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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 375 Collections and/or Records:

Office of the President records on public relations, 1959

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 5 Sub-Series 27
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memorandums from BYU faculty and staff about BYU's public relations and portrayal in the media. Dated 1959.

Dates: 1959
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 public relations, 1967

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 10 Sub-Series 14
Scope and Contents

Contains letters, memos and reports on BYU's public relations and portrayal in the media. Also contains memos and letters between President Wilkinson and leadrship at other schools discussing comapring these universities to BYU. 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 public relations, 1966

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 9 Sub-Series 13
Scope and Contents

Contians letters, memorandums, brochures, and reports about how BYU is protrayed in the media, as well as a variety of topics such as public obscenity isssues and introductions to new BYU students. 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 publicity, 1956-1958

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 3 Sub-Series 48
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memorandums to and from President Wilkinson on the topic of articles written about BYU and other forms of university publicity. Dated 1956 to 1958.

Dates: 1956-1958
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 recommendations, 1955-1960

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 3 Sub-Series 50
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos to and from President Wilkinson. They are letters of recommendations for BYU students as well as proposals recommending the use of funds for special projects. Dated 1955 to 1960.

Dates: 1955-1960
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 recording equipment, 1959-1961

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 4 Sub-Series 61
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos between BYU faculty and staff about dictaphones and other means of transcribing and recording telephone conversations. Dated 1959 to 1961.

Dates: 1959-1961
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 records on travel, 1956

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 65
Scope and Contents

Contains travel brochures, letters and memorandums dated 1956. The letters and memorandums concern organizing travel plans for BYU faculty and staff as well as organizing college credits for students who participated in BYU travel programs.

Dates: 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 research, 1964

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 7 Sub-Series 17
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos between President Wilkinson and others on proposed research projects, facilities, and funding. Also contains project proposals and reports. 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 research, 1965

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 8 Sub-Series 16
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos between BYU staff about research grants and research project plans. Also contains reports and proposals about upcoming research projects. Dated 1965.

Dates: 1965
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 Research, 1960-1963

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 6 Sub-Series 65
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos between BYU faculty as well as proposals and letters for a research institute at BYU. Dated 1960-1963.

Dates: 1960-1963
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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