Harry S. Truman was born on May 8, 1884, in Lamar, Missouri. His middle name was actually just the letter S because his parents could not decide on an actual name. In 1890, his family settled in Independence, Missouri. He spent his childhood growing up on his family's farm. His father, John Anderson Truman, was not only a farmer and livestock trader but was also very active in the Democratic party.

Truman had bad eyesight from a youth, but his mother, Martha Ellen Young Truman, taught him how to read at a young age. He especially liked reading about history and government. He was also an excellent piano player and continued to play for the rest of his life — in fact, during his presidency he would wake up early to get his practicing in before his day began.

Truman went to local grade and high schools. He graduated from high school in 1901 but did not immediately go into college because he had to work to help his family make money. He spent ten years working on his family's farm before continuing his education at Kansas City Law School for two years beginning in 1923. He was never admitted to the bar, however, and instead decided to open a clothing store.