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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 699 Collections and/or Records:

Office of the President records on library, 1950-1956

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 32
Scope and Contents

Memos, correspondence, and procedures regarding the operation of the campus library, dated 1950 to 1956.

Dates: 1950-1956
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on library, 1954-1958

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 3 Sub-Series 36
Scope and Contents

Contains memos and letters discussing the collections of books and manuscripts at the BYU library. Dated 1954 to 1958.

Dates: 1954-1958
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on library, 1959-1962

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 4 Sub-Series 49
Scope and Contents

Contains reports, memos and letters on the BYU library, especially on collection materials and donations made to the library. Dated 1959 to 1962.

Dates: 1959-1962
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on library, 1963

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 6 Sub-Series 54
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos about books and resources in the BYU student library and J. Reuben Clark law library. Also contains a report on science and religion. Dated 1963.

Dates: 1963
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on lien law, 1952

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 33
Scope and Contents

Contains materials regarding the repeal of the lien law in Utah. Includes news articles explaining the law and the pros and cons, a report arguing for the removal of lien law, and correspondence discussing the pros and cons of the law. Dated 1952.

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

Office of the President records on Mahonri Young, 1957-1958

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 3 Sub-Series 63
Scope and Contents

Contains memos and letters concerning the arrangement of the Mahonri Young Estate which was donated to BYU. Dated 1957 to 1958.

Dates: 1957-1958
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on Mahonri Young, 1959-1962

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 4 Sub-Series 82
Scope and Contents

Contains letters and memos to and from President Wilkinson about the Mahonri Young Estate. Dated 1959 to 1962.

Dates: 1959-1962
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on Mahonri Young, 1963

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 6 Sub-Series 81
Scope and Contents

Contians memos discussing Mahonri Young as well as new clippings from "Church News." Dated 1963.

Dates: 1963
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on marriages, 1951-1953

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 1 Sub-Series 34
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence and reports regarding marriages of couples in the Provo, Salt Lake, southern California areas, who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It also discusses the membership of those members' spouses, mainly revealing whether members were marrying other members or nonmembers. Includes statistical reports. Dated 1951 to 1953.

Dates: 1951-1953
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Office of the President records / Office of the President records

Office of the President records on misrepresentation of university, 1958

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1086 Series 3 Sub-Series 37
Scope and Contents

Contains memorandums from President Wilkinson regarding slanderous statements made by Universtiy of Utah professors about BYU. Dated 1958.

Dates: 1958
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Office of the President records / Office of the President records

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