Doctor Philastus Hurlbut (February 3, 1809 – June 16, 1883) was a 19th-century

Latter Day Saint The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by Jo ...

dissenter. Hurlbut is best known for his collection of affidavits which in 1834 were published in

Eber D. Howe Eber Dudley Howe (June 9, 1798 – November 10, 1885) was the founder and editor of the ''Painesville Telegraph'', a newspaper that published in Painesville, Ohio, starting in 1822. Howe was the author of one of the first books that was critical ...

’s

anti-Mormon Anti-Mormonism is discrimination, persecution, hostility or prejudice directed against the Latter Day Saint movement, particularly the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The term is often used to describe people or literat ...

book ''

Mormonism Unvailed ''Mormonism Unvailed'' is a book published in 1834 by Eber D. Howe. The title page proclaims the book to be a contemporary exposé of Mormonism, and makes the claim that the historical portion of the Book of Mormon text was based upon a manusc ...

'' . The purpose of these affidavits was to produce damaging evidence related to the character of

Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was 24, Smith published the Book of Mormon. By the time of his death, 14 years later, he ...

, the founder of the

Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by Jo ...

, Smith's family, and his associates.

Life and work

Hurlbut was born in

Chittenden County, Vermont Chittenden County () is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, its population was 168,323. The county seat is Vermont's most populous municipality, the city of Burlington. The county has over a quarter o ...

. He was a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

preacher in

Jamestown, New York Jamestown is a city in southern Chautauqua County, in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 28,712 at the 2020 census. Situated between Lake Erie to the north and the Allegheny National Forest to the south, Jamestown is the largest pop ...

, and joined

Church of Christ Church of Christ may refer to: Church groups * When used in the plural, a New Testament designation for local groups of people following the teachings of Jesus Christ: "...all the churches of Christ greet you", Romans 16:16. * The entire body of Ch ...

sometime in 1832 or 1833. He was ordained as an

elder An elder is someone with a degree of seniority or authority. Elder or elders may refer to: Positions Administrative * Elder (administrative title), a position of authority Cultural * North American Indigenous elder, a person who has and tr ...

of the church on March 18, 1833, by

Sidney Rigdon Sidney Rigdon (February 19, 1793 – July 14, 1876) was a leader during the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Biography Early life Rigdon was born in St. Clair Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on February 19, 1793. He was ...

. In June 1833, Hurlbut was excommunicated from the church on charges of sexual immorality. A contemporary author discusses Hurlbut’s background by noting that prior to joining the

Mormons Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

, Hurlbut had been expelled from his Methodist congregation for "unvirtuous conduct with a young lady." As a member of the Latter Day Saint church, Hurlbut "immediately commenced his old practices, in attempting to seduce a young female.... r this crime he was immediately expelled from the church." In response to his expulsion from the church, Hurlbut "now determined to demolish, as far as practicable, what he had once endeavoured to build up." Hurlbut began travelling throughout the country, giving lectures against

Mormonism Mormonism is the religious tradition and theology of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity started by Joseph Smith in Western New York in the 1820s and 1830s. As a label, Mormonism has been applied to various aspects of t ...

. At the request of an anti-Mormon Ohio committee, Hurlbut traveled to Palmyra, New York, where Smith had lived when Mormonism was developed and obtained affidavits from people who were familiar with the Smith family. His journey was done for the purpose of "collecting statements disparaging to the Smith name." One modern Latter Day Saint author states that Hurlbut's task was to "obtain information that would show 'the bad character of the Mormon Smith Family,' divest Joseph of 'all claims to the character of an honest man,' and place him at an 'immeasurable distance from the high station he pretends to occupy.'" One Presbyterian historian has speculated that the gathering of the affidavits was "revenge" by the three local Presbyterian leaders for a claim made by Joseph's mother,

Lucy Mack Smith Lucy Mack Smith (July 8, 1775 – May 14, 1856) was the mother of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is noted for writing the memoir, '' Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Ge ...

, that they had "conspired to destroy the Book of Mormon." To accomplish his task, Hurlbut traveled in Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania collecting statements disparaging to the Smith name. When Hurlbut read the Spalding manuscript, he said, "I obtained a manuscript... which was reported to be the foundation of the

Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude date ...

... when upon examination I found it to contain nothing of the kind, but being a manuscript upon an entirely different subject." In 1834, Hurlbut was arrested for allegedly threatening Smith's life. A judge released him on his own recognizance and ordered him to keep the peace. Hurlbut later moved to

Gibsonburg, Ohio Gibsonburg is a village in Sandusky County, Ohio, United States 33 miles southeast of Toledo. The population was 2,581 at the 2010 census. The National Arbor Day Foundation has designated Gibsonburg as a Tree City USA. History Gibsonburg had i ...

, where he joined a branch of the United Brethren Church and became an elder in 1846. In 1847, he became a member of the board of trustees of

Otterbein College Otterbein University is a private university in Westerville, Ohio. It offers 74 majors and 44 minors as well as eight graduate programs. The university was founded in 1847 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and named for United Bre ...

. He was excommunicated therefrom in 1851 on the charge of "having engaged in improprieties with the opposite sex." Hurlbut died in Gibsonburg.

Notes

References

Sources

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External links

D. P. Hurlbut Chronology
by Dale R. Broadhurst {{DEFAULTSORT:Hurlbut, Doctor Philastus 1809 births 1883 deaths Converts to Mormonism from Methodism Former Latter Day Saints Mormonism-related controversies People excommunicated by the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints) American evangelicals People from Sandusky County, Ohio People from Chittenden County, Vermont People from Jamestown, New York Oberlin College people Critics of Mormonism People excommunicated by Christian churches