Lafayette Ronald Hubbard was an American author and the founder of Scientology. His second wife Sara Northrup Hollister was the victim of many tragic events. The couple had a messy, public scandal which resulted in a divorce. L. Ronald Hubbard made a lot of contributions to Scientology but he was in many ways involved in his second wife’s suffering. 

10 Tragic Facts About Sara Northrup, L. Ron Hubbard’s Wife

Sara Northrup Hollister lived a life that was shrouded in tragedy and mystique. Her story is a compelling and often overlooked chapter in the annals of Scientology history, marked by personal turmoil, legal battles, and a tumultuous relationship with Hubbard himself. In this article, we will delve into 10 tragic facts about Sara Northrup, shedding light on the challenges and hardships she faced throughout her life in the shadow of one of the 20th century’s most influential and polarizing figures.

10. First Time Meeting in a Sex Magick Cult

Sara Northup Hollister’s life from the beginning was a difficult one, she was living with the occultist Jack Parson at the time she met Hubbard. Both of them were members of Crowley’s sex magick cult. The poor girl’s life was filled with tragedies, she was sexually abused by her father from a young age and she started sleeping with Jack Parson by age 13, who was her sister’s husband. 

When she met Hubbard she thought things would change and he was finally the one to take her away from all the bad things. They both tried to summon a Babylonian goddess by performing ridiculous incantations, mixing runes with animal blood, and masturbating on magical tablets.

Hubbard was a liar who made stories about his heroism in the war and he won over Northrup. 

9. Being Pushed to Steal Jack Parson’s Life Savings:

Jack Parson was in a relationship with Sara Northrup Hollister when she met L. Ron Hubbard. Even though Hubbard was friends with Parson, he took his girlfriend and later on had the nerve to ask for $20,000 for a business venture together. Parson agreed and lent him the money. 

Later on, Hubbard used this money to buy a yacht and took off to Florida with Hollister. Parson in return, sued them both but the case didn’t go on for much longer as Parson accepted a meager amount in return and let the new couple keep the yacht. The reason for this unfair deal was that Parson allegedly had sex with Hollister when she was just 13 years old. 

8. L. Ron Hubbard was still with his first wife

Hubbard was a liar and a manipulator, he threatened to kill himself on multiple occasions to coerce Sara Northrup Hollister into marrying him. Even though she had refused multiple times he never told her that he was still married to his first wife. His first wife and the mother of his two children was, Polly Grubb.  

Hubbard cheated on her multiple times and this time he was going to marry someone else. Polly Grubb wanted to get out of this horrible relationship and demanded a divorce multiple times but she was refused, it was only after Hubbard had been married to Sara Northrup Hollister for well over a year that he agreed to divorce his first wife. 

He even had the guts to Hollister to the house his first wife used to reside in and it was his son, L Ron Jr, who revealed this secret to Hollister. The poor girl was devastated by this news. Hubbard being the manipulator that he was, managed to convince Hollister to stay despite of all this. 

7. Being Abused by her Husband

Sara Northrup Hollister’s tumultuous relationship with L. Ron Hubbard is marked by allegations of abuse and manipulation. It is essential to note that the details of their marriage and the specific instances of abuse have been the subject of much controversy and legal disputes. Sara Northrup Hollister married L. Ron Hubbard in 1946, and their union quickly deteriorated into a troubling and rocky partnership. 

In her later testimonies and legal claims, Sara accused Hubbard of physical and emotional abuse, alleging that he subjected her to violence, isolation, and coercive tactics. According to her accounts, she experienced severe mistreatment during their marriage, including claims of being locked in a cabin, subjected to intense interrogations, and enduring attempts to control her life and decision-making. Sara told later on, that Hubbard was so angry one day that he attacked her and ruptured her left eardrum, and her hearing was impaired.

6. Her Husband Tried to Beat Her into a Miscarriage 

None of those physical assaults, however, could be compared to the horrifying incident when she became pregnant. One evening, during one of Hubbard’s furious fits of anger, he callously threw his expectant wife to the ground. He had resolved that they wouldn’t bring a child into the world, and he was determined to ensure it. In a shocking and appalling act, L. Ron Hubbard attempted to induce a miscarriage by ruthlessly stomping on her abdomen.

