George White Pitkin, born 17 May 1801 in Hartford, Windsor County, Vermont, was the tenth and final child born to Paul Pitkin (11 October 1759 Bolton, Connecticut - 16 January 1823 Garrettsville, Ohio) and Abigail Lathrop. He was baptized by the Prophet Joseph Smith on his birthday, 17 May 1831, and the remainder of his long life was shaped by public service and his stalwart support of the LDS church. George White Pitkin served as a sheriff of Portage County, Ohio, testified in court on behalf of Joseph Smith at Nauvoo in 1843, joined the Mormon migration westward to Salt Lake, and served in the upper echelons of LDS church leadership. George White Pitkin died at the age of 72 on 26 November 1873 at Millville, Cache County, Utah Territory, and is buried at Millville City Cemetery, Millville, Utah.

Married

1. Amanda Eggleston

1. Lathrop Pitkin (b. 1831Hiram, Portage County, Ohio, died in infancy)
2. Martha Abigail Pitkin (b. 1832 Kaw Township, Jackson County, Missouri, d.1892)
3. Ammon Paul Pitkin (b. 1835 Clay County, Missouri)
4. George Orin Pitkin (b.1837 Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri, d.1910 Logan, Cache County, Utah)
5. Mariah Laura Pitkin (1841-1860)
6. Pamelia Pitkin (1844-1845)
7. John Pitkin (1846 Iowa Territory, d. 1847)

2. Sara Ann Huffman (1827 - 1904) married 13 Feb 1847 Davis County, Iowa

1. Harriet Vilate Pitkin (30 July 1848 Scotts Bluff, Nebraska - 11 March 1914Tremonton, Box Elder, Utah)
2. Jay Leonard Pitkin (11 October 1850 Ogden, Weber, Utah Territory - 5 February 1909 Hiram, Cache, Utah)
3. Jacob W. Pitkin (22 Apr 1855 in Waldo Hills, Marion, Oregon - 13 May 1855 in Waldo Hills, Marion, Oregon)
4. Martha Pitkin (born 1847), died young

Testimony Concerning Given Before the Municipal Court, Nauvoo, Illinois, 1 Jul 1843

George W. Pitkin sworn. Says that he concurs with the preceding witnesses, Hyrum Smith and Parley P. Pratt, in all the facts with which he is acquainted; that in the summer of 1838 he was elected Sheriff of the county of Caldwell and State of Missouri. That in the fall of the same year, while the county was threatened and infested with mobs, he received an order from Judge Higbee, the presiding Judge of said county, to call out the Militia, and he executed the same.

The said order was presented by Joseph Smith, Sen., who showed the witness a letter from General Atchison, giving such advice as was necessary for the protection of the citizens of said county. Reports of the mobs destroying property were daily received. Has no knowledge that Joseph Smith was concerned in organizing or commanding said Militia in any capacity whatever.

About this time he received information that about forty or fifty “Yauger rifles” and a quantity of ammunition were being conveyed through Caldwell to Daviess county, for the use of the mob, upon which he deputized William Allred to go with a company of men and intercept them, if possible. He did so, and brought the said arms and ammunition into Far West, which were afterwards delivered up to the order of Austin A. King, Judge of the Fifth, Circuit in Missouri.

It was generally understood at that time that said arms had been stolen by Neil Gillum and his company of volunteers, who had been upon a six months’ tour of service in the war between the United States and the Florida Indians. They were supposed to have been taken from the Fort at Tampa Bay, and brought to Richmond, Clay county, and that Captain Pollard or some other person loaned them to the mob.

He further says that whilst in office as Sheriff, he was forcibly and illegally compelled by Lieutenant Cook, the son-in-law or brother-in-law of Bogart, the Methodist priest, to start for Richmond; and when he demanded of him by what authority he acted, he was shown a bowie-knife and a brace of pistols; and when he asked what they wanted of him, he said they would let him know when he got to Richmond. Many of the citizens of Caldwell county were taken in the same manner, without any legal process whatever, and thrust into prison.

GEORGE W. PITKIN. [Sworn to before the Municipal Court, Nauvoo, IL, 1 Jul 1843.]

Sources

• Kara Seager-Segalla's complete biography of George White Pitkin is available as a PDF under the 'Media' tab.
• Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958, index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XDVQ-44S : accessed 29 Mar 2013), George W. Pitkin and Amanda Eggleston, 08 Feb 1829.
• "United States Census, 1830," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XH56-D8S : accessed 29 Mar 2013), George W Pitkin, 1830.
• Nauvoo, Illinois Tax Index, 1842. Given Name: George W.; Surname: Pitkin; Page: 211; Coord.: 6N8W. Source Information: Platt, Lyman. Nauvoo, Illinois Tax Index, 1842 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1999. Description: Listing of taxpayers from Hancock County, Illinois in 1842
• "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KCWV-XT9 : accessed 29 Mar 2013), George W. Pitkin and Mary Ann Hoffman, 1847.
• "United States Census, 1850." FamilySearch.org. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Web. 20 June 2011. <https://www.familysearch.org/search/recordDetails/show?uri=https://api.familysearch.org/records/pal:/MM9.1.r/M4MB-MJ2/p_220703534>. Film Number: 25540, Digital GS Number: 4181033, Image Number: 00330, Dwelling House Number: 163, Family Number: 163
• "United States Census, 1860." FamilySearch.org. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Web. 20 June 2011. <https://www.familysearch.org/search/recordDetails/show?uri=https://api.familysearch.org/records/pal:/MM9.1.r/MWYV-168/p_210754301>. Page: 230, Family Number: 1685, Film Number: 805314, DGS Number: 4297342, Image Number: 00023, NARA Number: M653
• Find A Grave Memorial# 10356784