Part 1 1805 - 1831 Youth

Part 2 1831 - 1847 Army

Part 3 1847 Courtship & Marriage

Part 4 1847 - 1852 Marriage, Baptism and the End of a Career

Part 5 1853 - 1855 Isle of Malta mission

Part 6 1855 - Going to Zion

Part 7 1855 - 1857 Hard times

Part 8 1857 - 1860 (?) Johnson's army and back to Rush Valley

Part 9 1866 - 1867 Patriarchal blessings, Mission call and departure

Part 10 1867 Journey to the British mission

Part 11 1867 - Mission

Part 12 1868 - Mission

Part 13 1868 - Return Home

Part 14 1868 - 1888 Bishop, Storekeeper, and Iindians - oh my

Part 15 As seen by others

Part 16 1880 -1888 The culmination of a lifetime

Part 17 1888 -1891 Patriarch and Death

Part 18 Miscellaneous

At the time of the Crimean War he was transferred to foreign lands. He served six and one half years in the West Indies and Bermuda. He traveled two times around the world.

[Editor's note - Hannah was with him on the Isle of Malta, where their first child, a boy was born in 1848 and died in 1849. At some time in his military career he undoubtably spent the "six and one half years in the West Indies and Bermuda". - see the history of the 76th regiment.]

In 1852 he was stationed on the Island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. While going along the street one day a gay breeze fresh from the sea lifted a white sheet of paper, twirled and skipped it along the thoroughfare. Lightly it touched the ground, lifted, whirled gaily and flung it at the booted feet of the young soldier. Instinctively he came to a stop and stooping picked up the paper. Curiously he scanned the writing on its smooth whiteness. It told of a new religion. One he had never heard of. Interested he carefully read it. It was a Mormon Tract telling of the Restoration of the new and Everlasting Gospel.

Although it was forbidden to attend any other than the Church of England he determined to investigate this religion for himself. That evening found him in attendance at the forbidden meeting. There he heard of a strange new book. He thrilled with the synopsis of the Book of Mormon. When he left the building he carried in his strong soldier hands his copy of the book he had purchased. A book that was to change his whole mode of life. He took it home and drawing his chair close to the dim light, opened the book and commenced the reading of writings that held him fascinated as hour after hour sped by, that kept him deaf to Hannah's calls and questions.

At last he turned the last page, read the last sentence and reverently closed the book, with a burning in him that took him to apply for baptism.

Being a devote Methodist Hannah was horrified at the thought that her beloved was being led away by the very devil. She sent for her clergyman, who hastened to his faithful member, but in spite of a special prayer meeting, and the clergyman's fervent prayers to save George from such delusion, George continued on his way to Mormonism. He was baptized July 4, 1852 by Elder Thomas Obray after Lorenzo Snow had fully explained the wonderful things and revelations of the Church to him. Lorenzo Snow being the one who opened the Italian Mission.

Then just fourteen days after George was baptized Hannah entered the waters of baptism, it being the 18th of July, 1852.

Their old friends and neighbors forgot the many kindnesses and happy days of friendship and grew cold toward them and like the Saints of Old they had to suffer persecutions.

He was made a prisoner by the Colonel of his Regiment for preaching the Gospel to the soldiers in their quarters', and leaving books to read on Mormonism.

He spent three long dreary days, which he begrudged because he was kept from expounding his beloved Gospel. Then he was brought to trial before the Colonel and other officers, he was strictly forbidden to speak of things of God or to introduce any of the books of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints into the barracks or to give them to the soldiers, then he was set free.

On 17th of August, 1852, he had been a member just a little over a month, he was called and ordained a Priest.

The wheels of life turned on. He was taken back to England in September, aboard his Majesty's Man of War, the Terrible. In England, he was discharged from the service after serving twenty one years and ten months. His war recorded stated that he was an exemplary character and not given to vice and intemperance.

He immediately joined a branch of the Church at Chatham and started preaching. He was to receive a pension of two shillings a day for life which was a little more than twenty-five cents.

He was ordained an Elder in Aberdeen, Scotland, the 13th of February 1853. His days being spent teaching the gospel.

Family Newsletter
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