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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 661 Collections and/or Records:

Ernest L. Wilkinson papers on National Right to Work Committee, 1969-1978

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 1 Sub-Series 6
Scope and Contents note

Contains correspondence, financial records, and other materials related to the National Right to Work Committee. Materials date from bewteen 1969 and 1978.

Dates: 1969-1978

Ernest L. Wilkinson papers on politics, 1966-1978

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 1 Sub-Series 8
Scope and Contents note

Contains correspondence, bulletins, and reports related to the Republican Party and politics. Materials date from between 1966 and 1978.

Dates: 1966-1978

Ernest L. Wilkinson personal correspondence, 1970-1978

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 1 Sub-Series 4
Scope and Contents note

Contains personal correspondence by Wilkinson. Materials date from between 1970 and 1978.

Dates: 1970-1978

Ernest L. Wilkinson personal files, 1875-1978

 Sub-Series
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 1 Sub-Series 5
Scope and Contents note

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.

Dates: 1875-1978

Ernest L. Wilkinson personal papers, 1917-1978

 Series
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 1
Scope and Contents

Contains various personal papers of Ernest L. Wilkinson, including a biography, notes from law school and Wilkinson's 1964 senate campaign, personal correspondence and diaries. Dated from 1923 to 1978.

Dates: 1917-1978

Ernest L. Wilkinson scrapbooks and other material, 1964-1978

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 3 Sub-Series 4
Scope and Contents

Contains scrapbook materials concerning scrapbooks and documents by Wilkinson. Materials date from between 1964 and 1978.

Dates: 1964-1978

Ernest L. Wilkinson scrapbooks, certificates, and other material, 1917-1978

 Series
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains oversized scrapbooks, certificates, artifacts and other material related to Wilkinson. Also includes transparencies depicting Inwood Manor. Materials date from between 1917 and 1978.

Dates: 1917-1978

Ernest L. Wilkinson slides of Inwood Manor, approximately 1962-1978

 Sub-Series — Folder 1: Series 3
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 3 Sub-Series Sub- 6
Scope and Contents

Contains twelve Kodak color slides depicting Inwood Manor. Dated approximately between 1917 and 1978.

Dates: approximately 1962-1978

Ernest L. Wilkinson sound recordings from Senate campaign, 1959-1964

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 1 Sub-Series 3
Scope and Contents note

Contains audiotapes related to Wilkinson's 1964 campaign for the United States Senate, which include recordings of radio and television appearances. Dated 1959-1964.

Dates: 1959-1964

Ernest L. Wilkinson speeches, 1921-1978

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1000 Series 1 Sub-Series 10
Scope and Contents note

Contains speeches given by Wilkinson, as well as research materials used in speech preparation. Materials date from between 1921 and 1978.

Dates: 1921-1978