Welmers, William Everett, 1916-

Welmers was born on Apr. 4, 1916 in Orange City, IA; AB, Hope College, 1936; ThB and Th, Westminster Theological Seminary, 1939; Ph. D, Univ. of Pennsylvania, 1943; member, Lutheran Mission, Liberia, 1946-48 and 1954-55; linguistic research in Africa as fellow in the American Council of Learned Societies, 1948-50; visiting asst. professor of linguistics (1950-51) and acting assoc. professor (1951-54), Cornell Univ.; assoc. professor, Kennedy School Missions, Hartford Seminary Foundation, 1955-60; in 1960 became professor of linguistics and African languages at UCLA, becoming emeritus professor in 1982; publications include Igbo : a learner's dictionary (1968), African language structures (1973), and A grammar of Vai (1976); he died in 1988.

From the description of Papers, 1944-1980. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 40933474

Hope College class of 1936; professor of African languages at the University of California - Los Angeles, 1960-1982; visiting professor of linguistics at Hope College, 1966.

From the description of Papers, 1942-1982. (Joint Archive of Holland, History Research Center). WorldCat record id: 30343502

Biography

Welmers was born on April 4, 1916 in Orange City, Iowa; AB, Hope College, 1936; ThB and Th, Westminster Theological Seminary, 1939; Ph.D, University of Pennsylvania, 1943; member, Lutheran Mission, Liberia, 1946-48 and 1954-55; linguistic research in Africa as fellow in the American Council of Learned Societies, 1948-50; visiting assistant professor of linguistics (1950-51) and acting associate professor (1951-54), Cornell University; associate professor, Kennedy School Missions, Hartford Seminary Foundation, 1955-60; in 1960 became professor of linguistics and African languages at UCLA, becoming emeritus professor in 1982; publications include Igbo: a learner's dictionary (1968), African language structures (1973), and A grammar of Vai (1976); he died in 1988.

Chronology

• 1916: Born on April 4 in Orange City, Iowa.
• 1936: Graduated summa cum laude from Hope College in Holland, Michigan with a B.A.; majored in philosophy.
• 1939: Graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with ThB and ThM degrees.
• 1940: On June 21 married Beatrice Faye Fairbanks.
• 1943: Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Ph.D.
• 1943: Became pastor of the Knox Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• 1943 - 1946 : Taught Chinese and Japanese languages to the United States Army's specialized training program.
• 1946 - 1948 : Engaged in linguistic research and missionary work at the Lutheran Mission, Liberia.
• 1948 - 1950 : Fellow in the American Council of Learned Societies. In this capacity engaged in linguistic research in what was then French West Africa, the Gold Coast, Dahomey, Nigeria and Eritrea. Drove from the westernmost to the easternmost point of Africa with his wife and children -- first family to drive from west to east Africa.
• 1950 - 1954 : Assistant professor of linguistics and later associate professor of linguistics at Cornell University.
• 1954 - 1955 : Returned to Liberia to work with Lutheran Mission.
• 1955 - 1960 : Associate professor of linguistics at Kennedy School Missions, Hartford Seminary Foundation.
• 1959: Consultant to the U.S. Office of Education.
• 1960 - 1982 : Professor of linguistics and African languages at the University of California, Los Angeles.
• 1967: Honored with Litt. D. by Hope College.
• 1972: Involved in research in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
• 1982: In the Fall quarter retired from full-time faculty status at the University of California, Los Angeles; became professor emeritus.
• The previous history was compiled from: Jacobson, Leon C. “William E. Welmers: A biographical sketch and list of publications” in Larry M. Hyman, Leon C. Jacobson and Russell G. Schuh's (eds.) Papers In African Linguistics In Honor Of William E. Welmers, Studies in African Linguistics, Supplement 6 (Los Angeles: University of California, Los Angeles, African Studies Center) pp.vii-ix. Jaques Cattell Press, ed. Directory of American Scholars. 8th edition. New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1982 p.559. Wilkes, Deborah John. “Professor William Evert Welmers Interviewed.” African Studies Center Newsletter (Fall 1982) pp.3-9. Who's Who In America, 1982-83. 42nd ed. Chicago, IL: Marquis Who's Who, Incorporated, 1982 p.3522.

From the guide to the William Everett Welmers Papers, 1944-1980, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)