Ray Lyman Wilbur

Ray Lyman Wilbur (April 13, 1875–June 26, 1949) was a medical doctor, the 3rd President of Stanford University, and the 31st United States Secretary of the Interior.

He was born in Boone County, Iowa, to Dwight Locke Wilbur and Edna Maria Lyman (his brother, Curtis Dwight Wilbur, became United States Secretary of the Navy under President Calvin Coolidge and a Judge of the Supreme Court of California). He studied at Stanford University (B.A. 1896, M.A. 1897) and got a medical degree at Cooper Medical College in 1899. He later became Warren Harding's personal physician and was present at Harding's deathbed.

Dean of the Stanford University School of Medicine from 1911 to 1916, he served as president of Stanford from January 1, 1916 until 1943, including during his period as Secretary of the Interior. He was President of the American Medical Association from 1923-1924. His son, Dwight Locke Wilbur, followed in his footsteps as President of the AMA in 1968-1969. From 1943 until his death in 1949 he served as the university's chancellor.

In 1927, when the California Legislature established the State Park Commission,cite web |url=http://www.valdosta.edu/~tmanning/hon399/mike.htm |title=Climb the mountains and get their good tidings: A History of the Sierra Club |accessdate=2006-07-07 |format=html |work= ] Dr. Ray Lyman Wilbur became one of the original commission members along with:cite journal |last=Colby |first=William E. |authorlink=William Edward Colby |coauthors=Frederick Law Olmsted |year=1933 |month=April |title=Borrego Desert Park |journal=Sierra Club Bulletin |volume=XVIII |issue= |pages=144 |id= |url=http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/73fall/anza.htm |accessdate= 2007-07-29 |quote= ] Major Frederick R. Burnham, W. F. Chandler,
William E. Colby (Secretary), and Henry W. O'Melveny.

He was nominated for the position of Secretary of the Interior by his friend President Herbert C. Hoover on March 5, 1929, and took office the same day. His tenure ended on March 4, 1933.

A dormitory complex at Stanford is named after him.

References

Further reading

* "The Memoirs of Ray Lyman Wilbur 1875-1940", Stanford University Press, 1960.
* Ely, Northcutt. (1994-12-16). [http://www.redlandsfortnightly.org/papers/persgulf.htm "Doctor Ray Lyman Wilbur: Third President of Stanford & Secretary of the Interior."] Paper presented at the Fortnightly Club of Redlands, California, meeting #1530. Retrieved on 2007-06-05.