What Is Gerald Ford's Birth Name?

Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States, was given the name Leslie Lynch King Jr. when he was born. He was named after his father, Leslie Lynch King. His mother, Dorothy Gardner King, and his father got divorced within six months after the birth in 1913, and she got remarried in 1916 to Gerald Rudolff Ford. After the marriage, Leslie Lynch King Jr. began being referred to as Gerald R. Ford, but he did not legally change his name until he was 22 years old. He did not find out that Gerald Rudolff Ford was not his biological father until he was 13 years old.

More about Gerald R. Ford:

  • Ford is the only US president who was never elected to the positions of either president or vice president.

  • Ford reportedly went through the most thorough background check in the history of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) before he was selected as the replacement for Spiro Agnew, who had resigned as the vice president under Richard Nixon.

  • After graduating from college, Ford received offers from two professional football teams, the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions, but he turned them down to pursue law school.
More Info: fordlibrarymuseum.gov

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