mnsss152 Harriet Bliss Ford Papers, 1899-1953 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by mnsss. Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College

Northampton, MA

2003

Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Laura Cutter. 2003-06-12 Finding aid written in English. 2005-09-23 mnsss152 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02-5c.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Sophia Smith CollectionSmith College Harriet Bliss Ford Papers, 1899-1953 Finding Aid MS 59 Revised 2002 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Collection Overview Ford, Harriet Bliss, 1876-1964 Harriet Bliss Ford Papers1899-1953 MS 59 5 boxes (2 linear ft.) Sophia Smith Collection

Smith College Northampton, MA

Civic leader; editor; YWCA executive; Red Cross official; and Trustee, Smith College. The correspondence and subject files of the Ford Papers document her work with Century Magazine and her political and intellectual life during her residence in Northampton, Massachusetts. Included is material written and published by Ford for the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), and manuscripts of her speeches and writings. 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. English. 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.

Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into five series:

I. Biographical Materials II. Writings III. Memorabilia IV. Correspondence V. Subjects Information on Use Terms of Access and Use

The collection is open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection.

The copyright owner of this collection is unknown. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights. Permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use" must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.

Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

The Harriet Bliss Ford Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.

History of the Collection

Materials in this collection were given to the Sophia Smith Collection by Harriet Bliss Ford and her niece.

Finding aid revised in 2002 by Gayla Spaulding, intern.

Search Terms Catt, Carrie Chapman, 1859-1947--Correspondence Coolidge, Grace Goodhue, 1879-1957--Correspondence Ford, Harriet Bliss, 1876-1964 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 Northampton, (Mass.)--History--Sources Women editors--United States--20th century--Sources Women and peace--History--20th century--Sources Additional Information SERIES I. BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS 1 1 Biographical sketch 1 2 Newspaper clippings Correspondence 1 3 Business, 1913-50 1 4 Personal, 1912 1 5 European diary, 1923 1 6 Letters of congratulation, 1912 1 7 Letters of recommendation, 1899 1 8 Letters of condolence (on death of George B. Ford), 1930-31 1 9 Speeches, 1936, 1955, n.d. SERIES II. WRITINGS Writings 1 10 Published, 1922-50 1 11 Unpublished, 1950-58, n.d. Ford, George B. 1 12 Biography (unpublished manuscript), 1931 1 13 Correspondence (re: biography), 1931 SERIES III. MEMORABILIA 2 1-3 Greeting cards 2 4 Photographs 2 5 Miscellaneous SERIES IV. CORRESPONDENCE 3 1-2 Allen, Ruth Strickland, 1909-23 3 3 Barnard, Eunice Fuller, 1935-36 3 4 Barrett, Halsey M., 1899 3 5 Benet, William Rose, 1912-21 3 6 Brown, "Dot", n.d. 3 7 Buel, Clarence Clough, n.d. 3 8 Cather, Willa Sibert, 1909 3 9 Coolidge, Grace, 1943, 1945 3 10 Crowinshield, Frank, 1912-15 3 11 Dreier, Katherine S. 1924-25 3 12 Ellsworth, W.W., 1913, n.d. 3 13 Ford, Eleanor Burdette, 1912 3 14 Gilder, Helena, 1910-13 3 15 Gilder, Richard Watson, 1905-09 3 16 Gilder, Rodman, 1909-10 3 17 Herter, Christian, 1953 3 18 Johnson, R.U., 1912-37 3 19 Jones, Louis and Mary, 1947-49 3 20 Kennedy, John F., 1957 3 21 Lehman, Herbert H., 1936 3 22 Melvin, Mary Armstrong, 1935 3 23 Miscellaneous, 1909-33 3 24 Morrow, Elizabeth Cutter, 1927-31 3 25 Neilson, William Allen, 1929-31 3 26 Newton, E. Swift, 1935-36, 1941 3 27 Notestein, Ada Comstock, 1930-31 3 28 Paine, Albert Bigelow, n.d. 3 29 Parsons, Edgarton and Alice, 1909-29 3 30 Pearman, Mabel (Capelle), 1912 3 31 Reston, James, 1952-53 3 32 Rice, Alice Hegan, n.d. 3 33 Rockefeller, Abby A., 1931, 1936 3 34 Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1924 3 35 Skinner, Belle, 1924-31 3 36 Slater, Florence W., 1916 3 37 Wilson, Claggett, 1924 3 38 Unidentified SERIES V. SUBJECTS Cause and Cure of War 4 1 General 4 2 Newspaper clippings 4 3 League of Nations 4 4 Mary A. Burnam School: Commencement, 1955 4 5 Railroad report 4 6 Roadside improvement 4 7 World's Fair: NY, 1938-39 YWCA 4 8 General 4 9 The New Creation (correspondence and information re: festival) City of Northampton City charter 5 1 Committee minutes and correspondence 5 2-3 Revision and photocopies 5 4 City Council: unicameral election 5 5 Map of Northampton 5 6 Tercentenary celebration 5 7 Northampton League of Women Voters