Harriet Bliss Ford Papers, 1899-1953
General International Standard for Archival Description
Sophia Smith Collection Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Laura Cutter. 2003-06-12
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Harriet Bliss Ford Papers
Creation of Harriet Bliss Ford Papers
Time of Creation of Harriet Bliss Ford Papers
Ford, Harriet Bliss, 1876-1964
Biographical History for: Harriet Bliss Ford Papers
Biographical Note Christmas card showing Harriet Bliss Ford in Wilder House living room, 1931-1932 Harriet Chalmers Bliss was born in New York City and earned a B.L. from Smith College in 1899. She was an editorial assistant at Century Magazine, 1899-1912, and consulting editor of the Woman's Press Board, the Woman's Journal, 1927-29. She married George Burdett Ford in 1912. Ford was director of women personal in the American Red Cross Overseas, 1917-1920, and was chair of the Smith College Relief Unit, Pans Office. Ford was on the National Board of the YWCA from 1920 to 1930, and was vice president chair of the Publicity Organization. She was a member of the Committee on Cause and Cure of War from 1925 to1930. At Smith College, she was a publicity chair and trustee, 1923-36, and she was a "Trustee in Residence," 1931-36. She was on the Board of Directors of the Smith Alumnae Association and the American Association of University Women. Ford was involved in Northampton, Massachusetts city politics and the National League of Women Voters, 1950s. She was on the Northampton City Charter Committee, 1949, and the City Council, 1940s-50s. She wrote articles, poetry and plays, some of which were published, regarding various causes including women's issues and peace.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The papers include biographical materials, correspondence, memorabilia, photographs, writings, and subject files. The correspondence and subject files relate to her work with Century Magazine and her political and intellectual life during her residence in Northampton, Massachusetts. Included are plays and pageants written and published by Ford for the Young Women's Christian Association (as well as other YWCA publications), and manuscripts of her speeches and writings. There is also an unpublished biography of her husband, George B. Ford. Notable correspondents include Carrie Chapman Catt; Grace Coolidge; Elizabeth Cutter Morrow; William Allen Neilson; Ada Comstock Notestein; Abby Rockefeller; William Rose Bennet; Helena Gilder. and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Women editors--United States--20th century--Sources
lcsh
Women and peace--History--20th century--Sources
Catt, Carrie Chapman, 1859-1947--Correspondence
lcnaf
Coolidge, Grace Goodhue, 1879-1957--Correspondence
H. de K. G. (Helena de Kay Gilder)--Correspondence
Morrow, Elizabeth, 1873-1955--Correspondence
Neilson, William Allan, 1869-1946--Correspondence
Rockefeller, Abby Aldrich--Correspondence
Century Magazine--History
National Committee on the Cause and Cure of War (U.S.)
League of Women Voters of Northampton (Mass.)--History
Young Women's Christian Association of the U.S.A. National Board--History
Smith College--Administration--History--Sources
series
SERIES I. BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS
Biographical sketch
Newspaper clippings
Correspondence
Business, 1913-50
Personal, 1912
European diary, 1923
Letters of congratulation, 1912
Letters of recommendation, 1899
Letters of condolence (on death of George B. Ford), 1930-31
Speeches, 1936, 1955, n.d.
SERIES II. WRITINGS
Writings
Published, 1922-50
Unpublished, 1950-58, n.d.
Ford, George B.
Biography (unpublished manuscript), 1931
Correspondence (re: biography), 1931
SERIES III. MEMORABILIA
Greeting cards
Photographs
Miscellaneous
SERIES IV. CORRESPONDENCE
Allen, Ruth Strickland, 1909-23
Barnard, Eunice Fuller, 1935-36
Barrett, Halsey M., 1899
Benet, William Rose, 1912-21
Brown, "Dot", n.d.
Buel, Clarence Clough, n.d.
Cather, Willa Sibert, 1909
Coolidge, Grace, 1943, 1945
Crowinshield, Frank, 1912-15
Dreier, Katherine S. 1924-25
Ellsworth, W.W., 1913, n.d.
Ford, Eleanor Burdette, 1912
Gilder, Helena, 1910-13
Gilder, Richard Watson, 1905-09
Gilder, Rodman, 1909-10
Herter, Christian, 1953
Johnson, R.U., 1912-37
Jones, Louis and Mary, 1947-49
Kennedy, John F., 1957
Lehman, Herbert H., 1936
Melvin, Mary Armstrong, 1935
Miscellaneous, 1909-33
Morrow, Elizabeth Cutter, 1927-31
Neilson, William Allen, 1929-31
Newton, E. Swift, 1935-36, 1941
Notestein, Ada Comstock, 1930-31
Paine, Albert Bigelow, n.d.
Parsons, Edgarton and Alice, 1909-29
Pearman, Mabel (Capelle), 1912
Reston, James, 1952-53
Rice, Alice Hegan, n.d.
Rockefeller, Abby A., 1931, 1936
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1924
Skinner, Belle, 1924-31
Slater, Florence W., 1916
Wilson, Claggett, 1924
Unidentified
SERIES V. SUBJECTS
Cause and Cure of War
General
League of Nations
Mary A. Burnam School: Commencement, 1955
Railroad report
Roadside improvement
World's Fair: NY, 1938-39
YWCA
The New Creation (correspondence and information re: festival)
City of Northampton
City charter
Committee minutes and correspondence
Revision and photocopies
City Council: unicameral election
Map of Northampton
Tercentenary celebration
Northampton League of Women Voters