Wilkinson, Ernest L., 1899-1978
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, 1971Deem, 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 76 Collections and/or Records:
Centennial Committee records on college and departmental events, 1973-1976
Consists of memorandums, meeting minutes, correspondence, and other materials generated as part of planning events and displays to be hosted by various colleges and departments. Dates from 1973-1976.
Centennial History Project chronological source files, 1835-1979
Contains source material, including extracts from a variety of sources such as university presidential papers, correspondence, diaries and journals, minutes of various meetings, published sources, personal histories, and reports. Many of the items exhibit annotations of staff members. Materials date from approximately 1835 to 1976.
Centennial History Project director records, 1971-1976
Contains files compiled by Ernest L. Wilkinson, Project Director and Editor of the published histories. Includes correspondence, meeting minutes, memorandums, notes, and other items. Materials date from between 1971 and 1976.
Centennial History Project records on multi-volume history, approximately 1972-1975
Contains chapter outlines and correspondence, editor's comments, preliminary material, and drafts of the preface, foreword, chapters 1-55, and the pictures and illustrations, memoranda, notes, and critiques relating to the research and writing of the four volume history. Materials date from approximately 1972 and 1975.
Centennial History Project records on multi-volume history production and distribution, approximately 1972-1975
Contains correspondence, reports, lists, manuscript errors, and other records on formatting, printing, production, and distribution of the multi-volume history. Materials date from between approximately 1972 and 1975.
Centennial History Project records on research, 1971-1975
Contains correspondence regarding the location, acquisition, and use of source material, administrative research files, including articles in incorporation, board materials, enrollment, correspondence, and reports. Materials date from between 1971 and 1975.
Centennial History Project staff meeting minutes, 1972-1975
Contains minute drafts and minutes of weekly Centennial History staff meetings. Materials date from between 1972 and 1976.
Centennial History Project topical source files, 1864-1974
Contains topical files, including biographical and historical sketches, articles of incorporation, periodicals, minutes, statistics, journal and diary extracts, minutes of meetings, published information, personal histories, biographical sketches, research notes, and some correspondence on a wide variety of topics. Materials date from between 1864 and 1974.
Ernest L. Wilkinson papers on KSL, 1965-1977
Contains correspondence, minutes, memorandums and other material related to KSL. Papers date from between 1965 and 1977.
Ernest L. Wilkinson personal files, 1875-1978
Contains various personal files of Ernest L. Wilkinson, including papers on KSL, family, and fund-raising. Also includes financial records and chronologically arranged correspondence. Involves subjects such as Deseret News, the Junior College Program, and Board of Trustees minutes, along with other material. Dated 1923-1978.