Her birthplace was Independence, Missouri, and her birth name was Elizabeth Virginia. Her parents were Margaret ("Madge") Gates and David Wallace. Her nickname was "Bessie." Harry Truman’s family came to live in Independence, Missouri in 1890. Elizabeth Virginia and Harry Truman attended the same school from fifth grade through high school. Once Truman remembered her childhood days, and described her as a girl with “golden curls” and “the most beautiful blue eyes.” 