Margaret Grubb
Encyclopedia
Margaret Louise Grubb was the first wife of pulp fiction author and Scientology
founder L. Ron Hubbard
, to whom she was married between 1933 and 1947. She was also the mother of Hubbard's first son, L. Ron Hubbard, Jr.
and his first daughter, Katherine May "Kay" Hubbard.
on September 22, 1907 to a farming family. Her father, Thomas Lloyd Grubb (1877 - 1950) operated a plant nursery in Montgomery County, Maryland. His family settled in Loudoun County, Virginia in 1762 from Brandywine Hundred, Delaware and was descendant of John Grubb who originally came from Cornwall in 1677. Margaret was an only child whose mother, Elizabeth Crissey died when she was young. Margaret took her first job, in a shoe shop, at the age of sixteen to support herself and her father. Although christened Margaret, she preferred to be known as Polly. She lived with her father in Elkton, Maryland
.
pilot and met L. Ron Hubbard on a Maryland gliding field in early 1933, where both of them were learning to fly as preparation to obtaining a pilot's license. At the time, Hubbard was self-employed as a writer of pulp fiction stories. The two began a relationship after going on a blind date .
.
She had a miscarriage not long afterwards but became pregnant again in October 1933. On May 7, 1934 she gave birth two months prematurely to L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. while on a vacation with her husband at Encinitas, California
. They had another child, Katherine May (or "Kay") in New York City
on January 15, 1936.
In the spring of 1936 the Hubbards moved to Bremerton, Washington
to be near Hubbard's own family, the Waterburys. They settled in the community of South Colby, Washington
, where Hubbard established a "writing studio" from where he produced many of his pulp short stories and novels. However, the marriage came under strain when Hubbard began spending increasingly long periods in New York in order to be nearer his publishers and fellow pulp writers. Grubb suspected that he was having affairs with other women in New York and confided her suspicions to family friends. According to Robert MacDonald Ford
, Jr., a friend who later became a state representative, matters came to a head when she found hard evidence of her husband's philandering:
The couple appear to have patched up their relationship afterwards, as they went on an extended sailing trip to Alaska
in July 1938. Three years later Hubbard entered the US Navy for war service. Other than a period in 1943 when Hubbard was stationed in Astoria, Oregon
during the fitout of the ill-fated USS PC-815
, she appears to have seen relatively little of her husband. It was clear by the end of the war that the marriage was doomed. She had briefly considered moving to California to be with her husband during his posting there, but refused as she did not want to uproot her children. By this time she had moved in with Hubbard's parents in Bremerton.
For his part, Hubbard had moved in with the rocket scientist and occult
ist John Whiteside Parsons in Pasadena, California
, and had begun an intense affair with Parsons' girlfriend Sara Northrup Hollister. By her own account, Grubb did not see Hubbard at all between 1945 and June 1947. Hubbard later said that she had "become involved with another man and when her service allotment ceased just before the war's end, sought to obtain and was refused a divorce."
in Port Orchard, Washington
on April 14, 1947 on the grounds of "desertion and non-support" as neither she nor her children were obtaining any support from her absent husband. She had no idea that he had already committed bigamy
by being married to another woman nor did Hollister know until then about Grubb; according to her, "I did not discover that he was still married to her until after the divorce proceedings had begun." He agreed to the divorce on June 1 and subsequently agreed to Grubb having custody of the children, costs and $25 a month maintenance for each child. The divorce was finalized on December 24, 1947. Hubbard later said that "it was I who obtained the divorce and have never really had an upset marital background" and that he got the divorce when "I was written to and advised by the judge that I should obtain one as he was tired of service wives deserting their husbands."
Despite the divorce decree, Hubbard appears to have avoided meeting his side of the agreement. Around February/March 1951, Grubb sued him for maintenance, charging that her former husband had 'promoted a cult called Dianetics
', had authored the bestseller Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health
, owned valuable property and was well able to afford payment of maintenance for his two children. She demanded 42 months of support payments that Hubbard had failed to make since their settlement, totaling $2,503.79. Hubbard had also failed to pay a debt to the National Bank of Commerce, taken out in 1940, which with interest now came to $889.55. Hubbard responded by saying that Grubb should not have custody of the children because she "drinks to excess and is a dipsomaniac".
