Finding Aid for RECORDS MOVED TO ENGINEERING LABORATORY IN 1919 SERIES, 1911-1928 AND NON-AUTOMOTIVE INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES RECORDS SERIES, 1916-1929 Accession 62 Finding Aid Published: December 2013 Electronic conversion of this finding aid was funded by a grant from the Detroit Area Library Network (DALNET) http://www.dalnet.lib.mi.us Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford 20900 Oakwood Boulevard ∙ Dearborn, MI 48124-5029 USA [email protected] ∙ www.thehenryford.org Henry Ford Office records Highland Park Office records subgroup Records Moved to Engineering Laboratory in 1919 series and Personal Topics subject file subgroup Non-automotive Interests and Activities records series Accession 62 OVERVIEW REPOSITORY: Benson Ford Research Center The Henry Ford 20900 Oakwood Blvd Dearborn, MI 48124-5029 www.thehenryford.org [email protected] ACCESSION NUMBER: 62 CREATOR: Ford, Henry, 1863-1947 TITLE: Records moved to engineering laboratory in 1919 series Non-automotive interests and activities records series INCLUSIVE DATES: 1911-1929 QUANTITY: 48.8 cubic ft. LANGUAGE: The materials are in English. ABSTRACT: Accession 62 spans multiple series and contains records concerning the non-business interests of Henry Ford. The Records Moved to the Engineering Laboratory in 1919 series consists of general correspondence from the Office of Henry Ford about his personal interests and the Non- automotive Interests and Activities records series focuses on Ford’s run for president and his land in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Page 2 of 33 Henry Ford Office records Highland Park Office records subgroup Records Moved to Engineering Laboratory in 1919 series and Personal Topics subject file subgroup Non-automotive Interests and Activities records series Accession 62 ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: The series is open for research. COPYRIGHT: Copyright has been transferred to The Henry Ford by the donor. Copyright for some items in the collection may still be held by their respective creator(s). ACQUISITION: Ford Motor Company Archives donation, 1964 RELATED MATERIAL: Related material held by The Henry Ford: - Part of the Highland Park Office records subgroup, which includes: - Records stored in 1919 series, Accession 2 - Part of the Personal topics subject file subgroup, which includes: - General personal records series, Accession 23 - Frank Campsall records series, Accessions 291 and 292 - Water Power and Real Estate records series, Accessions 288 and 289 - Ford Aviation Activities records subseries, Accession 413 (within the Non-automotive interests and activities records series) PREFERRED CITATION: Item, folder, box, accession 62, Records moved to engineering laboratory in 1919 series or Non-automotive interests and activities records series, Benson Ford Research Center, The Henry Ford PROCESSING INFORMATION: Collection processed by Ford Motor Company Archives staff, May 1952 DESCRIPTION INFORMATION: Original collection inventory list prepared by Ford Motor Company Archives staff, May 1952 Finding aid prepared by Elyssa Bisoski, March 2012, and published in March 2012. Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) and local guidelines. Page 3 of 33 Henry Ford Office records Highland Park Office records subgroup Records Moved to Engineering Laboratory in 1919 series and Personal Topics subject file subgroup Non-automotive Interests and Activities records series Accession 62 HISTORICAL NOTE Non-automotive Interests and Activities records series As a result of the universal acceptance of the Model T and the national publicity resulting from the 1914 announcement of the five-dollar day, Henry Ford became extremely wealthy and a constant presence in the press, increasing public interest in his activities. From this time on and especially after his resignation from the presidency of Ford Motor Company in 1919, Henry Ford's attention turned increasingly to his numerous interests in diverse fields such as aviation, politics, hydroelectric power, industrial decentralization, industrial agriculture, education and public history. SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The Records Moved to Engineering Laboratory in 1919 series consists of correspondence from the Office of Henry Ford primarily concerning items of personal interest to Henry Ford rather than the Ford Motor Company. The series consists of three subseries: the Subject and Name File (wooden cabinet) subseries, 1912-1927 (14.4 cubic ft.); the Subject and Name File subseries, 1911-1918 (15.6 cubic ft.); and the Subject and Name File subseries, 1919 (15.6 cubic ft.). The naming of the subseries and to some extent the series reflects the original physical location and the original filing system, there being great similarity in type of