The bulk of this collection is comprised of routine personal correspondence between President Ford (or Mildred Leonard on his behalf) and his family, friends, colleagues, and former constituents. Many of these letters are congratulatory in nature, but some also express opinions of the Nixon pardon and other events and policies and “get well soon” wishes for Mrs. Ford.
Series Description and Container List
Container List
Collection Overview
Scope and Content Note
Mildred Leonard joined the Ford congressional staff in 1951 and remained on his staff through December 31, 1976. She began her career with Ford as his personal secretary, a position she held until 1972 when she became his administrative assistant. During the vice presidential and presidential years her title was personal assistant.
While Ford was President, Miss Leonard headed the President’s personal staff. The others (all of whom had served on the Ford congressional and vice presidential staffs) were Personal Secretary to the President Dorothy Downton, and three Staff Assistants – Dorothy Cavanaugh, Anne Kamstra, and George Willis. This staff provided secretarial support for the President, handled his personal correspondence and accounts, and responded to requests for autographed photographs. Miss Leonard’s particular area of responsibility was handling the President’s contacts with former members of Congress, relatives, long-time friends, celebrities, and former constituents from the Grand Rapids area.
President Ford once stated that he rarely dictated responses to letters. Instead, he gave ideas to Mildred Leonard and Dorothy Downton, who would write the letters. Except for instances that required specific commitments by President Ford, Miss Leonard could often draft responses without his advice because she had been working with him for so long.
This collection contains personal correspondence, much of it routine in nature. Many incoming letters are congratulatory in nature. In addition, there are some letters expressing opinions on the pardon of President Nixon and other issues and letters that express sympathy and ‘get well soon’ wishes for Mrs. Ford after her surgery in late September 1974. More than half of the letters date from the first few months of the administration. Another 25% date from late 1974 and early 1975.
Related Materials (December 2007)
Closely related materials include the Mildred Leonard Papers and the White House files of Dorothy Downton. Miss Leonard’s work can also be seen in Ford’s Congressional and Vice Presidential papers.
Details
8.4 linear feet (ca. 16,800 pages)
Gerald R. Ford (accession number 1977-NLF-107)
Access
Researchers should consult with an archivist prior to their visit in order to request that specific folders be added to the Library’s review-for-access queue. Even after the completion of this review some items may be temporarily restricted under terms of the donor's deed of gift, a copy of which is available on request, or under National Archives and Records Administration general restrictions (36 CFR 1256).
Copyright
Gerald 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.
Processed by
Malisa A. Lewis, April 2008
Biography
Mildred V. Leonard
1912 - Born, Spokane, WA
1940s-1951 - Moved to Washington, DC; attended Washington School for Secretaries; on staff of Congressman Joseph W. Martin, Jr.
1951-72 - Personal Secretary to Congressman Gerald R. Ford
1972-73 - Administrative Assistant to Congressman Gerald R. Ford
1973-74 - Personal Assistant to the Vice President
1974-76 - Personal Assistant to the President
1977-? - In January 1977 she took a job as legal secretary to attorney Richard A. Bishop in Washington, DC, but it is not known how long she stayed in that position.
October 9, 1993 - Died, Bethesda, MD