George S. Ballif

George Smith Ballif (June 4, 1894 – October 31, 1977) was an early LDS Church missionary in France. He served as city, county and district attorney in Utah. He was the city judge of Provo, Utah, as well as the president of the Utah County and Utah State Bar Associations.

George S. Ballif
Born
George Smith Baliff

(1894-06-04)June 4, 1894
Logan, Utah
DiedOctober 31, 1977(1977-10-31) (aged 83)
Provo, Utah
OccupationAttorney
Spouse(s)Algie Eggertsen Ballif
Children4

Early life

Ballif was born on June 4, 1894, in Logan, Utah to John Lyman and Emma Smith Ballif.[1] His family moved to Rexburg, Idaho in 1900 where his family worked on a dry farm. He worked at Yellowstone Park during tourist seasons.[1] He attended school in Rexburg. Ballif was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served a mission in France. He left April 22, 1914;[2] however, due to World War I, he was relocated to Switzerland and England.[1]

Ballif returned from his mission in May 1916,[2] and enrolled in Ricks College. Ballif was drafted by the Army in 1917, and after only a week of training, he went back to France as a soldier. He came home in 1919 and attended Brigham Young University (BYU), where he was voted student body president.[1] Ballif married Algie Eggersten on December 24, 1920 in the Salt Lake Temple.[1] The couple had 4 children: Algene, Joan, George, and Ann "Grethe".[3]

Ballif graduated in 1921 from BYU with a degree in History and Political Science [3] He was accepted to Harvard Law School on scholarship. He transferred to the UC Berkeley School of Law in 1923, and he graduated in 1924.[4]

Career

After graduating, Ballif began his own law practice in Provo. He was appointed city judge in 1924. He was also Provo's juvenile court judge and served as a city, county, and district attorney.[1] He gained a reputation as a public speaker, and also published articles advocating the resolution of international disputes in a world court rather than via the battlefield.[1]

Memberships

As president of the Utah County and Utah State Bar Associations, Ballif he helped establish the World Peace Through Law Committee, and served as its chairperson.[1] He was voted as the commander of the Provo Post.[1] He also served as president of the Provo Kiwanis Club, commander of the Utah Department of the American Legion, chairperson of the Utah Business Regulations Commission and a member of the Industrial School Advisory Board. He was a member of the University of Utah's Board of Regents.[1]

Ballif died October 31, 1977 in Salt Lake City, Utah.[1]

References
  1. "Funeral Thursday for George S. Ballif". The Daily Herald. 1 November 1977. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  2. "George Smith Ballif". Church History: Early Mormon Missionaries. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  3. "Alphabetical Alumni". Brigham Young High School.
  4. Whitley, Colleen (2000). Worth Their Salt, Too. Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press. pp. 82–113. ISBN 9780874212884.
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