Among the Mormon young people with whom he associated, was the lovely brown-eyed Phoebe Melinda Butler, whom George courted. They were married on December 5, 1854, and began their life together in the frontier settlement of Spanish Fork, Utah. It was the beginning of a fruitful life for this young pioneer couple. For a time they lived on the river, south of Spanish Fork. They built a footbridge across the river, and nailed standards to the bridge, then wove willows, to keep the children from falling in the river.

In 1861, he was called on a mission to southern Utah and was among the first settlers of New Harmony. The town was built about four miles west of old Fort Harmony in Washington County. Their outfit was a large schooner wagon, the same as those used in crossing the plains. At New Harmony, they lived in a tent for some time, then they built a log cabin and moved into it. Soon, however, they made adobes and built a three-room house. It was not long before they had a few sheep and cows. Feed was plentiful and livestock did well. The following year, 1862, he cleared the land and planted a garden, producing most of what they had to eat.

Before leaving Spanish Fork, they had four children, one girl and three boys, one of whom died young. These were Hannah Caroline, George W. (deceased), John Lowe, and James William. While in New Harmony they added six more to the family: Joseph and Hyrum (twins who both died as babies), Ruben Warren, Georgiana, Thomas, Phoebe Melinda.

On August 29, 1868, George had entered into his first plural marriage by taking as his second wife, Margaret Nebraska Imlay, a daughter of James Havens Imlay and Anna Eliza Coward. Just two and a half years later he took his two wives and his family, and went to resettle Panguitch in answer to a call from President Brigham Young.

Within two years the community had grown until nearly 200 families had established homes there. George presided as Bishop for nine years, and when the Panguitch Stake was organized in April 1877, he was chosen first counselor to the Stake President, James Henrie, while at the same time he continued in his position as bishop.

A meetinghouse was erected of brick. Many industries were started and the community boasted of many tradesmen. In 1875, he went with others to Potato Valley and assisted in settling what is now the flourishing town of Escalante.

On December 18, 1877, he married a second plural wife, Martha Ann Thomas of Pine Valley, Utah, a daughter of John Pledger Thomas and Mahala Matthews. Then in the next year he participated in the expedition to San Juan County, in southeastern Utah, and helped open that country for settlement, building a raft to cross the Colorado River on the celebrated "Hole-in-the-Rock" Expedition. He was one of four men who in December of 1878 explored that country for a wagon road from the crossing of the Colorado to the side of the city of Bluff on the San Juan River.

In Panguitch, he had several more children. Phoebe gave him Sarah Adeline (died in her 18 th year), Martha Jane, Mary May (died in her 3rd year), and Pearl. Margaret, his second wife, gave him Maggie Mariah, Abraham, Isaac (all three died as infants), and George Francis. His third wife, Martha Ann, gave him Hannah Mahala, George Thomas, and Lemuel Hardeson.