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Brimhall, George H. (George Henry), 1853-1932

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1853 - 1932

Biographical History

George H. Brimhall (1852-1932) was a student, teacher, principal, department head, acting president, president, president emeritus, and head of the alumni association at Brigham Young University.

George Henry Brimhall was born in Salt Lake City on December 9, 1852, to George Washington Brimhall and Rachel Ann Mayer. At age eighteen, he attended high school at the Timpanogos Branch of the University of Deseret in nearby Provo taught by Warren and Wilson Dusenberry. He and some friends built a school they named the Young Men's Academy. There Brimhall met Alsina Elizabeth Wilkins, a student at the academy, whom he married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on December 28, 1874. Together, they had six children. In September 1885, Brimhall married a second wife, Flora Robertson, in the Logan Temple. Together, they had eight children.

He gained teacher's certificates and diplomas and was elected superintendent of Utah County Schools and Provo City Schools. In 1891, the BYA Board of Trustees chairman, Abraham O. Smoot, asked Brimhall, to join Brigham Young Academy's teaching staff and head the Normal (teacher training) Department. Brimhall received the degree of Bachelor of Pedagogy and became BYA Alumni Association's first president. He received all of his higher education at BYA or BYU.

In 1898, Brimhall became a member of the General Church Board of Education. From 1900-1902, while Benjamin Cluff Jr. was away, he became acting principal of BYA. In December 1903, he received a letter from Joseph F. Smith asking him to be the president of the newly renamed Brigham Young University. He was inaugurated as BYU's second president on April 16, 1904 with Joseph B. Keller and Edwin S. Hinckley as his counselors.

Brigham Young University underwent a great deal of change under Brimhall's tenure. Student enrollment expanded, the degree of bachelor of pedagogy was replaced by the Bachelor of Arts and a master's degree was offered. In addition, The Banyan, the university's first yearbook was published, the block Y on a mountain above campus had been painted, thirty-seven acres of the upper (present) campus had been acquired, the first honorary degree had been conferred, and two new buildings (the Maeser Memorial Building and the Mechanic Arts Building, now known as the Brimhall Building) had been erected on upper campus.

Brimhall was released as president of BYU in 1921. He remained on campus and continued with his work for Church seminaries and as a member of the General Board of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. Brimhall died on July 29, 1932 in Provo, Utah.

Citation:
"George H. Brimhall's Legacy of Service to Brigham Young University", Mary Jane Woodger and Joseph H. Groberg (George H. Brimhall; born 1852 in Salt Lake City on December 9, 1852, to George Washington Brimhall and Rachel Ann Mayer; attended high school at the Timpanogos Branch of the University of Deseret in nearby Provo taught by Warren and Wilson Dusenberry; built a school they named the Young Men’s Academy; met Alsina Elizabeth Wilkins; married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on December 28, 1874; had six children; In September 1885, Brimhall married a second wife, Flora Robertson, in the Logan Temple; had eight children; teacher’s certificates and diplomas; elected superintendent of Utah County Schools and Provo City Schools; In 1891, joined Brigham Young Academy’s teaching staff and headed the Normal (teacher training) Department; received the degree of Bachelor of Pedagogy and became BYA Alumni Association’s first president; received all of his higher education at BYA or BYU; In 1898, Brimhall became a member of the General Church Board of Education; From 1900-1902, while Benjamin Cluff Jr. was away, he became acting principal of BYA; inaugurated as BYU’s second president on April 16, 1904 with Joseph B. Keller and Edwin S. Hinckley as his counselors; Brigham Young University underwent a great deal of change under Brimhall’s tenure. Student enrollment expanded, the degree of bachelor of pedagogy was replaced by the Bachelor of Arts and a master’s degree was offered. In addition, The Banyan, the university's first yearbook was published, the block Y on a mountain above campus had been painted, thirty-seven acres of the upper (present) campus had been acquired, the first honorary degree had been conferred, and two new buildings (the Maeser Memorial Building and the Mechanic Arts Building, now known as the Brimhall Building) had been erected on upper campus; Brimhall was released as president of BYU in 1921; He remained on campus and continued with his work for Church seminaries and as a member of the General Board of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association; died on July 29, 1932 in Provo, Utah)

Found in 46 Collections and/or Records:

Annotated copy of Banyan

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197230328756]
Identifier: MSS SC 2949
Scope and Contents

Brigham Young University yearbook containing signatures of the university presidency (George H. Brimhall, Joseph B. Keeler, Amos N. Merrill), studentbody presidency, instructors, and other associates.

Dates: 1915

Articles, poetry, and other material on Brigham Young University

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197231244945]
Identifier: UA 607
Scope and Contents Contains eight items related to Brigham Young University, including a poem "The Builder," a tribute to BYU, by Marie Clark Miller; a list of officers of Brigham Young University, 1923-1924; a news article examining the progress of BYU, 1918; a brief history and suggested outline for a history of BYU, with name of compilers, 1920; a copy of the Deseret Weekly containing article about Brigham Young Academy, 1891; a brief history of the Academy from the Contributor written by James Talmage,...
Dates: 1891-1925

Brigham Young Academy acting president correspondence, 1900

 Series
Identifier: UA 1093 Series 14
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence between George H. Brimhall and students, parents, Church leaders, and others related to the administration of the Academy. Includes information on progress of the South American Expedition. Materials date from 1900.

Dates: 1900

Brigham Young Academy acting president correspondence, 1900-1901

 Series
Identifier: UA 1093 Series 15
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence between George H. Brimhall and students, teachers, businessmen, and Church leaders related to the administration of the Academy. Includes information on the progress of the South American Expedition. Materials date from between 1900 and 1901.

Dates: 1900-1901

Brigham Young Academy acting president correspondence, 1901

 Series
Identifier: UA 1093 Series 18
Scope and Contents

Contains correspondence between George H. Brimhall and students, teachers, Church leaders, and others related to the administration of the Academy. Includes information on the Beaver Branch and the progress of the South American Expedition. Materials date from 1901.

Dates: 1901

Brigham Young Academy certificates

 File — Oversize-folder 1: [Barcode: 31197225543740]
Identifier: UA 1283
Scope and Contents

Contains two certificates from Brigham Young Academy, one being a diploma granted to George H. Brimhall in 1891 and the second a certificate establishing the Student Loan Association of Utah in 1893. Dated 1891-1893.

Dates: 1891-1893

Brigham Young University campus records

 File — Folder 1: [Barcode: 31197231033629]
Identifier: UA 115
Scope and Contents

Collection includes correspondence and maps concerning the request for donations for land for the Brigham Young University campus.

Dates: 1916

Brigham Young University presidential portraits

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 5333
Scope and Contents

Contains portraits of the presidents of the university from Warren N. Dusenberry to Merrill J. Bateman, excluding Rex E. Lee's portrait. Materials date from between 1875 and 2003.

Dates: 1875-2003

Brigham Young University records on Students' Army Training Corps

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 110
Scope and Contents

Contains reports, memoranda, schedules, lists, statements and correspondence concerning construction, the United States War Department, and Brigham Young University detachment of the Student Army Training Corps.

Dates: 1918-1919

Brigham Young University roll books

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1130
Scope and Contents

Contains class roll books from Brigham Young University. The roll books contain attendance records and grades from courses by such professors as George H. Brimhall, Edwin S. Hinckley, and Karl G. Maeser. There are also a few roll books from high schools, and grade records from various years.

Dates: 1895-1957