George Richard Hill Jr. (April 10, 1884 – August 13, 1971) was an American educational administrator and was the seventh general superintendent of the

Sunday School A Sunday school is an educational institution, usually (but not always) Christian in character. Other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism have also organised Sunday schools in their temples and mosques, particularly in the West. Su ...

organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1949 to 1966. Hill was a member of the general superintendency of the LDS Church Sunday School from 1934 to 1966.

Biography

Hill was born in Ogden, Utah Territory, and was raised on a farm in

Springville, Utah Springville is a city in Utah County, Utah, Utah County, Utah that is part of the Provo–Orem metropolitan area. The population was 35,268 in 2020, according to the United States Census. Springville is a bedroom community for commuters who work ...

. Hill obtained a B.S. degree from Brigham Young University in 1907, a B.S.A. degree from the

Utah State Agricultural College Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public land-grant research university in Logan, Utah. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. With nearly 20,000 students living on or near campus, USU is Utah's ...

in 1908, and a Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1912. After his graduation from Cornell, Hill became the director of the School of Agriculture at Utah State University. From 1926 to 1935, he was a member of the general board of the LDS Church's

Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association The Young Men (often referred to as Young Men's) is a youth ministry, youth organization and Auxiliary organization (LDS Church), official program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Its purpose is to assist the church ...

. He had also become a member of the general board of the Deseret Sunday School Union in 1925. In 1934, he became the second assistant to

George D. Pyper George Dollinger Pyper (November 21, 1860 – January 17, 1943) was the fifth general superintendent of the Sunday School of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a member and manager of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and the ...

, the general superintendent of the Deseret Sunday School Union. In 1943, when

Milton Bennion Milton Bennion (June 7, 1870 – April 5, 1953) was an American educator and a university and educational administrator. Biography Bennion was born in Taylorsville, Utah Territory. He received a B.S. degree from the University of Utah in 1897 an ...

succeeded Pyper, Hill became Bennion's first assistant. In 1949, Hill succeeded Bennion and became the seventh general superintendent of the Deseret Sunday School Union, a position he held until 1966, when he was succeeded by

David Lawrence McKay David Lawrence McKay (September 30, 1901 – October 27, 1993) was the eighth general superintendent of the Sunday School of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1966 to 1971. McKay was a member of the general superinten ...

. Hill was married to Elizabeth Odette McKay, the sister of LDS Church president

David O. McKay David Oman McKay (September 8, 1873 – January 18, 1970) was an American religious leader and educator who served as the ninth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1951 until his death in 1970. Ordain ...

. Hill's oldest son,

George R. Hill III George Richard Hill III (November 24, 1921 – April 22, 2001) was an American chemist and a world authority on coal. Hill was also a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1987 to 1992. Early life ...

, was a general authority of the church between 1987 and 1992. Hill died in Salt Lake City, Utah.

References

* Arnold K. Garr,

Donald Q. Cannon Donald Quayle Cannon (born 1936) is a retired professor at Brigham Young University who specializes in Latter-day Saint history, particularly early Latter-day Saint history and international Latter-day Saint history. As a young man, Cannon was a ...

Richard O. Cowan Richard Olsen Cowan (born 1934) is a historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and a former professor in the Church History Department of Brigham Young University (BYU). He was one of the longest-serving BYU faculty a ...

(eds.) (2000). '' Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book) {{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, George R. 1884 births 1971 deaths American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Brigham Young University alumni Cornell University alumni General Presidents of the Sunday School (LDS Church) McKay family People from Ogden, Utah Utah State University alumni Utah State University faculty Counselors in the General Presidency of the Sunday School (LDS Church) Young Men (organization) people Latter Day Saints from Utah

Biography

See also

References