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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 7 Collections and/or Records:

Centennial History Project drafts and correspondence, 1972-1977

 Series
Identifier: UA 566 Series 4
Scope and Contents

Contains drafts and associated correspondence for both the one-volume history and multi-volume history of Brigham Young University. Materials date from between 1972 and 1977.

Dates: 1972-1977
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 566, Centennial History Project records

Centennial History Project drafts and other material for multi-volume history, 1972-1976

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 566 Series 4 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents Contains materials related to the multi-volume history, Brigham Young University: The First One Hundred Years. Includes draft subsections of chapter critiques and outlines, foreword, preface, acknowledgements, editor's introduction, volume one (chapters 1-14 and appendices), volume two (editor's comments, chapters 15-30, and appendices), volume three (editor's comments, and chapters 31-44), volume four (chapters 45-55 and appendices), including correspondence about the book (in progress and...
Dates: 1972-1976
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 566, Centennial History Project records / Centennial History Project drafts and correspondence

Centennial History Project drafts and other material for single-volume history, 1972-1977

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 566 Series 4 Sub-Series 1
Scope and Contents

Contains general correspondence, production and distribution files, drafts and draft correspondence, including chapters files, index, galleys, pertaining to the single-volume history, Brigham Young University: A School of Destiny. Materials date from between 1972 and 1977.

Dates: 1972-1977
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 566, Centennial History Project records / Centennial History Project drafts and correspondence

Centennial History Project records

 Collection
Identifier: UA 566
Scope and Contents Contains documents created and/or accumulated by Centennial History Project participants. Documents in the collection contain information relative to at least two major areas of interest: 1) The operation of the Centennial History Project; 2) The actual history of the University.The various administrative, correspondence, source material, and draft files in the collection reveal the inner workings of the project. Closely documented is the manner in which the project was pursued...
Dates: 1834-1979; Majority of material found within 1971-1979
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / Centennial History Project records

Centennial History Project staff correspondence, 1972-1976

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 566 Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains the combined correspondence files of all staff members for the multi-volume history. Includes correspondence with Wilkinson, other staff members, university personnel, and various individuals who furnished information or source materials for the history. Attached to some items of correspondence are copies of source materials. Materials date from between 1972 and 1976.

Dates: 1972-1976
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 566, Centennial History Project records

Ernest L. Wilkinson biography, 1977-1980

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 1 Sub-Series 2
Scope and Contents note

Contains drafts, notes, and correspondence related to Wilkinson's biography prepared by Wilkinson and Glenn V. Bird. Dated 1977-1980.

Dates: 1977-1980
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections. University Archives / UA 1000, Ernest L. Wilkinson papers / Ernest L. Wilkinson personal papers

National Council of American Indians records

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 1704
Scope and Contents Contains correspondence, personal history, and business papers of both Zitkala-S̈a and her husband, Raymond Bonnin, with the bulk focusing on Gertrude's activities. Zitkala-S̈a was a central figure in early twentieth century Indian reform, and this collection reflects her intensive involvement. She was instrumental in legislation favorable to Indians and spent a great deal of her time among the Native Americans in an attempt to educate and organize them for greater strength through unity....
Dates: 1926-1938
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / National Council of American Indians records

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