Finding Aids
Donated Materials
George Bush Personal Papers

George H.W. Bush Collection
(23.5 linear feet / 48550 pages)

Please choose a link below to jump to that section of the finding aid or scroll down to view the finding aid in chronological order. Please remember that page numbers are estimates and some or all of the material in a particular folder may be removed in accordance with restrictions contained in the deed of gift.

Series: World War II Correspondence (.7 linear feet / 1350 pages)

This series contains letters George Bush wrote to his mother Dorothy Walker Bush at the time of his service in the United States Navy during World War II. Scattered throughout the collection are a few letters to his sister Nancy, his father Prescott Bush, Sr., and his older brother Prescott Bush, Jr. During the period of his training, Bush describes his instruction, daily activities, unusual occurrences while flying, relationship with Barbara Pierce, and visits with family friends while on leave. During his service in the Pacific aboard the San Jacinto, Bush describes life aboard ship, his marriage plans, and his shore leave. Of particular interest are letters he wrote during September and October 1944 while aboard the submarine USS Finback which rescued him after being shot down. The letters conclude with George Bush writing his mother during his first few months of marriage while he was based at Detroit, Michigan. In these letters he discusses his life with Barbara and outlines plans for the future. Please note that military censors edited portions of the letters mailed while aboard the San Jacinto.

In addition to George Bush’s correspondence with his family, there is correspondence between Prescott Bush Sr. and the family of Ted White, a crewmember with George Bush who perished when their plane was shot down on 2 September 1944. There are also a few letters between other Bush family members principally Prescott Bush Jr. and Dorothy Walker Bush.

Finally, there is a short story written by Lou Grab, a friend of George Bush on the San Jacinto and a fellow torpedo plane pilot. In his account, Grab details the activities torpedo squadron VT-51 of which both he and George Bush were members. It is a good idea to start research in this file because it provides a good overview of the activities of VT-51 and will provide context to Bush’s letters, especially while serving aboard the San Jacinto between January and September 1944.

Series: Zapata Oil Files (10.4 linear feet / 20,800 pages)

This series consists of personal, business, and political files primarily documenting George Bush’s life in Texas from 1948 to 1966. The series is divided into five subseries: Personal Alphabetical Files, Business Alphabetical Files, Business Correspondence Files, Political Alphabetical Files, and Political Correspondence Files.

Bush graduated from Yale University in June 1948 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. The following month, he accepted a job with Dresser Industries. Over the next three years, Bush worked with several of Dresser Industries’ subsidiaries, including IDECO (International Derrick and Equipment Company), Security Engineering Company, and Pacific Pumps. During this period, Bush and his family moved several times, living successively in Odessa, Texas; Ventura, Bakersfield, and Compton, California; and Midland, Texas. In 1951, Bush left Dresser Industries. He and John Overbey founded Bush-Overbey Oil Development Company, which was based in Midland, Texas. During this period, Bush became heavily involved with civic and charitable activities in Midland. He served on committees for the Midland Exchange Club, Midland Community Theater, and Midland County Unit of the American Cancer Society to name a few. He also served as a ruling elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Midland and managed Midland’s American Legion baseball team. While in Midland, Bush also became involved with politics, working with the fledgling Republican Party in Texas.

In 1953, Bush and Overbey formed a new business with Hugh and Bill Liedtke named Zapata Petroleum Corporation. Hugh Liedtke became president and George Bush became vice president of this new business venture. The following year, the parent company formed Zapata Off-Shore Company, of which Bush was named president. In 1959, the company was split, leaving the Liedtkes with control of Zapata Petroleum Corporation and establishing Bush as head of Zapata Off-Shore. That same year, Bush moved his family and the headquarters of Zapata Off-Shore to Houston, Texas. There he continued to involve himself with community and civic activities, serving on committees of the Houston Chamber of Commerce and the Mental Health Association of Houston and Harris County. In 1963, Bush was elected chairman of the Harris County Republican Party. A failed bid for the United States Senate followed in 1964. By 1966, Bush decided to sell his interest in Zapata Off-Shore Company and concentrate on winning a seat in the U.S. Congress. That year, Bush became the first Republican elected from Texas’s seventh Congressional District.

Subseries: Personal Alphabetical Files, 1943- 1983 (5.8 linear feet / 11,600 pages)

This subseries contains records of a personal nature kept by George Bush during the years 1946, when he was a student at Yale University, to 1966, when he was first elected to the United States Congress. The bulk of these files are from 1952 to 1964. While these are personal records, most appear to have been maintained in Bush’s business offices and coincide with his tenure with the Bush-Overbey Oil Development Company, Zapata Petroleum Company, and Zapata Off-Shore Company. A significant number of these files contain material related to Bush’s numerous civic and charitable activities while living in Midland and Houston. Other files cover Bush’s work for republican campaigns, his personal correspondence, material related to the oil industry, Bush’s work as an employee of Dresser Industries and its subsidiaries, and his work as a member of the board of directors for several organizations. Also included is a significant amount of financial material, including bank statements, cancelled checks, insurance policies, and investment information. Finally, while these records have been designated as personal in nature, interfiled with this material is information related to Bush’s business ventures. It should be noted that this subseries contains one file, Orders/Navy, which relates to Bush’s service in the United States Navy during World War II.

Within each folder, the material in usually arranged in reverse chronological order. Further, the folder titles are arranged alphabetically. However, because many of the folder titles begin with the descriptive phrase “Bush - Personal,” it was not always possible to alphabetize the folders by the first letter of the folder title. When a letter other than the first has been used to alphabetize the folder titles, that letter has been boldfaced.

Subseries: Business Alphabetical Files, 1954-1969 (1.8 linear feet / 3,600 pages)

This subseries contains records related to the operations of Zapata Off-Shore Company. These materials were maintained in a subject-based filing system and for the most part were generated after 1959, the year Bush moved Zapata Off-Shore’s headquarters to Houston. Records of note in this subseries include material pertaining to Bush’s efforts to merge his business with other companies and the endeavor to sell his interest in the company so he could concentrate on his campaign for the United States Congress.

As was the case with his Business Correspondence Files, it is apparent that these are only a portion of the files kept by Zapata Off-Shore Company during these years. It should also be noted that this subseries contains numerous files that were generated by employees of Zapata Off-Shore Company after Bush had given up any managerial functions within the company or on its board of directors.

Subseries: Business Correspondence Files, 1951-1966 (1.8 linear feet / 3,600 pages)

This subseries contains correspondence related to the business ventures of George Bush while working in Midland and Houston, Texas. While some of this correspondence dates from the early 1950s when Bush was associated with the Bush-Overbey Oil Development Company, the bulk was generated during Bush’s tenure as president of Zapata Off-Shore Company. Of this material, most records consist of copies of Bush’s out-going correspondence for the 1959 and 1960 calendar years. In addition, there are also copies of inter-office memoranda sent and received by management-level employees of Zapata Off-Shore Company.

Within each folder, the material in usually arranged in reverse chronological order. Further, the folder titles are arranged alphabetically. It should be noted that these correspondence files do not seem to be complete. Only certain years of material are present.

Subseries: Political Alphabetical Files, 1956-1964 (.5 linear feet / 1,000 pages)

This subseries contains material related to George Bush’s political activities in Texas prior to 1964. The majority of these documents were created or accumulated during Bush’s tenure as Chairman of the Harris County Republican Party in 1963. This includes campaign literature, texts of Republican platforms, newsclippings, and press releases. There is also correspondence in this material, including routine letters as well as correspondence with Republican leaders, such as Senator John Tower. Records related to efforts by George Bush to raise funds for other political candidates and campaigns can be found in these files. More substantial documents concerning his political activities while in Midland can be located in the Personal Alphabetical Files.

Subseries: Political Correspondence Files, 1957-1964 (.5 linear feet / 1,000 pages)

This subseries contains correspondence and related documents pertaining to George Bush’s political activities during his years in Midland and Houston. Most files focus on Bush’s role as chair of the Harris County Republican Party and compliment and overlap records found in his political alphabetical files. This includes letters concerning routine party business, such as appointment of precinct chairs and other leadership positions, fundraising efforts undertaken in the county, plans for the 1964 primary season, and correspondence with state Republican headquarters. Also prominent in the files is material related to efforts by Bush and other Harris County Republicans to broaden the party’s appeal, especially among African-American and Hispanic voters. Correspondence announcing Bush’s planned run for the U.S. Senate in 1964 is also located in these files, but there are no substantive records related to the campaign. In addition to correspondence related to his work as Harris County chairman, there are a few records that relate to his political involvement in Republican politics prior to 1963, including his tenure as Republican Finance Chair for District 29. Records related to Bush’s political activities can also be found in the personal alphabetical files subseries.

As with other correspondence files in this series, these records are generally filed in reverse chronological order. Most of the correspondence is also filed alphabetically. In instances where there was too little correspondence to warrant the creation of a separate folder, the original creator filed material in adjacent folders. For example, correspondence that would normally be filed under “Z” is instead filed under “Y.”

This series consists of materials spanning from 1963 to 1971, primarily documenting George Bush’s tenure in the United States House of Representatives. Only a few folders contain items that predate 1967 including a 1963-1964 personal correspondence file. The series is divided into four subseries: Congressional File - General, Congressional File - General - Senate, Congressional File - General - Personal, and Congressional File - General - Vietnam Trip.

Subseries: Congressional File - General (.6 linear feet / 1200 pages)

This subseries contains notes, letters, and memoranda concerning the Congressional career of George Bush. The bulk of the material spans the years 1968-1970 when George Bush served in Congress and sat on the Ways and Means Committee. These materials include constituent correspondence, information on financial matters, and newspaper clippings. There are also a few policy folders relating to Vietnam, the Middle East, and civil disobedience.

Subseries: Congressional File - General - Senate (.1 linear feet / 400 pages)

This subseries contains material concerning George Bush’s 1970 Senate campaign. Of particular interest is Mr. Bush’s Texas campaign diary in which he discusses fund raising, meeting with constituents, and the political climate of Texas during the early part of 1970.

Subseries: Congressional File - General - Personal (.1 linear feet / 400 pages)

This subseries contains routine personal information on George Bush from 1963-1970 including gun ownership, financial disclosures, and housing information. The subseries also contains correspondence between George Bush and Richard Nixon about political matters and between Bush and his personal assistant Don Rhodes.

Subseries:Congressional File - General - Vietnam Trip (.4 linear feet / 800 pages)

This subseries contains information on Congressman Bush’s trip to Vietnam from 12/26/67 - 1/11/68. It includes constituent correspondence, invitations, schedules, contact lists, and general background materials on Vietnam.

The United Nations File consists of materials related to George Bush’s tenure as U.S. ambassador to the UN. This file includes correspondence, cables, memoranda, transcripts, handwritten notes, and news clippings. A significant portion of the UN File concerns the admission of the People’s Republic of China to the UN General Assembly and Security Council. This file also contains personal diary entries transcribed from tapes recorded between December 1970 and September 1972.

This series contains personal notes, administrative files and public mail generated while George Bush was Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) from January 1973 until September 1974. This period coincided with the Watergate Crisis that resulted in President Richard Nixon’s resignation in August 1974. The administrative files consist of memos between Chairman Bush, President Nixon, White House officials, and RNC members. “Personal Notes” are transcripts of George Bush’s diary in which he comments on Watergate developments and his position as RNC Chairman. The RNC surveyed its members in October 1973 to determine whom they preferred as Vice President upon the resignation of Spiro T. Agnew (see Box 9 RNC Members - VP Selection). The Republican National Committee received public mail both positive and negative towards President Nixon and the RNC. The Alpha Files shown here are representative of public mail sent in 1973 and 1974. “Alpha Files-1974” consists of letters supporting George Bush for Vice President after Gerald Ford assumed the Presidency.