material. All three subseries consist of correspondence arranged alphabetically by name or subject and then by rough chronological order. Within the series, the diverse interests and activities of Henry Ford are represented by the correspondence conducted between his secretaries and Ford's agents, associates, branch managers, creditors, and others. Most of the correspondence in the series was generated or maintained by assistant secretary G. S. Anderson and secretaries Ernest G. Liebold and Frank Campsall, with additional material by and about Gaston Plantiff, a branch manager and agent in charge of Peace Ship arrangements. The Chicago Tribune trial files include clippings and legal correspondence. Branch correspondence largely concerns personnel matters, as well as sales and marketing, distribution of Ford-sponsored publications such as the Dearborn Independent and Henry's antismoking pamphlets, and personal communications with branch managers. Branches are listed by city or country and may refer to Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford and Son, or to Village Industries. Manchester branch correspondence includes communications with Sir Percival Perry. Mexico files concern language instruction, technical training, and employment of Mexican workers for Henry Ford and Son. San Francisco correspondence includes arrangements for Henry and Edsel's visits to the 1915 World's Fair Exposition. Ford Motor Company of Canada correspondence is also present. Henry Ford Hospital files include safety, health, and other reports. Numerous Henry Ford Estate files, 1913-1918, cover construction, landscaping, decorating, and maintenance of Fair Lane and its outbuildings and also acquisition of the Fort Myers, Fla., residence "The Mangoes." Page 4 of 33 Henry Ford Office records Highland Park Office records subgroup Records Moved to Engineering Laboratory in 1919 series and Personal Topics subject file subgroup Non-automotive Interests and Activities records series Accession 62 Shipbuilding proposals and Shipyard investigations files are made up of prospectuses of sites from companies and municipalities across the nation seeking Ford to build his submarine chasers there and Ford's investigations and ratings of various shipbuilding companies in terms of labor issues and efficiency, particularly on the West Coast. In addition, throughout the collection are found numerous files having to do with the development of the "Eagle Boat" naval patrol boat or submarine chaser, including a small number of blueprints. Similar proposals also exist for other (automotive) factory sites, including abandoned sites, undeveloped land, and timber properties. Senate files, relating to Henry Ford's 1918 senatorial campaign, are made up of campaign correspondence, campaign literature, and reports including a private investigation of the Senate election. Files for the boys' orphanage, Valley Farm, Inc., consist of financial correspondence, 1911-1917, and corporate records and reports. Hamilton and Rossville Hydraulic Company files pertain mainly to construction of the Hamilton and Rossville Hydraulic Company and include plans and specifications. Water Power files pertain to sites under consideration for establishment of hydroelectric power plants, organized alphabetically by city, state, or country (Canada). Other Water Power files are more general in nature, concerning water power and its efficacy. Also present are separate files on individual Village Industries sites such as Nankin Mill and Tecumseh, Mich. Henry Ford and Son files include dealer correspondence, tractor insurance and financing, shipping information, and tax information. Henry Ford and Son and Henry Ford and Son, Ltd., of Cork, Ireland files are also present. Topics centering on World War I can be found throughout the collection and pertain to the Liberty Loan program, the War Trade Board, Liberty engines, tanks, Naval Patrol boats, and miscellaneous war reports. The file War letters, 1917-1918, is made up of letters written in support of Henry Ford's involvement in the war effort, mostly from Ford Motor Company employees enlisted in the military, including a letter from African-American sergeant Robert Greer with a photograph of him and members of his company stationed in France. Additionally, there are files labeled as Ford Family and various personal files for Henry, Edsel, and Clara Ford. However, most of these files do not pertain to private matters, but rather some aspect of their business lives--primarily Henry Ford and Son and Fordson tractors for Henry and Edsel, as well as some Ford Motor Company business for Edsel. Clara Ford personal files touch somewhat more directly on her personal life, dealing with gowns and other items purchased on her behalf. Also included are a miscellany
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