L. Ron Hubbard Biography Quotes 14 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard was born on March 13, 1911, in Tilden, Nebraska, to Harry Ross Hubbard, a United States Navy officer, and Ledora May Hubbard. His childhood unfolded across various postings that followed his father's military career, including time in the American West and in U.S. territories in the Pacific. He spent part of his youth in Montana and later in Washington, D.C., experiences he would later reference when describing his early interests and aspirations. In 1930 he enrolled at George Washington University to study engineering. After two years he left without a degree, but the period coincided with the start of the writing career that would become his first public identity.

Early Writing and World War II Service
By the mid-1930s Hubbard was a prolific contributor to pulp magazines, publishing adventure, fantasy, and science fiction under his name and pseudonyms. He worked with influential editor John W. Campbell at Astounding Science Fiction, a relationship that helped bring his fiction to a wide readership and later provided a platform for his non-fiction ideas. He also interacted with contemporaries in the science fiction community, including A. E. van Vogt, who would later play a role in the early organization of Dianetics on the West Coast.

During World War II, Hubbard served in the U.S. Navy. His assignments included command of a small patrol craft. His wartime service was followed by disputes over the nature and extent of his injuries and accomplishments, which became a recurring point of contention among supporters and critics. After the war, he returned to civilian life and writing, while gravitating toward subjects that joined psychology, personal improvement, and metaphysical speculation.

Personal Life and Early Associations
Hubbard married three times. In 1933 he wed Margaret "Polly" Grubb, with whom he had two children. In the mid-1940s he was associated with the Pasadena circle of rocket scientist Jack Parsons, a brief and controversial period that involved business and personal disputes and ended acrimoniously. In 1946 he married Sara Northrup; the relationship broke down amid public allegations and a contentious custody struggle, and it ended in divorce in 1951. In 1952 he married Mary Sue Whipp, thereafter known as Mary Sue Hubbard, who became a central figure in his life and in the organizations he founded; together they had four children, including Diana, Suzette, Arthur, and Quentin.

Dianetics
In 1950, with the active encouragement of John W. Campbell, Hubbard introduced Dianetics to readers of Astounding Science Fiction, followed by the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. The work proposed a method called auditing to address what he termed engrams, with the goal of achieving a state he called Clear. The movement grew rapidly, with early organizational help from figures such as A. E. van Vogt in Los Angeles. The Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation in Elizabeth, New Jersey, was established to train practitioners, but expansion brought financial strain and internal disagreements. Wichita businessman Don Purcell briefly provided support and assumed assets after bankruptcy proceedings, which prompted Hubbard to separate and relocate to Phoenix, where he refined his theories.

From Dianetics to Scientology
By 1952 Hubbard was describing a broader system he called Scientology, presenting it as a study of knowledge and the spirit. He adopted and promoted the use of an electronic device called the E-meter, associated with early developer Volney Mathison, as part of auditing procedures. In late 1953, entities bearing the Scientology name were incorporated, and in 1954 the Church of Scientology of California was established, marking the start of a formal religious framework. Mary Sue Hubbard became a close aide and executive in the evolving organization. Over the following decade, Hubbard issued a large body of lectures and policy directives, established training courses, and introduced advanced levels that he said addressed spiritual abilities.

Sea Organization and International Expansion
In 1967 Hubbard founded the Sea Organization, a cadre intended to steward Scientology's most dedicated projects. He operated for several years from a small fleet, including the flagship Apollo, and used the title Commodore. The Sea Organization traveled among Mediterranean and Atlantic ports while Hubbard oversaw technical training and policy. The movement's international presence grew during this period, with new organizations and missions opening in Europe and elsewhere, but it also attracted scrutiny from regulators and inquiries by governments. In 1975 the leadership came ashore in Florida, with properties in Clearwater becoming a major base. The organization also acquired facilities in Southern California, where publishing, audiovisual production, and administrative offices expanded.

Controversies and Legal Challenges
Hubbard created the Guardian's Office in the mid-1960s, with Mary Sue Hubbard in a leading role to manage legal, public relations, and intelligence matters. In the 1970s, government agencies investigated Scientology's activities. In 1977 the FBI raided church offices in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles as part of an investigation into a covert program known as Operation Snow White. In 1979, Mary Sue Hubbard and several senior Guardian's Office officials, including Jane Kember and Morris Budlong, were convicted in U.S. federal court for crimes related to that operation. Mary Sue Hubbard served a prison sentence, and the Guardian's Office was subsequently reorganized and replaced. The movement also faced inquiries and restrictions in countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, along with long-running tax disputes in the United States. During these years, litigation became a defining feature of the organization's relations with governments and critics.

Later Years and Death
From the late 1970s onward, Hubbard increasingly withdrew from public view, working through a small circle of aides. Among those around him in his final years were Pat Broeker and Annie Broeker. David Miscavige emerged as a key organizer in the early 1980s, helping to manage corporate restructuring and legal strategy as Hubbard remained secluded. Despite isolation, Hubbard continued to write. He returned to commercial fiction with Battlefield Earth (1982) and the multi-volume Mission Earth series, portions of which were released before and after his death. He also launched the Writers of the Future contest to mentor new authors.

Hubbard died on January 24, 1986, near Creston, California, after a stroke. He was cremated, and his ashes were scattered at sea. His death was announced to members at a public event where David Miscavige described the transition in religious terms and outlined plans for the movement's continuation.

Family and Relationships
Hubbard's family life was complex and often troubled. His first marriage to Polly Grubb ended after the war years. His second marriage to Sara Northrup involved a highly publicized dispute and ended in divorce. With Mary Sue Hubbard, he had four children and a close working partnership within Scientology, though her conviction in the Snow White case marked a rupture in both her role and the organization's structure. His son from his first marriage, L. Ron Hubbard Jr., later known as Ron DeWolf, became estranged and publicly critical. The death of his son Quentin in the 1970s was a personal tragedy. His daughters Diana and Suzette, and his son Arthur, had varying degrees of involvement in the organization at different times, while Mary Sue lived largely apart from leadership after her conviction.

Legacy
L. Ron Hubbard left behind a global religious movement centered on his writings and recorded lectures, as well as a substantial catalog of fiction and policy materials. After his death, David Miscavige consolidated leadership and presided over further institutional changes; the church's tax-exempt status in the United States was recognized in 1993, years after Hubbard's passing. To supporters, Hubbard's work offers a structured path of spiritual development and practical tools for living; to critics and investigative bodies, the movement has presented persistent concerns about aggressive litigation, internal discipline, and claims about its methods. Scientology's continued presence in media, its network of affiliated organizations, and its cultural footprint ensure that debates about Hubbard's ideas, and the people who helped shape them, Mary Sue Hubbard, John W. Campbell, A. E. van Vogt, Jack Parsons, Don Purcell, Volney Mathison, and later administrators such as David Miscavige, remain part of his enduring and contested legacy.

Our collection contains 14 quotes who is written by Ron Hubbard, under the main topics: Leadership - Writing - Live in the Moment - Freedom - Faith.