In a miraculous turn of events, the unborn child survived this brutal assault. Regrettably, this wasn’t the first time Hubbard had sought to harm an unborn baby. According to his eldest son, L. Ron Hubbard Jr., he once discovered his father with a coat hanger in hand, menacingly standing over his mother. Hubbard Jr. further claimed that his birth, which occurred nearly three months prematurely, was the result of a failed late-term abortion. Remarkably, Hubbard himself acknowledged some of these forced abortions in his private memoir, revealing that his marriage with Polly had led to “five abortions and two children.”

5. Hubbard Outed His Wife to the FBI 

After Dianetics took off and Hubbard started to make some money, he started to stray from his second wife more and more. He went out and cheated on Sara Northrup Hollister with younger women. And he didn’t even spare his PR assistant who was just 20 years old, Barbara Klowden. 

He even forced Hollister to go on a double date with his PR assistant but Sara wasn’t going to take all this abuse. She retaliated and started a revenge affair with one of his employees, Miles Hollister. But she forgot that Hubbard was very evil and in return, Hubbard wrote a letter to the FBI and framed his wife as communist. 

J. Edgar Hoover promptly responded to Hubbard’s letter and extended an invitation for a meeting with an FBI agent, to which Hubbard agreed. During their encounter, Hubbard claimed that Hollister had manipulated his wife’s mind, leading her to suffer from mental instability. He then launched into an impassioned diatribe about how Dianetics held the potential to combat communism, vehemently defending his sanity in the face of accusations to the contrary.

The agent maintained a polite demeanor, discreetly jotting down a brief note in his notebook that simply read, “Mental health concerns.” Surprisingly, no further action was taken to involve Northrup or Hollister. This decision may have been influenced, at least in part, by the fact that Hubbard had a history of reporting individuals to the authorities. The FBI’s files contained numerous letters from L. Ron Hubbard, in which he reported virtually every German person he encountered as a suspected undercover Nazi and a “threat to the nation.”

4. Brainwashing Sara Northrup Hollister

L. Ron Hubbard’s attempts to manipulate and control his second wife, Sara Northrup Hollister, were not limited to physical abuse but also extended into psychological and coercive tactics, including efforts to use his creation, Scientology, as a means of control. In his quest to maintain dominance over her, Hubbard sought to leverage the influence he had within the Church of Scientology and its members to manipulate Sara into staying with him.

One of the methods Hubbard employed was to use Scientology’s doctrines and practices to exert pressure on Sara. He encouraged Scientologists to engage in “auditing” sessions with her, a process that is meant to help individuals overcome emotional and psychological obstacles. However, in this context, these sessions were used to interrogate and manipulate Sara, attempting to convince her to return to her husband and accept his authority.

3. Kidnapping Sara’s Baby

The case of L. Ron Hubbard allegedly kidnapping Sara Northrup Hollister’s baby is a deeply troubling and contentious aspect of their tumultuous relationship. Amid their turbulent marriage, Sara became pregnant, which further strained their already dysfunctional partnership. According to Sara’s accounts, Hubbard, who had vehemently opposed the idea of having a child, was determined to prevent her from giving birth.

In a harrowing turn of events, Sara claimed that Hubbard orchestrated the abduction of their child. She asserted that, after she had given birth to their daughter Alexis Valerie, Hubbard took the baby away from her and went to Cuba, refusing to return her to Sara. This act, if true, constitutes a shocking and emotionally distressing form of kidnapping and parental alienation, demonstrating the depths to which Hubbard was willing to go to control his wife and ensure that their child remained out of her reach.

2. The Shocking Revelation of His First Wife

Polly Hubbard, the first wife of L. Ron Hubbard, had also experienced a series of distressing and abusive incidents that bear a striking resemblance to the harrowing experiences of his second wife, Sara Northrup Hollister. Although their marriage took place before the foundation of Scientology and before L. Ron Hubbard’s rise to prominence was marked by similarly troubling dynamics.

