Skip to main content

Wilkinson, Ernest L., 1899-1978

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1899 - 1978

Biographical History

Ernest L. Wilkinson (1899-1978) was a prominent Mormon lawyer and academic administrator. He served as president of Brigham Young University from 1951-1971.

Ernest Leroy Wilkinson was born in Ogden, Utah, on May 4, 1899. He grew up in the outskirts of the city, one of seven children. Ernest enrolled in Weber Academy, and he was characterized by his hardworking nature. He served in the Student Army Training Corps in 1918. He then attended Brigham Young University, where he was very active in student activities and politics. He married Alice Valera Ludlow on August 15, 1923. He attended George Washington University and graduated summa cum laude in 1926. In 1935, he served as a lawyer for the Ute Indian tribes as they successfully gained compensation for land.

Upon being named president of BYU in 1951, Wilkinson proceeded to aggressively expand the university. Under his presidency, BYU grew to the largest private university in the United States. The intellectual standards of BYU also increased dramatically. Even as he contributed to drastic growth in the university, he never accepted a salary. He was replaced by Dallin H. Oaks in 1971. Wilkinson passed away April 6, 1978.

Citation:
His Earnestly yours, 1971

Deem, W.J. Ernest L. Wilkinson, Indian advocate ... 1982: p. 665 (d. 4/6/78)

Wikipedia, Mar. 2, 2011 (Ernest L. Wilkinson; Ernest Leroy Wilkinson; b. May 4, 1899 in Ogden, Utah; American academic administrator; Commission of Church Education for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1953-1970; president of Brigham Young University, 1951-1971; attorney in Washington, D.C. and N.Y.)

Ancestry.com, Mar. 2, 2011 (Ernest L. Wilkinson; Ernest Wilkinson; Ernest Leroy Wilkinson; d. in Salt Lake City, Utah)

Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years, 1975: p. 506 (born in Ogden, Utah; one of seven children; grew up on outskirts) p. 508 (enrolled in Weber Academy; hardworking) p. 510 (Student Army Training Corps, 1918; attended Brigham Young University) p. 511 (active in BYU activities) p. 515 (married Alice Ludlow; August 15, 1923) p. 517 (graduated from George Washington University; summa cum laude; 1926) p. 520 (attorney for the Ute Tribe) p. 506 (never accepted a salary)

FamilySearch, May 29, 2014 (Ernest Leroy Wilkinson, "BillionGraves Index"; b. May 4, 1899; d. April 6, 1978)

Office of the President, May 29, 2014 (Ernest L. Wilkinson; served as president from 1951-1971; expanded BYU to nation's largest private university; increased intellectual standards)

Found in 32 Collections and/or Records:

Office of the President charts, 1963

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 6 Sub-Series 19
Scope and Contents

Contians memos and reports about church school enrollment and dropouts. Dated 1963.

Dates: 1963

Office of the President general records, 1967

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 10 Sub-Series 9
Scope and Contents

Memos and letters to and from President Wilkinson discussing miscellaneous personal and professional matters such as condolences, congratulations, pollitics, and inviations to speaking engagements. Dated 1967.

Dates: 1967

Office of the President records, 1950-1962

 Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 2
Scope and Contents

Records of the Office of the President under Ernest L. Wilkinson on various administrative topics, including the Church School System, federal aid, finance, enrollment statistics, and general correspondence between administration. Dates of record keeping from 1950 to 1962.

Dates: Record Keeping: 1950-1962

Office of the President records, 1965-1968

 Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 10
Scope and Contents

Records of the Office of the President under Ernest L. Wilkinson on various administrative topics, including the Church School System, federal aid, finance, enrollment statistics, and general correspondence between administration. Dates of record keeping from 1965 to 1968.

Dates: 1965-1968

Office of the President records on academic aids, 1967

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 10 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains letters, memos, and reports about physical aids to education at BYU such as the library, computer center, the Russell collection, and more. Also contains lists of materials. Dated 1967.

Dates: 1967

Office of the President records on administration, 1966-1967

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 10 Sub-Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinson and other members of BYU administration as well as reports on BYU activity. Also contains sections on administrative councils and budgets for BYU departments. Dated 1966-1967.

Dates: 1966-1967

Office of the President records on Admissions and Records, 1958-1962

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 4 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains memos, letters, and reports on the topics of student enrollment patterns, financial aid, and individual students at BYU. Dated 1958 to 1962.

Dates: 1958-1962

Office of the President records on Alumni Association, 1967

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 10 Sub-Series 4
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos about the BYU Alumni Association as well as lists and articles about alumni and alumni descendents. Also contains memos and financial records about use of Aspen Grove. Dated 1967.

Dates: 1967

Office of the President records on associations, 1967

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 10 Sub-Series 5
Scope and Contents

Contains letters, memos, reports and other materials from a BYU conference, Credit Union, and the New World Archaeological Foundation Dated 1967.

Dates: 1967

Office of the President records on Auxiliary Services, 1967

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 10 Sub-Series 6
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinson and other BYU staff. Also contains reports about the activity of BYU on-campus auxiliary services such as food and media as well as off-campus Church property. Dated 1967.

Dates: 1967