George S. Romney
George Samuel Romney (November 12, 1874 – December 19, 1935)[1] was the president of Bannock Stake Academy, now Brigham Young University–Idaho, at the end of the First World War. He was a key figure in helping it to survive the postwar depression. Before its latest rename it was known as Ricks College.
Romney was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was born in St. George, Utah.[2] When he was young his family moved to the Mormon colonies in Mexico so that his father could continue practicing plural marriage, which was illegal in the United States.
After marrying and having several children, Romney returned to the United States at the start of the Mexican Revolution, specifically to flee the disruptive activities of Pancho Villa.
By 1917 Romney was a faculty member at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. In the summer of that year Romney was appointed principal of Bannock Stake Academy to replace Andrew B. Christensen. In 1918, the school was granted state certification. It was then renamed Ricks Normal College. By the time students returned for Fall Semester they not only had a new name, but they were now led by a president.[3][4]
Under Romney's leadership the school instituted standards of dress and conduct that all students agreed to follow in 1922.
In 1923, the name of the school was changed again to Ricks College, but Romney continued to lead it in its broadened mission. In 1930 Romney was replaced by Hyrum Manwaring.
After his service as president of Ricks College, Romney served as president of the Northern States Mission of LDS Church. He died while serving in this position and was replaced by Bryant S. Hinckley.
Romney's eldest son Marion G. Romney became an apostle and a member of the First Presidency of the LDS Church. Romney daughter, Catherine Romney Cheney, later became a cloistered nun in the Roman Catholic church.[5] Romney was an uncle of Michigan governor George W. Romney.
See also
Notes
- ^ Birth date from "World War I Civilian Draft Registrations". USGenWeb Project. Retrieved 2009-12-16.
- ^ Howard, F. Burton. Marion G. Romney: His Life and Faith. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988) p. 10
- ^ Public Relations Office – BYU–Idaho
- ^ Public Relations Office – BYU–Idaho
- ^ Salt Lake Tribune, September 19, 2009, p. C2
- 1874 births
- 1935 deaths
- American Latter Day Saints
- American Mormon missionaries
- Brigham Young University faculty
- People from St. George, Utah
- Mission presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Mormon missionaries in the United States
- Pratt–Romney family
- Presidents of Brigham Young University–Idaho