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 290 Collections and/or Records:
Office of the President records on William P. Knecht, 1963
Contains various memos and letters, many of them between President Wilkinson and William P. Knecht. Dated 1963.
Office of the President records on World's Fair, 1963
Contains letters to President Wilkinson discussing accommodations for the 1964 Worlds Fair. Dated 1963.
Office of the President records on World's Fair, 1963
Contains printed materials about the Hall of Free Enterprise at the Worlds Fair, including memos, reports and brochures. Dated 1963.
Office of the President speeches, 1960-1964
Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinson and others coordinating speaking engagements for President Wilkinson. Dated 1960 to 1964.
Office of the President speeches , 1965
Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinson and potential speakers at BYU organizing addresses. Also contains the annual reports of various BYU colleges, as well as copies of addresses given at BYU. Dated 1965.
Office of the President speeches, 1963
Contains academic articles as well as letters and memos requesting President Wilkinson to speak at events. Dated 1963.
Office of the President speeches, 1951-1955
Contains correspondence and memos concerning speaking engagements of President Wilkinson and other BYU faculty as well as radio presentations between 1945 to 1956. Date of record keeping 1951 to 1955.
Office of the President speeches, 1959
Contains copies of speeches given at BYU as well as memos and letters organizing these speeches. Dated 1959.
Office of the President speeches, 1967
Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinson and other. The letters were invitations for President Wilkinson to speak at events, as well as his reponses to these invitations. Dated 1967.
Office of the President speeches, 1966
Contains letters, memos and more materials between President Wilkinson, BYU students and BYU staff about speeches given by Presidetn Wilkinson. Dated 1966.