George Dixon Snell facts for kids

George Dixon Snell was an important leader in Spanish Fork, Utah. He served as the mayor of Spanish Fork several times, including a long period from 1873 to 1881. He was born in 1836 and passed away in 1911.

Early Life and Moving to Utah

George Dixon Snell was born in New Brunswick, a place in Canada, on March 18, 1836. His parents, Cyrus Snell and Rhoda Barnes, joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when George was just a baby.

In 1853, when George was about 17 years old, his family moved to Utah Territory. This was a big journey for them. A few years later, in 1856, George traveled to California. He returned to Utah the next year with a group led by Perrigrine Sessions.

Service and Community Leadership

George Snell became involved in the Nauvoo Legion, which was like a local defense group in Utah. He served with them during a time when the United States government had some disagreements with the people in Utah. This event is known as the Utah War. While serving in the Nauvoo Legion, George Snell was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mayor of Spanish Fork

George Snell was elected mayor of Spanish Fork for the first time in 1861. He served for a short time then. He was elected mayor again in 1865 for another brief period.

His longest time as mayor was from 1873 to 1881. During the Utah's Black Hawk War, which was a conflict in Utah, Snell was the main officer for the Nauvoo Legion in Spanish Fork.

Other Public Service

Beyond being mayor, George Snell also served in the Utah Territorial Legislature in 1879. This group helped make laws for the Utah Territory. In 1882, he was chosen as a delegate for the Utah Constitutional Convention. This convention worked on creating a constitution for Utah, which was a step towards it becoming a state.

Church Leadership

George Snell was also a leader in his church community. He served as a bishop for the Spanish Fork ward (a local congregation) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He held this important position from 1874 until 1902. For some of this time, Spanish Fork had grown so much that it was divided into several wards. During that period, Snell was the bishop of the Spanish Fork 2nd Ward.

Family Life

George Snell was married several times during his life. His first wife was Sinia Lucinda Dennis, whom he married in 1863. Sadly, she passed away in 1868, and all three of their children died when they were very young.

Later, George Snell married Alexandrina McLean in 1868. She lived until 1921. He also married Thorgerda Bjarnsson in 1879, and she lived until 1946.