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Weatherford, Robert P., Jr. Papers

Dates: 1959–1997

Mayor of Independence, Missouri, 1950-1958

The papers of Robert P. Weatherford, Jr. consist of Mr. Weatherford’s recollections of his service as Mayor of Independence and his relationship with President Harry S. Truman. Also included is correspondence between Mr. and Mrs. Weatherford and Harry and Bess Truman.

[Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List]

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Size: Less than one linear foot (about 50 pages).
Access: Open.
Copyright: No donation of copyright was received with this collection. Documents created by U.S. government employees in the course of their official duties are in the public domain. Copyright interest in other documents presumably belongs to the creators of those documents, or their heirs.
Processed by: Kate Morton (2009) as part of the Truman Library Internship Program.
Supervising Archivists: Randy Sowell and David Clark.


[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

1911 (September 2)

 

Born, Independence, Missouri

1929

 

Graduated from William Chrisman High School

1935

 

Married to La Prelle Rathbone

1942

 

Graduated from Finley Engineering College

1950

 

Became member of American Institute of Architects

1950-1958

 

Mayor of Independence, Missouri; played an integral role in helping secure a location for the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence.

1958

 

Moved to Phoenix, started Plans for Progress for Phoenix

1961-1962

 

Served as City Manager of Kansas City, after which he returned to Arizona.

1992

 

Received Harry S. Truman Award for Public Service

2001 (May 20)

 

Died, Phoenix, Arizona

[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The papers of Robert P. Weatherford, Jr. consist of personal recollections, correspondence, and a speech transcript. Included are Mr. Weatherford’s transcribed recollections of his service as Mayor of Independence, Missouri from 1950 to 1958, his subsequent career in Kansas City and Arizona, and his relationship with President Harry S. Truman. Also in the collection is personal correspondence between Mr. and Mrs. Weatherford and Harry and Bess Truman, information concerning President Truman’s funeral service and memorial stamp, and Weatherford’s speech upon receiving the Harry S. Truman Award for Public Service in 1992. The collection also includes Weatherford’s account of a conversation with Mr. Truman, during which the former President stated that he had personally destroyed documents relating to General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s plans to divorce his wife and marry his wartime chauffeur, Kay Summersby.

These papers were originally opened for research as part of the Miscellaneous Historical Documents Collection [MHDC 795].

Related collections at the Truman library include the Harry S. Truman Post-Presidential Papers.

[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Container Nos.

 

Series

1

  SUBJECT FILE, 1959-1992
Correspondence, personal recollections, and a speech transcript. Arranged alphabetically.
[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]

FOLDER TITLE LIST

SUBJECT FILE, 1959-1992

Box 1

  • Book
  • Correspondence
  • Recollections
  • Speech – Truman Public Service Award, May 8, 1992
[ Top of the page | Administrative Information | Biographical Sketch | Collection Description | Series Descriptions | Folder Title List ]