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Look Back: Jane Hadley marries the vice-president
Date: 10/30/2010 Album ID: 1107300
Photos by St Louis Post-Dispatch Staff photographers and archives
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st. louis, 1949 • Jane Hadley was a quick-witted, charming widow whose husband had been a prominent railroad lawyer. Alben W. Barkley was a widower 34 years her senior who happened to be Harry Truman’s vice-president. They met at a party in Washington in May 1949. Soon, the VP was making regular commercial airline stops in St. Louis. They were married Nov. 18 at St. John’s Methodist Church, Kingshighway and Washington Boulevard. She wore light blue.
Jane Rucker of 7352 Pershing Avenue in University City, upon the announcement in November 1930 of her engagement to Carleton S. Hadley, of 6060 Pershing Avenue in St. Louis. Rucker was the daughter of a prominent lawyer in Missouri, and her mother was a concert pianist who had studied in Europe. Rucker was born in Keytesville, in north-central Missouri. She lived for a time in Europe with her mother, Estle Rucker, and attended exclusive schools in Rome and Switzerland. Returning to Missouri, she attended Washington University and met Hadley, whose father was chief engineer for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. They were married on April 11, 1931, and their wedding received big play in the newspapers. Carlton Hadley, freshly out of Washington University School of Law when he met Jane Rucker, quickly became a prominent railroad attorney. He was general counsel of the Wabash Railroad when he died of a heart attack in 1945 at age 42. Survivors included his wife and two daughters, who continued living at their apartment at 4 North Kingshighway, across from Forest Park. Jane Hadley was a well-to-do widow when she met Vice President Alben W. Barkley at a party in Washington in May 1949. He was a widower almost 34 years her senior, but they began seeing each other discretely. They didn't confirm their courtship until Oct. 31, 1949, when they announced their engagement from her apartment at 5539 Pershing. They were married the following Nov. 18. It was national news, and regular front-page fare in St. Louis. (Post-Dispatch)
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A photo of Jane Rucker Hadley on the day of her wedding to Carleton S. Hadley on April 11, 1931, at the University City Methodist Church. (Post-Dispatch)
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Carleton S. Hadley (left) accepts a check from assistant U.S. Attorney for payment of the Mart Building (now the Robert A. Young Federal Building), 1222 Spruce Street, on Oct. 10, 1942. Hadley was vice president and counsel for the Terminal Railroad Association. The government first used the building as an Army medical depot. Hadley became general counsel of the Wabash Railroad that same year and was 42 when he suffered a heart attack in his office in the Railway Exchange Building. He died one week later in Barnes Hospital on Feb. 17, 1945. (Post-Dispatch
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Vice President Alben Barkley arrives in St. Louis on regular TWA commercial flight on June 25, 1949. Barkley, an old-time stump-speech storyteller who had served Kentucky in the U.S. Senate for 22 years, was President Harry S Truman's running mate in 1948. His wife of 44 years, Dorothy, had died the year before. He was the first vice president to be nicknamed the veep, a term invented by one of his grandson's. In May 1949, the Veep met Jane Hadley of St. Louis at a party in Washington hosted by Clark Clifford, formerly a lawyer in St. Louis who was special counsel to Truman. Barkley and Hadley struck up a friendship that became a courtship, but the public didn't know it yet when Barkley paid this visit. Soon, he was flying into St. Louis frequently. Greeting him is St. Louis Comptroller Milton Carpenter. Following the vice president down the stairway are Attorney General Tom C. Clark and Postmaster General Jesse M. Donaldson. The woman at right was not identified in the file photo caption. (Post-Dispatch)
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Jane Hadley (left) and Vice President Alben Barkley attend a Cardinals game at Sportsman's Park on Aug. 12, 1949. With them are Ruth Coburn, civic volunteer and wife of prominent lawyer Richmond Coburn; and Fred Saigh, owner of the Cardinals. By this date, rumors of their courtship was front-page news, but Hadley and Barkley insisted they were just friends. (Post-Dispatch)
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Vice President Alben Barkley and Jane Hadley dancing on Sept. 6, 1949, at the Starlight Roof of the Hotel Chase. By then, hints of romance were filling the front pages. But the couple kept insisting it was much ado. Here, they are dancing to the song, Some Enchanting Evening, a love song from that year's Broadway musical hit, South Pacific. (Post-Dispatch)
