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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 393 Collections and/or Records:

Office of the President records on schools of Pacific, 1951-1958

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 3 Sub-Series 40
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos rearding teachers, students, and expenses of the Church schools in Hawaii, as well as organizing trips of President Wilkinson to the Pacific. Dated 1951 to 1958.

Dates: 1951-1958
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1086, Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on secretaries, 1953-1958

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 3 Sub-Series 57
Scope and Contents

Contains memos hiring secretaries and resolving wage disputes between BYU and secretaries. Also contains reports detailing secretary duties. Dated 1953 to 1958.

Dates: 1953-1958
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1086, Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on secretaries, 1958-1962

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 4 Sub-Series 68
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos to and from President Wilkinson about hiring secretaries and secretarial duties. Also contains memos on the purchase of a new Xerox machine. Dated 1958 to 1962.

Dates: 1958-1962
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1086, Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on secretaries, 1964

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 7 Sub-Series 14
Scope and Contents

Contains memos from President Wilkinson to his secretary on a variety of issues, from campus issues to United States politics. Dated 1964.

Dates: 1964
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1086, Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on secretaries, 1966

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 9 Sub-Series 11
Scope and Contents

Contains memos between President Wilkinson and BYU secretaries discussing advice, meetings, and phone calls. Dated 1966.

Dates: 1966
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1086, Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on secretaries, 1967

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 10 Sub-Series 11
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinsons and BYU secretaries discussing daily business. Dated 1967.

Dates: 1967
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1086, Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on security, 1951-1956

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 59
Scope and Contents

Contains Letters, reports and memoranda concerning crimes and traffic violations by BYU students. Dated 1951 to 1956.

Dates: 1951-1956
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1086, Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on servicemen, 1956-1957

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 3 Sub-Series 54
Scope and Contents

Contains generic letters from the BYU Service letter Committe to American servicemen updating them on campus news and events. Dated 1956 to 1957.

Dates: 1956-1957
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1086, Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on sex education, 1953-1955

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 52
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence, memorandums and proposed curriculum for sex education in schools. Also contains a survey regarding sexual practices of men and women inside and outside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1953-1955.

Dates: 1953-1955
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1086, Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on Social Security, 1952

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 53
Scope and Contents

Contains ballots from a vote on the retirement plan at BYU as well as reports detailing the BYU retirement policies, dated 1952.

Dates: 1952
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1086, Office of the President records / Office of the President records

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