Leslie Lynch King, Sr.

Leslie Lynch King Sr. (July 25, 1884 – February 18, 1941) was an American businessman and the biological father of U.S. president Gerald Ford. Because of his alcoholism and abusive behavior, his wife, Dorothy Gardner, left him sixteen days after their son's birth.

Early life King was born in Chadron, Nebraska, to businessman Charles Henry King and Martha Alicia King. King attended military academy in Missouri. a business King would later take over. and in November 1908 he and his father were indicted for beating one of their employees. King's father later took a primary house in Los Angeles and since the company's business interests were largely in Wyoming, the younger King became the primary manager. King later took a residence in Los Angeles as well. King was eight years older than his wife. When they returned to Omaha, Dorothy discovered that King was not as wealthy as he claimed; in fact, he was deep in debt. On their honeymoon to the West Coast and then in Omaha, King abused his wife and eventually threw her out. Dorothy returned to her parents' home in Illinois, and a few weeks later Leslie came to their home and Dorothy agreed to return to Omaha with him. In 1916, Charles H. King agreed to pay the delinquent alimony and future child support until his death on the stipulation that Dorothy drop charges against Leslie.

On February 1, 1917, Dorothy Gardner King married Grand Rapids businessman Gerald Rudolff Ford. They called her son Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., although he was not formally adopted. In honor of his stepfather, in 1935 at the age of 22, young Gerald legally changed his name to this, adopting the more-common spelling of his middle name. The Fords also had three sons together.

Second marriage King married Margaret Atwood in Reno, Nevada, in 1919. They had three children:

Marjorie Bell King (1921 – April 8, 1993) Leslie "Bud" Henry King (March 28, 1923 – December 2, 1976) Ford's paternal grandfather, Charles Henry King, took care of his first grandson and paid Ford's mother child support until shortly before his death in 1930. After Charles' death, Leslie inherited $50,000 ($988,661 in 2026 dollars), and Dorothy got a judgment from Nebraska courts to force him to pay support. King was living in Wyoming, outside of Nebraska's legal jurisdiction, and refused. It is reported that Ford visited King Sr. one summer at King's spacious home in Wyoming when Ford was working at Yellowstone,

King died on February 18, 1941, in Tucson, Arizona.