George Woolley Smith

George Woolley Smith (1897—1995) was the tenth president of the United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ and revered as a prophet by most of its members.

Background

George W. Smith was born in Lexington, Nebraska to Owen Spencer Smith and his first wife. The family had previously settled in the outskirts of Winter Quarters, Nebraska while Brigham Young and other Latter-day Saints made the trek to Utah. After guiding Saints safely through Winter Quarters, Brigham Young appointed Owen to preside as a bishop over the Lexington area. Owen conferred all priesthood keys that had been given to him by John Peter Smith (a member of the Council of Fifty) to George on June 22, 1921 separating the Smith clan from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Owen died a few years later.

Church leadership

As leader of the ULDC, he moved his family from Nebraska to join others in Colorado City, Arizona or the Short Creek Community. Shortly after the 1945 raid where 15 men in leadership of the community were arrested, George moved himself and some family back to Nebraska as well as northern Utah, and a few to California. For the most part, however, most of his family stayed in the Shortcreek area until Charles Zitting died. He then moved the remainder who were still in and around Shortcreek back to Nebraska claiming to have seen a vision of a future false prophet. This is regarded by many members as the alleged prophet Warren Jeffs of the now Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Teachings

The following is an example of Smith's teaching regarding the description of polygamy and exaltation found in .

Church growth

After moving away from Short Creek, Smith separated his family in three distinct areas. He claimed that he was acting under revelation and the will of God. The three areas are considered colonies and continue to grow.

Of George's 12 spouses, two of them moved to California. One in Fresno and the other in Santa Barbara, California, while four other wives moved to Evanston, Wyoming.

Northern Utah managed to attract five of his other wives and is by far the most prosperous of the colonies. One moved to Layton, one to Hooper, one to Syracuse, and two to Ogden, Utah. In 2005, Layton Utah was made official headquarters by Heber G. Smith, George's succeeding son, after most of the members in Nebraska either moved away or abandoned the practice of polygamy.

Death and succession

George Woolley Smith died in 1995 in his home in Nebraska in the presence of his legal wife leaving his son and publicly announced successor, Heber G. Smith to preside over the United Latter-day Church, along with 12 wives, 57 children, and over 100 grandchildren to survive him.

See also

• Law of placing