In April 1951, Hollister filed for a divorce from Hubbard after he left for Cuba
with their daughter Alexis Valerie, accusing him of "paranoid schizophrenia" and of subjecting her to "systematic torture". The case made newspaper headlines, as Hubbard was by now famous following the success of Dianetics. Grubb evidently saw the headlines and wrote to Hollister on May 2 to tell her:
. She is reported to have died in 1963.
Although she played a major part in Hubbard's life, Grubb is not mentioned in official Church of Scientology
biographies. Indeed, Hubbard said in a British television interview that he had only been married twice and had four children (actually seven; he was counting only those he had had with his third wife, Mary Sue Hubbard
, and omitted mentioning his marriage to Sara Northrup Hollister):
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
founder L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
, to whom she was married between 1933 and 1947. She was also the mother of Hubbard's first son, L. Ron Hubbard, Jr.
Ronald DeWolf
Ronald Edward DeWolf , born Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, Jr., also known as "Nibs" Hubbard, was the eldest child of Scientology founder L...
and his first daughter, Katherine May "Kay" Hubbard.
Background
Margaret Louise Grubb was born in Beltsville, MarylandBeltsville, Maryland
Beltsville is a census-designated place in northern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,691 at the 2000 census. Beltsville includes the unincorporated community of Vansville.-Geography:...
on September 22, 1907 to a farming family. Her father, Thomas Lloyd Grubb (1877 - 1950) operated a plant nursery in Montgomery County, Maryland. His family settled in Loudoun County, Virginia in 1762 from Brandywine Hundred, Delaware and was descendant of John Grubb who originally came from Cornwall in 1677. Margaret was an only child whose mother, Elizabeth Crissey died when she was young. Margaret took her first job, in a shoe shop, at the age of sixteen to support herself and her father. Although christened Margaret, she preferred to be known as Polly. She lived with her father in Elkton, Maryland
Elkton, Maryland
The town of Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 11,893 as of the 2000 census and 14,842 according to current July 2008 census estimates. It is the county seat of Cecil County...
.
Meeting Hubbard
Grubb was a keen gliderGlider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
pilot and met L. Ron Hubbard on a Maryland gliding field in early 1933, where both of them were learning to fly as preparation to obtaining a pilot's license. At the time, Hubbard was self-employed as a writer of pulp fiction stories. The two began a relationship after going on a blind date .
Marriage
Hubbard and Grubb married on April 13, 1933 after only a short courtship. They settled in Laytonsville, MarylandLaytonsville, Maryland
Laytonsville is a town in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The population was 277 at the 2000 census. Laytonsville was originally known as Cracklintown. This name originated from the popular cracklin bread, which was baked in the locale. This recipe, essentially a bacon corn bread, also...
.
She had a miscarriage not long afterwards but became pregnant again in October 1933. On May 7, 1934 she gave birth two months prematurely to L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. while on a vacation with her husband at Encinitas, California
Encinitas, California
Encinitas is a coastal beach city in San Diego County, California. Located within Southern California, it is approximately north of San Diego in North County and about south of Los Angeles. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 59,518, up from 58,014 at the 2000 census. Encinitas is...
. They had another child, Katherine May (or "Kay") in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on January 15, 1936.
In the spring of 1936 the Hubbards moved to Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
to be near Hubbard's own family, the Waterburys. They settled in the community of South Colby, Washington
South Colby, Washington
South Colby is an unincorporated community in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is located on Yukon Harbor, not far from the Southworth Ferry Dock. From there, a ferry is available to Fauntleroy in the West Seattle neighborhood of Seattle....
, where Hubbard established a "writing studio" from where he produced many of his pulp short stories and novels. However, the marriage came under strain when Hubbard began spending increasingly long periods in New York in order to be nearer his publishers and fellow pulp writers. Grubb suspected that he was having affairs with other women in New York and confided her suspicions to family friends. According to Robert MacDonald Ford
Robert MacDonald Ford
Robert MacDonald Ford, Jr. was an insurance agent who served as a Democratic state representative for the Bremerton area of the State of Washington from 1941–43 and 1945-1953....
