Winfred Trexler Root (March 9, 1879 to December 8, 1947) was an American historian and educator.[1] Root was born in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate education at Princeton University.[2] He earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of Pennsylvania in 1908, thereafter joining the faculty of the University of Wisconsin.[2] In 1925 he accepted a position as head of the history department at the University of Iowa, succeeding Arthur M. Schlesinger, and would remain there until his death.[2] [3] George L. Mosse, who was a history professor at Iowa during Root's tenure, described him as a "benevolent dictator".[4] In 1930 Root was elected to the Council of the American Historical Association.[5]
Root was married and had one daughter.[2]