Wilbur D. Jones, Jr. Political Collection

Collection

Identifier: SC-MS-163

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of political papers, photographs, notebooks, and memorabilia covering Wilbur Jones's career in California and national staff politics from 1964-1978. His positions included assistant director of Republican Associates of Los Angeles County (California); field representative to Congressman Ed Reinecke (R-CA, 27th District); assistant manager, Barry M. Goldwater, Jr., congressional campaign; administrative assistant to Congressman Goldwater (R-CA., 27th District); executive director, New Hampshire Committee for the Re-election of the President (Richard M. Nixon, 1972); assistant and advance representative to President Gerald R. Ford, including world-wide travel for and with Ford performing advance duties in 1975-76, including the Bicentennial year and presidential election of 1976; and planning and executing a 1978 campaign rally for Virginia U.S. senatorial candidate John Warner, featuring President Ford (Warner was then married to actress Elizabeth Taylor).

Papers include correspondence, reports, programs, White House invitations and press releases, handbooks and regulations, articles, memos, guest lists, handwritten notes, contact lists, flyers and announcements, postcards, maps, schedules and itinieraries, expense reports, room diagrams for events, newsletters, and election and ballot information. Photos include those of presidents Ford and Nixon, as well as Jones with various political candidates at events and along the campaign trail.

Dates

Creation: 1964-1978

Creator

Jones, Wilbur D., 1934- (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research use.

Copyright Statement

Copyright retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Biographical Note

Wilbur D. Jones, Jr., is a nationally known, award-winning author and military historian in Wilmington, N. C. A Wilmington native, he holds a University of North Carolina history degree, is a retired Navy captain and a former assistant and advance representative to President Gerald Ford. He served the Department of Defense for almost 41 years, the last 12 as a professor and associate dean at the Defense Acquisition University.

Doing business as Wilbur Jones Compositions, LLC, he writes, lectures, and consults on World War II, military, and defense issues, spearheads North Carolina WWII history preservation accomplishments, and leads WWII battlefield tours to Europe and the Mediterranean, and in Southeastern N. C.

For the 2014-15 year, Governor Pat McCrory appointed him chairman of the USS North Carolina Battleship Commission, on which he has served since 2013. Recognition includes the Wilmington StarNews Media Lifetime Achievement Award (2012), American Association for State and Local History Award of Merit for Leadership (2006), and North Carolina Historian of the Year (East) (2005).

His 18th book, She Shot Her Way to Success: How China’s Empress Dowager Ci Xi Launched a Photographer’s Trail-Blazing Career, was released in 2016. Civic service includes the Wilmington Rotary Club, Friends of the Battleship North Carolina (chairman), Museum of the Marine (Jacksonville, director), and Advisory Boards for the Salvation Army, New Hanover County Public Library, and HBHUSO/CAC.

A retired professional baseball and basketball umpire and referee, he officiated games at the NCAA Division I and III levels, high school state championships, and two Senior League (15-year old Little League) World Series. His passions are physical fitness, reading, history, and learning. He was married to Carroll Robbins Jones for 54 years, until her passing in 2013. They have three children and one granddaughter, whom they raised.

[Biography source: Wilbur's personal website at http://wilburjones.com/about/]

Extent

38 Containers (Contains 25 document boxes, 11 oversize boxes,1 oversize folder, and 1 map case folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated by Wilbur D. Jones, Jr. on October 28, 1999.

Digital Access

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