Dates

• Existence: 1909 - 1987

Biographical History

Lorin Farrar Wheelwright (1909-1987) was an educator, composer, musician, and administrator in Utah.

Lorin Farrar Wheelwright was born on December 20, 1909 in Ogden, Utah to David S. and Valborg Rasmussen Wheelwright. He showed an early talent for music, and studied under Edward P. Kimball and Alexander Schreiner. He later expanded his training attending Columbia University and the Juilliard School of Music in New York. He earned a master's degree at the University of Chicago, and a doctorate from Columbia University. Among the works he composed are many hymns that remain in the Latter-day Saint hymnbook.

Wheelwright worked at a variety of institutions in Utah and New York, including the Oswego State Teacher's College (now State University of New York at Oswego), the Branch Agricultural College (now Southern Utah University), Brigham Young University, and the Salt Lake Public Schools. He later left education to form his own music publishing company, Wheelwright Lithographing Company. He also served in the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a member of the Sunday School General Board from 1956 to 1971, and as associate editor of the Church publication The Instructor.

In 1967 he was recruited to serve as dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Brigham Young University. During his tenure the faculty of the college was expanded, and the curriculum modified to focus on professional preparation. He also helped reorganize the Daily Universe as a student laboratory newspaper, produced college-oriented recordings for Church-wide distribution, and established the Mormon Arts Festival. Following his retirement in 1972 he was appointed to the university's Centennial Celebration Committee.

Wheelwright married Ila Eugenia Spilsbury in 1933 in St. George, Utah. Together they had four children. He passed away on November 4, 1987 in Provo, Utah.

Citation:

Author's An experimental study of the perceptibility and spacing of music symbols

FamilySearch, via WWW, May 25, 2010: (Lorin Farrar Wheelwright; b. Dec. 20, 1909; d. Nov. 4, 1987)

Wikipedia, Dec. 2, 2011: Lorin F. Wheelwright page (American Latter-day Saint hymnwriter, composer, musical instructor, and educator; son of David S. and Valborg Rasmussen; studied under Edward P. Kimball and Alexander Schreiner; studied at Columbia University and Juilliard School of Music; master's degree from University of Chicago; Ph.D. from Columbia University; head of music education for Salt Lake Public Schools; taught music at Oswego Teachers College; professor at Branch Agricultural College; owned publishing company; member of the Sunday School General Board, 1956-1971; associate editor of The Instructor; dean of the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications, 1967-1973; started the Mormon Arts Festival in 1969; wrote hymns appearing in LDS hymnbook)

Brigham Young University, 1975: v. 3 p. 80-81 (Lorin F. Wheelwright; taught briefly at BYU in 1937; successful publisher; professional organist and pianist in New York City, N.Y.; head of Coordinating Counci of Higher Education of the State of Utah; manager of the arts division of the Utah Centennial Commission, 1946-1947; head of Wheelwright Lithographing Company; reorganized the Daily Universe as a laboratory newspaper; production of college-oriented recordings for Church-wide distribution; addition of faculty members; modified curriculum to focus on professional preparation; served on centennial celebration committee)

Ancestry.com, Dec. 2, 2011 (b. in Ogden, Utah; m. Apr. 23, 1933 in St. George, Utah to Ila Eugenia Spilsbury; d. in Provo, Utah; four children)

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records: