Lloyd Wilford

1894 - 1982

Lloyd Wilford as born in the fall of 1894. Lloyd was in the navy during World War I, employed by the federal Veterans Bureau, practiced law, and also did graduate work in political science in the 1920's at the University of Minnesota. Needing a minor field and hearing that Professor Albert E. Jenks was a good lecturer, Wilford signed up for course work. In 1928, at the age of 35, Lloyd began his career on the University of Minnesota staff as Professor Albert E. Jenks' assistant.

During the early decades of the 20th century, there was no organized, professional archeological work done in Minnesota. When Jenks and Wilford established field research programs, archeological investigations began seriously. In 1932, Wilford entered the Ph.D. program in Anthropology at Harvard University completing his degree in 1937. His dissertation was entitled "Minnesota Archeology with Special Reference to the Mound Area." Wilford utilized the Midwestern Taxonomic System developed by Carleton McKern to categorize archeological sites including Kathio, Howard Lake, Blackduck Lake, Laurel, Round Mound and the Tudahl Rock Shelter.

Lloyd Wilford was a driving force in the study of Minnesota Prehistory. His technical articles, description, analysis and data reporting went a long way toward understanding the nature of prehistoric occupations and burials in Minnesota. Archeologists writing since the 1930’s have utilized his contributions to Minnesota prehistory and the Upper Great Lakes anthropology.

References:

Edited by Elden Johnson Aspects of Upper Great Lakes Anthropology, pp.1-7. Minnesota Historical Society. St. Paul 1974.

Written by Students in an Introduction to Anthropology Class, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota

Edited by Marcy L. Voelker, 2007