The collection consists of six subgroups: Sam Ford; Mary Ford; Betty Ford Jackson; Ted James; Preston Hopkins Leslie; and the Christopher family.

The Sam Ford subgroup consists of general correspondence (1920-1952; undated); financial records (1912), consisting of one receipt for furniture; speeches (undated); and miscellany (1906-1907; undated), consisting of certificates authorizing Ford as an attorney, as well as Sam Ford’s Spiritual Will. There is also a scrapbook including clippings, photographs, and correspondence covering Ford's governorship (1940-1943)

The Mary Ford subgroup consists of general correspondence (1904-1963; undated); writings (undated), consisting of Mary Ford’s illustrated autobiographical manuscript, titled “History of My Life”; and miscellany (1892-1900), consisting of a good luck album containing handwritten messages. There is also a scrapbook covering Mary's high school years.

The Betty Ford Jackson subgroup consists of writings (undated; 1940), including “Peggy,” and “Dad’s Wedding Suit,”; and miscellaneous genealogical and biographical materials (undated; 1998) gathered by Jackson, which reflect the history of the Ford-Shobe and Leslie-Hopkins family trees.

The Ted James subgroup consists of audio recordings (undated); audiovisual recordings (undated); general correspondence (undated; 1964, 1968), including both personal correspondence and campaign correspondence; financial records (1964), consisting of correspondence and records regarding contributions to James’s campaign fund; press releases (1964-1968; undated); speeches (1966; undated); writings (undated), consisting of an autobiographical manuscript; and miscellany (1964; undated), including an army airbase badge, political literature, and campaign literature, ephemera, and clippings.

The Preston Hopkins Leslie subgroup (1871-1875) consists of a subject file, which contains duplicates of the state papers of Leslie from his time as governor of Kentucky in bound form.

The Christopher family subgroup consists of general correspondence (1918-1919) of John Christopher and his sons, John, Joseph, and Andy Christopher, from the period in which the three brothers fought in World War I.