, Jr., a friend who later became a state representative, matters came to a head when she found hard evidence of her husband's philandering:
The couple appear to have patched up their relationship afterwards, as they went on an extended sailing trip to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
in July 1938. Three years later Hubbard entered the US Navy for war service. Other than a period in 1943 when Hubbard was stationed in Astoria, Oregon
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is the county seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Situated near the mouth of the Columbia River, the city was named after the American investor John Jacob Astor. His American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site in 1811...
during the fitout of the ill-fated USS PC-815
USS PC-815
USS PC-815 was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. It was commanded by L. Ron Hubbard, who later became the founder of Scientology. PC-815s short career led to the vessel being dubbed the "jinxed sub-chaser".- Construction :...
, she appears to have seen relatively little of her husband. It was clear by the end of the war that the marriage was doomed. She had briefly considered moving to California to be with her husband during his posting there, but refused as she did not want to uproot her children. By this time she had moved in with Hubbard's parents in Bremerton.
For his part, Hubbard had moved in with the rocket scientist and occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
ist John Whiteside Parsons in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, and had begun an intense affair with Parsons' girlfriend Sara Northrup Hollister. By her own account, Grubb did not see Hubbard at all between 1945 and June 1947. Hubbard later said that she had "become involved with another man and when her service allotment ceased just before the war's end, sought to obtain and was refused a divorce."
Divorce
On August 10, 1946 Hubbard married Sara Hollister, with whom he had been living for about a year. Grubb filed for divorceDivorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
in Port Orchard, Washington
Port Orchard, Washington
Port Orchard is a city in and the county seat of Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It is located 13 miles due west of West Seattle and connected to Seattle and Vashon Island via the Washington State Ferries run to Southworth...
on April 14, 1947 on the grounds of "desertion and non-support" as neither she nor her children were obtaining any support from her absent husband. She had no idea that he had already committed bigamy
Bigamy
In cultures that practice marital monogamy, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries, and when it occurs in this context often neither the first nor second spouse is aware of the other...
by being married to another woman nor did Hollister know until then about Grubb; according to her, "I did not discover that he was still married to her until after the divorce proceedings had begun." He agreed to the divorce on June 1 and subsequently agreed to Grubb having custody of the children, costs and $25 a month maintenance for each child. The divorce was finalized on December 24, 1947. Hubbard later said that "it was I who obtained the divorce and have never really had an upset marital background" and that he got the divorce when "I was written to and advised by the judge that I should obtain one as he was tired of service wives deserting their husbands."
Despite the divorce decree, Hubbard appears to have avoided meeting his side of the agreement. Around February/March 1951, Grubb sued him for maintenance, charging that her former husband had 'promoted a cult called Dianetics
Dianetics
Dianetics is a set of ideas and practices regarding the metaphysical relationship between the mind and body that was invented by the science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard and is practiced by followers of Scientology...
', had authored the bestseller Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health
Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health
Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health is a book by L. Ron Hubbard which sets out self-improvement techniques he developed, called Dianetics. The book is also one of the canonical texts of Scientology. It is colloquially referred to as Book One...
, owned valuable property and was well able to afford payment of maintenance for his two children. She demanded 42 months of support payments that Hubbard had failed to make since their settlement, totaling $2,503.79. Hubbard had also failed to pay a debt to the National Bank of Commerce, taken out in 1940, which with interest now came to $889.55. Hubbard responded by saying that Grubb should not have custody of the children because she "drinks to excess and is a dipsomaniac".
In April 1951, Hollister filed for a divorce from Hubbard after he left for Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
with their daughter Alexis Valerie, accusing him of "paranoid schizophrenia" and of subjecting her to "systematic torture". The case made newspaper headlines, as Hubbard was by now famous following the success of Dianetics. Grubb evidently saw the headlines and wrote to Hollister on May 2 to tell her:
Remarries
Grubb later married John Ochs and moved to PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. She is reported to have died in 1963.
Although she played a major part in Hubbard's life, Grubb is not mentioned in official Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
biographies. Indeed, Hubbard said in a British television interview that he had only been married twice and had four children (actually seven; he was counting only those he had had with his third wife, Mary Sue Hubbard
Mary Sue Hubbard
Mary Sue Hubbard was the third wife of L. Ron Hubbard, from 1952 to his death in 1986, and was a leading figure in Scientology for much of her life...
, and omitted mentioning his marriage to Sara Northrup Hollister):