Hurst, Fredrick William, 1833-1918

Frederick William Hurst was born on the Isle of Jersey on June 30, 1833. In 1839 his family left England for New Zealand, arriving in Wellington in 1840. Hurst and his brother Clement traveled to Australia to prospect for gold in 1850, working in a store before eventually making a profit from gold mining. After about a year of prospecting, Hurst and Clement returned to New Zealand upon the death of their father. After the sale of the family farm, Hurst and Clement, along with their brother Alfred, returned to Australia in October 1853. While staying at a friend's house, Hurst was persuaded by his brother Clement to listen to the preaching of a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Frederick and Clement were baptized in January 1854, after which they were essentially disowned by their family, including their brother Alfred, who had returned to Australia. In September 1854 Hurst and Clement decided to travel to Utah, stopping in Tahiti and the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) along the way. Hurst ended up being called as a missionary in Hawaii and remained there until 1856. He arrived in San Francisco in November 1856, and remained as a missionary in California until October 1857. He and Clement finally arrived in Utah in January 1858. Hurst married Aurelia Hawkins in November 1858. He ran a Pony Express Station in Ruby Valley in 1860, and the family, which would eventually consist of eight children who survived childhood, moved to Logan in 1865. In 1875 Hurst, was called on a mission to New Zealand, which lasted from 1875-1877. After returning to Utah, he worked on the Logan and Salt Lake Temples, and also served as School Superintendent in Logan. After Aurelia's death in 1909, Hurst married Mrs. Ann Norfold, a friend from New Zealand. He died on October 30, 1918.