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 661 Collections and/or Records:
Centennial History Project records on multi-volume history appendices, approximately 1972-1975
Contains general correspondence, notes, and memorandums related to the appendices in the multi-volume history. Includes information on alumni and honorary awards, the Church Educational System, campus buildings, and university enrollment. Materials date from between approximatey 1972 and 1975.
Centennial History Project records on multi-volume history biographical sketches, approximately 1972-1975
Contains correspondence regarding the production of various biographical sketches for the appendixes, miscellaneous biographical information, biographical sketches on various university administrative figuress, and drafts of the various individual biographies and biographical sketches. Materials date from between 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 research note cards, 1972-1979
Contains research card files, divided into Maeser, Brimhall, and Cluff eras and Wilkinson era, note cards containing extracts from primary source materials. Note cards were not created for the Harris and McDonald presidential eras. Many of the notes are taken from sources in the topical and chronological files. Materials date from between 1972 and 1979.
Centennial History Project source material files, 1834-1979
Contains source materials consulted by the project staff. Includes copies of source materials and notes from sources consulted. Much of the material in these files was gathered from library and archival holdings at various institutions, including Brigham Young University, University of Utah, Utah State Historical Society, the Church Historical Department, and Southern Utah University.
Centennial History Project staff correspondence, 1972-1976
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.
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.
Collection of sketches of Brigham Young University presidents
Series of panorama-style sketches of the presidents of Brigham Young University from Warren N. Dusenberry through Jeffrey R. Holland.