truman to two paternal first cousins, Myra E. Colgan (Myra Colgan Hornbuckle, called Polly, Roy T. Romine's aunt and Mary V. Colgan (Mary Colgan Romine, Roy T. Romine's mother). These letters--38 to Myra Colgan and 26 to Mary Colgan--document Truman's life as a farmer, U.S. Senator, and President of the United States, as well as his lifelong affection for the recipients. The earliest letters in the collection, dating from 1906 to 1907, are the earliest personal handwritten Truman letters in the Library's holdings. Most of the letters, however, date from the period 1945 to 1952.

The collection also includes photocopies of letters from Harry S. Truman to Roy Romine, a few items written to the Colgans by Bess Truman and Margaret Truman, and Mary Colgan's lengthy handwritten account of her and her sister's attendance at President Truman's 1949 Inauguration.

The collection is arranged in a correspondence file by correspondent or type of material.

Three letters and two postcards dating from 1906 and 1907 document Truman's life as a farmer in Grandview, Missouri. Three letters dating from 1939 to 1945 document Truman's work as U.S. Senator. Fifty-three letter dating from 1945 to 1952 document Truman's tenure as President, including such topics as the responsibilities of the President, the condition of the White House, politicians and campaigning, traveling and meeting people, Margaret's singing career, and the 1950 assassination attempt. A film taken at the Colgan family farm in Lee's Summit, Missouri in approximately 1926 shows Martha Ellen Truman (Truman's mother), and Mary Jane Truman (Truman's sister), and may show Harry S. Truman.

Roy T. Romine allowed the Truman Library to borrow and copy his papers and audiovisual materials in 1997 and 1998.

Other collections in the Library's holdings that include Harry S. Truman's personal and family correspondence and related personal writings include the following: Papers of Harry S. Truman (Papers Relating to Family, Business, and Personal Affairs, Senatorial and Vice Presidential Papers, President's Secretary's File), and the papers Mary Jane Truman, Ralph E. Truman, and of the Colgan and Bruner Families.

CORRESPONDENCE FILE, 1906-1971

• Letters from Harry S. Truman to Myra E. Colgan [Mrs. Roy D. Hornbuckle, also call Polly] [1906-1954]
  [1 of 4]
  [2 of 4]
  [3 of 4]
  [4 of 4]
• Letters from Harry S. Truman to Mary V. Colgan [Mrs. Robert T. Romine] [1906-1966]
  [1 of 2]
  [2 of 2]
• Letters from Harry S. Truman to Roy Romine [1945-1971]
• Letters from Bess Truman to Myra E. Colgan [Mrs. Roy D. Hornbuckle] and Mary V. Colgan [Mrs. Robert T. Romine]
• Letters from Margaret Truman to Myra E. Colgan [Mrs. Roy D. Hornbuckle]
• Mary Colgan Romine's Account of Her Attendance at President Truman's 1949 Inauguration
• "Misses Greene" [Story by Roy Romine, based on events involving Myra and Mary Clogan and Harry S. Truman, 1905]
• Photographs and a film [cross references]

• For questions, e-mail truman.reference@nara.gov
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