Wilkinson, Ernest L., 1899-1978
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, 1971Deem, 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 62 Collections and/or Records:
Scrapbook on Brigham Young University buildings
Scrapbook of Brigham Young University buildings given to David O. McKay by Ernest L. Wilkinson in 1966.
Seventeenth Annual Utah Conference on Higher Education papers
The proceedings of the 17th Annual Utah Conference on Higher Education, as well as a program outlining the events of the weekend, dated September 15, 16, 1960.
Summer School dean records
Contains correspondence and payroll reports concerning summer school faculty (14 items). Materials date from between 1950 and 1953.
Unified Church School System reports
Contains reports concerning Brigham Young University, Institutes of Religion, Seminaries, Ricks College, LDS Business School, Juarez School, McCune School, and schools in Mexico in the Unified Church School System.
University Communications newspaper clippings on Ernest L. Wilkinson
Contains newspaper clippings about Ernest L. Wilkinson, 1951-1971.
University Relations Division records
Contains materials from the Public Communications Department and the tenure of Edwin Butterworth as the director. Includes correspondence, minutes, financial records, and other materials relating to the operation of the University's news bureau and public relations. Also contains copies of news clippings and articles concerning the University and various issues attached to the University. Contains Lyceum files and VIP files.
William Whitaker sketches of university presidents
Contains pencil sketches of all of the presidents of Brigham Young Academy and Brigham Young University from Warren N. Dusenberry to Rex E. Lee created by William Whitaker. Each of these are framed for housing purposes. The date of production of materials is 1996.
Marvin E. Wiggins retirement celebration
Marvin E. Wiggins retirement celebration, 2007 includes a CD recording and transcript of Wiggins' 31 January 2007 retirement celebration. Wiggins' lecture on that occasion includes history of the Lee Library over his 40 years of service. Also included are tributes from other prominent Library faculty.
Ernest L. Wilkinson correspondence concerning the Joseph Smith Memorial Farm
Includes correspondence between William P. Knecht and Ernest L. Wilkinson concerning the use of the Joseph Smith Memorial Farm.
Ernest L. Wilkinson papers
Contains correspondence, reports, proposals, corporate minutes, diaries, and other materials related to Wilkinson's law career, service as president of Brigham Young University, political ambitions, and personal life. Dated 1875-1980.