This series contains correspondence and administrative files created during George Bush’s service as U.S. Liaison to the People’s Republic of China. Bush served as Chief of the United States Liaison Office to the People’s Republic of China from October 21, 1974 to December 7, 1975. While the United States did not have an official embassy in Peking at the time, Bush served as the primary U.S. diplomat to China. As such he held the rank of Ambassador and carried out all official ambassadorial duties, including meeting with Chinese officials, hosting and attending diplomatic receptions, assisting U.S. official visits to China, and providing assistance to U.S. citizens visiting China. The series contains three subseries: a Correspondence File, the Peking Diary, and a Subject File. Noteworthy events during Bush’s tenure in the Liaison Office include the visits of numerous Congressional delegations; Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s visit in November, 1974; and the visit of Secretary of State Kissinger and President Gerald Ford in December, 1975.

Subseries: Correspondence File (1.4 linear feet / 2800 pages)

This subseries contains of correspondence George Bush received while head of the U.S. Liaison Office. This correspondence partially consists of letters from organizations and individuals requesting information on how to visit China. The remainder of the correspondence is comprised of letters from friends and acquaintances of George Bush. These friends wrote to provide updates on personal and political matters, and in some cases to request information on visiting China. In many cases a carbon copy of Bush’s typed response has been attached to the incoming correspondence.

This subseries consists of a diary of George Bush’s personal thoughts while head of the U.S. Liaison Office in Peking. This diary covers George Bush’s reactions to all aspects of life in Peking, including his opinions of public officials and diplomats, politics, family matters, international affairs, and life in China.

This subseries consists of subject files maintained by George Bush and his immediate office staff from 1974 to 1976. This material includes administrative files, personal files, correspondence files, and press clipping files. A portion of these files deal with the daily operation of the Peking Liaison Office, including the purchase of provisions. The subseries also contains personal files of George and Barbara Bush, including banking files, files on their Chinese language lessons, personal correspondence, and files related to personal effects. There are also files in this subseries related to Bush’s official duties as head of the Liaison Office, including files dealing with Bush’s official travels and correspondence dealing with Secretary of State Kissinger’s visit in November 1974 as well as the visit of President Ford and Kissinger in December 1975. Other files deal with social aspects of the Liaison Office, including correspondence related to friends who visit the Bushes, information on visiting Congressional delegations, material related to diplomatic receptions both hosted and attended by Bush, and the Fourth of July cookout hosted by George Bush in 1975. There are also a number of folders containing press clippings primarily from Chinese news sources.

This series consists of correspondence and speech materials documenting George Bush’s tenure as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. For the most part, the materials date from 1975 when President Gerald R. Ford asked Bush to head the CIA to 1977 when Bush stepped down from the post to return to private life. Several folders in the Subject Files date to 1978 when Bush was commenting on Congressional action relevant to the CIA. The series is divided into three subseries: Correspondence Files, Events and Appearances Files, and Subject Files. President Ford announced Bush’s appointment as head of the CIA on November 3, 1975, and the United States Senate confirmed Bush in January 1976 by a vote of sixty-four to twenty-seven. Bush pledged in his confirmation to abstain from political activities, including possible consideration as Ford’s vice presidential running mate in 1976, while serving at the CIA. He honored this pledge and did not attend the 1976 Republican National Convention or participate in Ford’s 1976 campaign. He resigned as director of the CIA at the end of the Ford administration, leaving his post on January 20, 1977.

