My Genealogy Hound

Lansing W. Hurlburt, well known as a Christian Science healer and the founder of the First Church of Christ Scientist in Creston, was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, June 28, 1861. His father, Samuel W. Hurlburt, is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and comes of English parentage. He is a cooper by trade and in his boyhood days he went to Illinois, being at the time about fifteen years of age. He learned his trade in Rushville, that state, and remained in Illinois until 1872, when he came to Iowa, locating at Winterset. Three years later he removed to Creston, where he established a hotel and restaurant, continuing in the business for a number of years. On the expiration of that period he was joined by his son Lansing in the furniture business, which they conducted for about seven years, and they also brought out a number of useful inventions. They patented a rubber novelty—a rubber ventilator for pillows, beds and mattresses. They then traveled on the road with this article for a number of years, making large sales, and Lansing W. Hurlburt now owns and controls this patent, Which is manufactured by the Goodyear Rubber Company of New York and Boston, and the Goodrich Rubber Company, of Akron, Ohio. After retiring from the road Samuel W. Hurlburt again became a dealer in furniture in Creston and carried on business for some time but is now living retired at the age of seventy-five years. His political views are in harmony with the principles of the republican party. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eliza M. Bushnell, was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, and is now living at the advanced age of eighty-two years. She is descended from Revolutionary ancestry.

By a former marriage Mrs. Hurlburt had six children but Lansing W. Hurlburt is the only child born unto his parents. He acquired a common-school education but is largely self-taught, although he spent some time in school in Illinois and in Creston prior to engaging in business with his father. He became well known in the business circles of this city and continued in trade until 1896, when he took up the study of Christian Science. He was a non-believer in religion but became interested in Mrs. Eddy’s works on the cult and pursued a course of lectures at the St. Joseph Metaphysical College and took the degree of C. S. Returning to Creston after having qualified as a healer, he established headquarters in the Harsh bank building, and through the ensuing years the cause has steadily gained in the number of its followers in Creston. In 1899 the First Church of Christ Scientist was chartered in Creston and from a membership of nine graduates at that time the church has grown to a membership very encouraging to its projectors. Mr. Hurlburt was its first reader and so continued for six years. His wife is the present reader of the church, while he is now president of the church. This organization has been established through his instrumentality and most of its members have been brought into the church through his efforts.

On the 28th of June, 1884, Mr. Hurlburt was married to Miss Louisa Johnson, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jahn Johnson, of Nevinville, Iowa. She died in 1896 at the age of twenty-eight years, leaving two children, Lena and Claude, the latter an electrician of Omaha. Mr. Hurlburt has since married his present wife, who was formerly Amelia Isley, of New York. The marriage was celebrated in 1897, and they have a son and daughter: Eddy H., nine years of age; and Mary Baker G., seven years of age.

Mr. Hurlburt gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He owns considerable residence property and a number of vacant lots at Creston and also land in Nebraska. Aside from the supervision of his property interests he has during the past ten years devoted his entire time to the science of healing with great success. His success has been more than ordinary in all of his undertakings and he is now doing an excellent service for the church with which he is identified.