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So You Think You Know How St. George Got Its Name?… Time Line Of Events

Here is a time line of events referred to in the previous three part series.

Winter of 1848 George A. Smith is referred to as “Potato Saint” in Iowa

January 1851 George A. Smith, Apostle, with others settled Parowan

1851-56 George was elected “Chief Judge” and as legislator representing Iron County to the

Utah Territorial Legislature

1854 – 1855 Colony made at Santa Clara with Indian missionaries

Summer of 1857 Colony made at Washington

1858-59 Settlers came as “Cotton Farmers” to Heberville (Bloomington area)

November 2, 1860 Death of George A. Smith Jr.

May/June, 1861 Brigham Young visits the settlements of the Virgin and Santa Clara Rivers. He stands at the confluence of the two rivers near what was called Tonaquint and declares; “There will yet be build between those volcanic ridges, a city with spires, towers and steeples, with homes containing many inhabitants.” “The city was to be named St. George.” (I WAS CALLED

TO DIXIE, p. 107)

October 6-8, 1861 General Conference in Salt Lake City, colonizers publicly are called to St.

George. The most common used name for their mission was “The Cotton Mission.”

October 28, 1861 Post office issued in the name of “St. George”

December 1, 1861 Arrival of main camp of St. George colony. Some families settled in

Washington and other settlements up along the Virgin River. The 300+ family group also contained families destined to join Santa Clara. They were a group of Swiss immigrants and had been temporarily located in Sanpete County.

October7, 1868 George A Smith became 1st. Counselor to Brigham Young. George was not

Brigham’s counselor until 6 years after St. George was settled. Therefore it is not correct to say that Brigham Young named St. George after his counselor. George died in 1875, two years before Brigham passed away.

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