Worthington Chauncey Ford (February 15, 1858 – March 7, 1941) was an American

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

archivist An archivist is an information professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to records and archives determined to have long-term value. The records maintained by an archivist can cons ...

and

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, a ...

of many collections of documents from early American history. He served in a variety of government positions: first, as the chief of the Bureau of Statistics for the U.S. Department of State, from 1885 to 1889, then at the U.S. Department of Treasury, 1893–1898, then as chief of the manuscripts division at the Library of Congress from 1902–1908. From 1909 to 1929 Ford was the editor of publications of the Massachusetts Historical Society, which had elected him a member in 1900. He also served concurrently as Librarian of the John Carter Brown Library at

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

from 1917 to 1922.

Family notoriety

Ford was a member of a distinguished and notorious family. He was the great-grandson (through his mother) of

Noah Webster Noah Webster (October 16, 1758 – May 28, 1843) was an American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and author. He has been called the "Father of American Scholarship and Education" ...

. His two younger brothers were Paul Leicester Ford, an eminent biographer and novelist, and Malcolm Webster Ford, a distinguished amateur athlete. Both died May 8, 1902, in a murder-suicide when Malcolm shot Paul and then himself.

Historian

Ford was best known for his edited collections of a number of

Founding Fathers The Founding Fathers of the United States, often simply referred to as the Founding Fathers or the Founders, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence ...

documents, including ''The writings of George Washington'' (14 Volumes), ''Alexander Hamilton's notes in the Federal convention of 1787'', and ''Writings of John Quincy Adams''. He also edited collections of the correspondence of

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before Presidency of John Adams, his presidency, he was a leader of ...

, and other figures in early American history. Ford's historical work was also notable for his tenure as chief of the newly established Manuscripts Division at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

. During his time in charge, from 1903 to 1909, he organized a significant effort to photograph and copy manuscripts pertaining to early American history which resided in foreign archives (especially France, Britain, and Spain). In this way, copies of many documents which had been missing since 1812 or earlier were recovered. In addition, he edited and published the complete '' Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789''. Ford was elected a member of the

American Antiquarian Society The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society in ...

in 1907 and the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

in 1922. Ford was active in the

American Historical Association The American Historical Association (AHA) is the oldest professional association of historians in the United States and the largest such organization in the world, claiming over 10,000 members. Founded in 1884, AHA works to protect academic free ...

and was elected President in 1917. Ford's presidential address, The Editorial Function in United States History, is notable for its careful exposure of the deliberate omissions made by early editors of the Founding Fathers papers, including faked memoirs, papers edited to hide controversies important at the time, and other "crimes and errors" common in the editing and publishing of historical documents of the time. Ford defended the American purchase and annexation of the Philippines from Spain during the Philippine–American War by saying "Questions of Conscience need not trouble us.... Here are rich lands, held by those who do not or cannot get the best out of them, and awaiting the fructifying application of capital and organization in commerce. Under this beneficent view the natives, an inferior race, must get out or become laborers. The Filipino is an incumbrance to be got rid of, unless he accepts the mandates of a purchasing and conquering power." Ford also edited collections of works of other American figures, including ''Letters of Henry Adams (1892–1918)'', and a collection of

Aaron Burr Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician, businessman, lawyer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805 d ...

's letters.

References

External links

* *
AHA Information: Worthington Ford's Bibliography
at www.historians.org Partial Bibliography on Ford at AHA website. * Worthington C. Ford, et al. ed. ''Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789.'' (34 vol., 1904–1937

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ford, Worthington C. 1868 births 1941 deaths Historians from New York (state) Librarians at the Library of Congress Writers from Brooklyn Presidents of the American Historical Association People who died at sea Members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters Members of the American Philosophical Society

Family notoriety

Historian

See also

References

External links