Brimhall, George H. (George Henry), 1853-1932
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 42 Collections and/or Records:
Brigham Young Academy acting president correspondence, 1900
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.
Brigham Young Academy acting president correspondence, 1900-1901
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.
Brigham Young Academy acting president correspondence, 1901
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.
Brigham Young Academy acting president correspondence on missionaries, 1900-1901
Contains correspondence between George H. Brimhall and Church leaders regarding the missionary training program at the Academy. Materials date from between 1900 and 1901.
Brigham Young University campus records
Collection includes correspondence and maps concerning the request for donations for land for the Brigham Young University campus.
Brigham Young University records on Students' Army Training Corps
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.
George H. Brimhall letters
Contains copies of two letters addressed to principles of Seminaries. The letters ask for statistics on attendance, enrollment, and other information about the Seminary program. George Brimhall was, at the time, Director of the Department of Theology at Brigham Young University.
George H. Brimhall papers
Contains 53 items of handwritten and typewritten correspondence to and from Brimhall and Brigham Young University Alumni requesting and concerning reminiscences of experiences at Brigham Young Academy and Brigham Young University, 1925.
George H. Brimhall papers
George H. Brimhall recruitment records for the missionary class of 1916
Contains correspondence to bishoprics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah requesting the application of young men to attend the Brigham Young University missionary class, and responses with names of prospective students from the bishoprics. 40 items. Dated 1916.