SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Miscellaneous correspondence of Gerald R. Ford, Jr., Gerald R. Ford, Sr. and Dorothy Ford; a selection of Ford family books; and a scrapbook compiled by Thomas G. Ford covering his career as a Michigan state representative and his public relationship with his half-brother, Gerald R. Ford, Jr.

QUANTITY
5.0 linear feet (20 pp. documents, 62 books, 100 page scrapbook)

DONOR
Thomas G. Ford (accession numbers 83-46, 83-50)

ACCESS
Open.

COPYRIGHT
Thomas Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain.

Prepared by Leesa Tobin, September 1985
[s:\bin\findaid\ford, thomas - papers and books.doc]

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Thomas G. Ford

1918 - Born, Grand Rapids, Michigan (half-brother of Gerald R. Ford, Jr.)

1941 - Graduated, University of Michigan (BS)

1958-64 - Kent County Board of Supervisors

1958-64 - Ford Paint and Varnish Company

1964-72 - State representative from Michigan's 91st district

1972-80 - Legislative audit coordinator for the Michigan House and Senate appropriations committees

1980 - Retired to South Carolina

1995 - Died, St. Johns Island, South Carolina

INTRODUCTION

The papers and books that constitute the Thomas Ford collection include materials originally belonging to Gerald R. Ford, Jr., Gerald R. Ford, Sr., Dorothy Ford, and other members of the family, as well as Thomas Ford himself.

The collection is arranged in three parts: a small amount of correspondence and autographed banquet programs; books belonging to members of the Ford family, many of which are inscribed or autographed; and a scrapbook compiled by Tom Ford covering his career as a Michigan state representative and brother of the president.

In general the content of the letters is routine, although one letter from Gerald R. Ford, Jr. to his mother written from his fraternity house in Ann Arbor about 1933 concerning university activities is interesting. The banquet programs and Christmas card are included because they are autographed by famous individuals.

The book collection includes many books Gerald Ford, Jr. owned as a child and young man and some belonging to his mother and adopted father, Gerald R. Ford, Sr. Most of these are in very delicate condition and should be handled with care.

The scrapbook of approximately 100 pages partially documents Thomas Ford's career in the Michigan legislature and his public relationship with his brother after he became vice president and president. Included are newspaper clippings, photographs, correspondence and memorabilia. Gaps in the coverage include details of Thomas Ford's 1970 House race and his relationship with his brothers and family before Gerald Ford became vice president. Researchers are requested to use a microfilm copy of the scrapbook available from the reference archivist.

For a detailed inventory of the items donated to the Library by Thomas Ford see the appendix following the container list.

Related Materials
The Ford Library has a small amount of additional material on Thomas Ford's relationship with President Ford, including some clippings in the vertical file and correspondence, invitations, and similar routine items in the White House Central Files.

Approximately five linear feet of official files kept by Ford while state representative from 1966-1971 are located in the Archives of the State of Michigan, 3405 N. Logan, Lansing, Michigan 48906. A brief container list is available in the Library vertical file.

CONTAINER LIST

Box 1 - Miscellaneous Correspondence

• Gerald R. Ford, Jr. correspondence
• Mrs. Gerald R. (Dorothy) Ford, Sr. correspondence
• Gerald R. Ford, Sr. correspondence
• James F. Ford correspondence
• Programs
• Proclamation by George Romney [former Michigan governor]
• Christmas card from General William Westmoreland
• Transfer to museum collection

Box 2 - Books

• MacDonald, George, At the Back of the North Wind (Philadelphia: McKay, 1919)
• Halliburton, Richard, The Royal Road to Romance (Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1925)
• Grimm, Wilhelm, Grimm's Fairy Tales: A New Translation by Mrs. H. B. Paul (New York: International Book Company, n.d.)
• Naval Leadership. With Some Hints to Junior Officers and Others (Annapolis, Maryland: The United States Naval Institute, 1939)
• Wright, William H. Ben the Black Bear (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1910)
• Frost, William Henry, The Court of King Arthur. Stories from the Land of the Round Table (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1920)
• Stevenson, Robert Louis, A Child's Garden of Verses (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, n.d.)

Box 3 - Books

• Morgan, Anna, Art of Speech and Deportment (Chicago: A.C. McClurg & Co., 1909)
• Garnett, Louise Ayres, The Merry Makers (Chicago: Rand McNally, 1918)
• Jameson, J. Franklin, Dictionary of United States History (Boston: Puritan Publishing Co., 1894)
• Detmold, E. J., The Book of Baby Dogs (New York: Hodder & Stoughton, n.d.)

Box 4 - Books

• McCabe, James, A Tour Around the World by General Grant (Cincinnati: Jones Brothers & Co., 1879)
• Emerson, Ralph Waldo, Emerson's Essays (New York: Dodge Publishing Co. n.d.)
• Grew, Joseph C., Report from Tokyo: A Message to the American People (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1942)
• Smith, Hannah Whitall, Difficulties Concerning the Will (Philadelphia: Henry Altemus Co., 1897)
• Bulfinch, Thomas, The Age of Fable or Beauties of Mythology (New York: Tudor, 1937)
• Zanuck, Darryl F., Tunis Expedition (New York: Random House, 1943)
• Scott, Sir Walter, Poetical Works (London: Gall and Inglis, n.d.)
• Roberts, Kenneth, Northwest Passage (Garden City: Doubleday, 1937)

Box 5 - Books

• Sylvester, Charles H., Journeys Through Bookland (Chicago: Bellows-Reeve Company, 1909) Vols. 1-4

Box 6 - Books

• Journeys Through Bookland Vols. 5-8

Box 7 - Books

• The Book of Knowledge: The Children's Encyclopedia (New York: The Grolier Society, 1919) Vols. 1-6

Box 8 - Books

• The Book of Knowledge Vols. 7-13

Box 9 - Books

• The Book of Knowledge Vols. 14-20

Box 10 - Books

• Toudouze, Gustave and Leloir, Maurice, Le Roy Soleil (Paris: Bowen & Cie, Editeurs, 1917)

Box 11 - Miscellaneous Printed Material

Box 12 - Miscellaneous Printed Material

Box 13 - Scrapbook (request microfilm copy from the reference archivist)