Jackson and Truman - A Unique Thing

Jackson County, Missouri is named for Andrew Jackson, who served as the seventh President of the United States, from 1829–37. The Jackson County Courthouse sits on the town square in Independence, Missouri, the famous home of Harry Truman, the thirty-third President, serving from 1945–53. When Truman was a county judge from 1922–24 and again from 1926–34, he had an office in the iconic building.

Statues of the two men flank the courthouse. On the west side, Jackson's statue shows him astride his horse in full military regalia as he might have appeared as a major-general in the Battle of New Orleans.

On the east side of the courthouse, Truman's statue depicts him, cane in hand, taking his morning constitutional, as was his custom in Independence in the days after his presidency.

In addition to being president, Andrew Jackson was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee from 1822–24; and President Truman was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri from 1940–41.

Andrew Jackson and Harry Truman are the only two men who have served both as President of the United States and Grand Master of their respective Masonic Grand Lodges. The grounds of the Jackson county courthouse are the only existing memorial to both those men together. It wasn't planned that way, and I'm sure the tourists and maybe most Brothers who see the statues are unaware of the fact that together, their placement inadvertently makes the courthouse grounds a memorial to a very unique thing: the only two men who share the titles of both President of the US and Grand Master.