All records indicate no history about George's early life or conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, other than he left his home at the age of 14 and moved to Utah. He lived with the Hatch family in Bountiful, Utah, and participated in the Utah War.

On Aug 19, 1860, George married Mary Ann Angell Davis in Salt Lake City, Utah. They had five children.

In 1860, the Andersen family moved to Richmond.