This subseries contains letters sent and received by George Bush from 1975 to 1977. The series also contains notes, cards, and telegrams from the same period. The correspondence includes congratulatory letters upon Bush’s appointment as director of the Central Intelligence Agency by President Gerald R. Ford, as well as letters of support after Bush announced his plans to resign from the agency following President Ford’s defeat in the 1976 presidential elections by James Earl Carter. The files also include personal correspondence files maintained by President Bush during his tenure as CIA director. This personal correspondence is arranged alphabetically and is mostly routine in nature. It includes many letters from Bush’s friends and acquaintances across the nation, especially Texas. Several letters address Bush’s intelligence briefings for Carter during the 1976 presidential campaign. Other outgoing letters from Bush inform friends, acquaintances, and the general public about his general attitudes regarding the CIA, his pledge to forego politics during his CIA tenure, and his plans for returning to private life at the end of the Ford administration. Invitations accepted and regretted are also included in the correspondence files.

This subseries consists of files documenting George Bush’s appearances and speaking engagements during his tenure as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The papers date from 1975 to 1977. The papers document Bush’s appearances of popular news programs of the period including 60 Minutes and Meet the Press, as well as speaking engagements at clubs and groups across the nation. The files are arranged chronologically by appearance or event. Materials in the files include speech drafts, notes on speeches, speech outlines, and correspondence. The speech materials evidence Bush’s active role in shaping his speeches, whether adding humor at the beginning of remarks or substantively altering drafts to reflect current events regarding the CIA. Generally, files include letters of invitation to Bush to speak, notes regarding travel arrangements, and reaction by friends and the public to his remarks.

This subseries consists of subject files maintained by Bush when he was director of the CIA. The files contain cables, letters, memoranda, news clippings, printed material, schedules, testimony, and transcripts. The materials document Bush’s appointment as director of Central Intelligence, confirmation battle, and press interactions. Cables provide detailed information about his confirmation, but most of these items are closed due to classification restrictions. Notes and letters document Bush’s confirmation, including strategy items and general information regarding Bush’s philosophy regarding the CIA and the post of director. Additional materials of interest include Bush’s comments on legislation proposed by Congress in 1978 regarding the CIA. Also included are numerous news clippings documenting poor or inaccurate reporting about the intelligence agency.

This series contains materials related to George Bush’s father, Prescott Sheldon Bush. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on May 15, 1895. Upon graduating from Yale in 1917, Bush served in the United States Army at the end of World War I as a captain of field artillery, seeing battle during the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Back home, Bush entered business first with Simmons Hardware Company. He later worked from Stedman Products from 1922 to 1924 in South Baintree, Massachusetts and the U.S. Rubber Company from 1924 to 1926 before settling into a position with W. A. Harriman and Company in New York City. He would remain associated with the Harriman business interests, which merged with Brown Brothers in 1931, for the remainder of his career on Wall Street. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1952 in a special election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Senator Brien McMahon. Elected to a full term in 1956, Bush served until January 3, 1963. The Columbia University Oral History Program interviewed Prescott Bush in 1966. Bush discusses his family background, business career, and experience in the Senate. The transcript may be photocopied, but permission must be obtained from Columbia University before publication.

This series contains materials related to George Bush’s mother, Dorothy Walker Bush. Born near Walker’s Point, Walker County, Maine on July 1, 1901. She married Prescott Sheldon Bush on August 6, 1921 in Kennebunkport, Maine. They had five children together including Prescott S. Bush, Jr.; George Herbert Walker Bush; Nancy Bush Ellis; Jonathan James Bush; and William Henry Trotter “Bucky” Bush. An avid sportswoman, Mrs. Bush enjoyed riding and was especially adept at tennis. She was runner-up in the 1918 Girl’s National Tournament. She died at her home in Connecticut on November 19, 1992. During her husband’s term in the United States Senate, Mrs. Bush wrote a weekly newspaper column “Washington Life - As Seen by a Senator’s Wife.” These columns detail events such as the opening of Congress, the State of the Union, entertainment at the White House, and comments on the political leaders of the time. Of special note, her January 17, 1962 column mentions her recent visit to George and Barbara Bush in Houston, Texas. This series contains only three years of the column.