Polly Hubbard, like Sara, faced allegations of physical abuse from her husband. Reports suggest that L. Ron Hubbard’s temper and erratic behavior often led to violent outbursts during their marriage. Polly endured these confrontations, mirroring the patterns of abuse that would later manifest in his relationship with Sara.

Additionally, both wives contended with Hubbard’s efforts to manipulate and control them. He was known for using coercive tactics to assert dominance, isolating his wives, and attempting to mold them according to his wishes. Polly, just like Sara, experienced emotional manipulation and efforts to subjugate her to his will.

1. Sara’s Efforts to Get Her Baby Back:

Sara Northrup Hollister’s deeply distressing ordeal in regaining custody of her daughter, Alexis Valerie, shed light on the lengths to which L. Ron Hubbard was willing to go to maintain control over her and their child. In a disturbing turn of events, it was reported that Sara had to absolve Hubbard of all guilt and wrongdoing in a legal document to secure the return of her baby.

This act of forcing Sara to absolve Hubbard was a testament to his manipulative and coercive tactics. It exemplified his determination to maintain a tight grip on her and their child, even in the face of allegations of abuse and a tumultuous marriage. This not only speaks to the power dynamics within their relationship but also underscores the lengths to which he was willing to go to protect his image and authority.

After she got her baby back, she ran away and described this day as the happiest day of her life. 

FAQs

1. Q: Who was Sara Northrup and what is her connection to L. Ron Hubbard?
   • A: Sara Northrup was the second wife of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. She played a significant role in Hubbard’s life and the early days of Scientology.
2. Q: What were some of the key events or moments in Sara Northrup’s life with L. Ron Hubbard?
   • A: Some notable events in Sara Northrup’s life with L. Ron Hubbard include their marriage in 1946, her involvement in Scientology, and their eventual divorce in the early 1950s.
3. Q: How did Sara Northrup’s relationship with L. Ron Hubbard influence Scientology?
   • A: Sara Northrup’s relationship with Hubbard provided insights into the early development of Scientology, as she was intimately involved in its early practices and teachings.
4. Q: What led to the eventual divorce between Sara Northrup and L. Ron Hubbard?
   • A: The divorce between Sara Northrup and L. Ron Hubbard was reportedly due to various factors, including allegations of abusive behavior, legal disputes, and ideological differences.
5. Q: Did Sara Northrup have any significant contributions or impact outside of her association with L. Ron Hubbard?
   • A: While Sara Northrup is primarily known for her connection to L. Ron Hubbard, there may be other aspects of her life and activities that are worth exploring.
6. Q: Are there any controversies or lesser-known details about Sara Northrup’s life that are covered in the article?
   • A: Yes, the article delves into lesser-known facts and aspects of Sara Northrup’s life, providing a comprehensive look at her experiences.
7. Q: How reliable are the sources of information used in the article about Sara Northrup?
   • A: The article draws information from reputable sources, including historical accounts, biographies, and credible publications, to present a well-rounded and accurate portrayal of Sara Northrup.
8. Q: Can readers expect to gain a deeper understanding of L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology through the lens of Sara Northrup’s life?
   • A: Yes, Sara Northrup’s association with L. Ron Hubbard offers insights into the early days of Scientology and provides a unique perspective on Hubbard’s personal life.
9. Q: Does the article provide context on the cultural and historical backdrop against which Sara Northrup’s story unfolds?
   • A: Yes, the article may include contextual information to help readers understand the time period and societal influences that shaped Sara Northrup’s experiences.
10. Q: Where can readers find more information about Sara Northrup and her life beyond what’s covered in the article?
    • A: Readers interested in further exploring Sara Northrup’s life may refer to additional biographies, historical accounts, or related literature about L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology.

Please note that while these FAQs aim to provide general information, it’s recommended to read the full article for a comprehensive understanding of Sara Northrup’s life and her connection to L. Ron Hubbard.