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Jane Hadley searches her purse for coins as she and the vice president go shopping in downtown St. Charles on Oct. 24, 1949. They had been staying for four days as house guests of friends at her family's country estate, The Skyline. Reporters and photographers followed their every move. Once again, Hadley told them, This is just a nice quiet visit with friends. The headline over the photograph dutifully reported, Barkley and Friend Shopping in St. Charles. (Post-Dispatch)
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Vice President Alben Barkley escorts Luella Sayman and Jane Hadley at the Kiel Auditorium on Oct. 29, 1949, for a concert given by soloist singer Margaret Truman, the president's daughter, and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. They sat in a mezzanine box, guarded by Secret Service agents. Sayman was the wealthy widow of the late Dr. Thomas Sayman, an eccentric former traveling medicine salesman who made a fortune selling remedies and Wonder Soap. (Post-Dispatch)
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The vice president and friend finally announce their engagement on Oct. 31, 1949, from her apartment at 5539 Pershing Avenue. Standing at his side in her living room, Hadley said, I think it will be no surprise to you that we are announcing our engagement. We will be married Nov. 18. Their announcement in her living room was covered by 17 reporters and photographers and made front pages across the country. The photographers asked the happy couple to embrace and kiss, but Barkley said, No. This will be dignified. (Post-Dispatch)
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Curious fans of romance gather outside a window at the Hadley apartment to watch the engagement party inside. (Post-Dispatch)
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Jane Hadley shows her engagement ring to daughters (left) Jane, 14, and Anne, 17. Anne was a student at Sophie Newcomb College for women in New Orleans, now a part of Tulane University. (Post-Dispatch)
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Estle Rucker, mother of Jane Hadley, with granddaughters Anne (center) and Jane Hadley arriving for the Hadley-Barkley wedding on Nov. 18, 1949, in St. John's Methodist Church, 5000 Washington Boulevard at North Kingshighway. Estle Rucker lived with her daughter on Pershing. Roy W. Rucker, her husband, lived in Kansas City, and had released a statement from his hospital room that he wouldn't be able to attend. He had suffered a stroke a short time before. I've been proud of Jane every day of my life, he said. (Post-Dispatch)
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Jane Hadley arrives at St. John's with her brother, William W. Rucker of West Palm Beach, Fla. Her brother stood in for their father during the wedding service in the church's Singleton Memorial Chapel. (Post-Dispatch)
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Vice President Alben Barkley, waving his hat and marked with an arrow, waves to the press as he arrives at the church for his wedding to Jane Hadley. The service was closed to the general public, but was recorded by 70 reporters and photographers. (Post-Dispatch)
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The newlyweds, Jane and and Alben Barkley, with Methodist Bishop Ivan Lee Holt (left) and the Rev. Albea Godbold (right), pastor of St. John's, moments after the wedding. (Post-Dispatch)
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The new couple leaves the church amidst a mob of press and wellwishers. Police closed Washington at Kingshighway to accommodate the curious. The Post-Dispatch's caption to this photo says in part, The marriage, the first of a vice president during his term of office, focused national interest on St. Louis. (Post-Dispatch)
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The newlyweds cut their cake during a reception at the mansion of Luella Sayman at 5399 Lindell Boulevard, across from Forest Park. (Post-Dispatch)
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One more wave before they depart for their honeymoon, location unannounced. (Post-Dispatch)
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Jane Barkley in the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 convertible that the vice president had given her as a wedding present. (Post-Dispatch)
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Jane Barkley wears a blue-gray wool coat dress, by designer Anthony Blotta, before they leave for their honeymoon. In Washington, the Barkley's were at the center of society. In March 1950, the New York Fashion Academy named her one of its best dressed women. (Post-Dispatch)
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