Politics

US Senator Thomas Eagleton was born in St. Louis. Outside of Missouri, he is most remembered for being the Democratic vice presidential nominee under George McGovern in 1972.

Francis Preston Blair Jr., Missouri senator and soldier, was born on this date in 1821.

Missouri's first statewide elections were held. Alexander McNair was elected Governor. Missouri was still one year away from officially becoming a state. Read our story about Missouri's first territorial governors here.

Mellcene Thurman Smith and Sarah Lucille Turner became the first women elected to the State Legislature.

This was the last day that Valentine Tapley shaved. He promised his Pike County friends that if Lincoln were to be elected, he would never shave again. His beard grew to over 12 ½ feet. 

At the St. Louis Union Station, Harry Truman displayed the famous newspaper headline, "Dewey Defeats Truman."

In an early attempt at networking before the days of broadcast networks President Warren G. Harding's speech from the annual national assembly of Rotary Clubs in St. Louis was sent by telephone lines from KSD radio to other stations in the U.S.

The radical reformer, statesman, general, and Missouri Senator Carl Schurz was born on this day. He is famous for saying: " My country, right or wrong ; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right."

William Henry Hatch, Missouri’s Congressman and agricultural innovator, was born. Hatch Hall at the University of Missouri in Columbia was named in his honor.