Marvin S. Hill
Encyclopedia
Marvin Sidney Hill is a retired professor of American history at Brigham Young University
(BYU) and a historian of the Latter Day Saint movement
.
in history at BYU in 1955. He received a Ph.D. in American Intellectual History from the University of Chicago
in 1968, studying under Martin E. Marty
and writing his dissertation on Christian Primitivism and Mormonism. Hill attended the University of Chicago at the same time as Dallin H. Oaks
, and their mutual interest in the murder of Mormon founder Joseph Smith
in Illinois led to a ten-year research effort. Together they published the book Carthage Conspiracy: The Trial of the Accused Assassins of Joseph Smith in 1975, when they were both working at BYU, Hill as a professor of history and Oaks as the university president
. The book won the Mormon History Association
's best book award for 1976.
Hill was a professor of American history at BYU starting in the 1960s. In 1972 he took leave from BYU to accept a post-doctoral research fellow
ship at Yale University
. He has also served as president of the Mormon History Association
and on the board of editors of the Journal of Mormon History.
In Mormon studies, Hill was a well known proponent of the New Mormon History
and advocated a "middle ground" approach which didn't seek to describe Mormonism as authentic or fraudulent.
Hill married Lila Foster and they had six children and lived in Provo, Utah
. He is the brother of Donna Hill, author of the noted 1977 biography Joseph Smith, the First Mormon.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU) and a historian of the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
.
Biography
Hill completed his Master of ArtsMaster of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in history at BYU in 1955. He received a Ph.D. in American Intellectual History from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1968, studying under Martin E. Marty
Martin E. Marty
Martin Emil Marty is an American Lutheran religious scholar who has written extensively on 19th century and 20th century American religion. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1956, and served as a Lutheran pastor from 1952 to 1962 in the suburbs of Chicago...
and writing his dissertation on Christian Primitivism and Mormonism. Hill attended the University of Chicago at the same time as Dallin H. Oaks
Dallin H. Oaks
Dallin Harris Oaks is an American attorney, jurist, author, professor, public speaker, and religious leader. Since 1984, he has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, and their mutual interest in the murder of Mormon founder Joseph Smith
Death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
The death of Joseph Smith, Jr. on June 27, 1844 marked a turning point for the Latter Day Saint movement, of which Smith was the founder and leader. When he was attacked and killed by a mob, Smith was the mayor of Nauvoo, Illinois, and running for President of the United States...
in Illinois led to a ten-year research effort. Together they published the book Carthage Conspiracy: The Trial of the Accused Assassins of Joseph Smith in 1975, when they were both working at BYU, Hill as a professor of history and Oaks as the university president
President of BYU
The following people have served as presidents of Brigham Young University. This list does not include presidents of Brigham Young University Hawaii or Brigham Young University–Idaho.#Warren N. Dusenberry #Karl G. Maeser...
. The book won the Mormon History Association
Mormon History Association
The Mormon History Association is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field...
's best book award for 1976.
Hill was a professor of American history at BYU starting in the 1960s. In 1972 he took leave from BYU to accept a post-doctoral research fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
ship at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. He has also served as president of the Mormon History Association
Mormon History Association
The Mormon History Association is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field...
and on the board of editors of the Journal of Mormon History.
In Mormon studies, Hill was a well known proponent of the New Mormon History
New Mormon history
New Mormon history refers to a style of reporting the history of Mormonism by both Mormon and non-Mormon scholars which departs from earlier more polemical styles of history...
and advocated a "middle ground" approach which didn't seek to describe Mormonism as authentic or fraudulent.
Hill married Lila Foster and they had six children and lived in Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
. He is the brother of Donna Hill, author of the noted 1977 biography Joseph Smith, the First Mormon.
Awards
- 1975: Best Book Award for Carthage Conspiracy with Dallin H. OaksDallin H. OaksDallin Harris Oaks is an American attorney, jurist, author, professor, public speaker, and religious leader. Since 1984, he has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
(Mormon History AssociationMormon History AssociationThe Mormon History Association is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field...
) - 1977: Best Article By a Senior Author for "The Kirtland Economy Revisited" with C. Keith Rooker and Larry T. WimmerLarry T. WimmerLarry Turley Wimmer is the Warren and Wilson Dusenberry University Professor at Brigham Young University . He is a professor of economics who specializes in American economic history and the economics of aging.-Biography:...
(Mormon History AssociationMormon History AssociationThe Mormon History Association is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field...
) - 1989: Best Book Award for Quest for Refuge (Mormon History AssociationMormon History AssociationThe Mormon History Association is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field...
)
External links
- The Marvin S. Hill papers at the University of UtahUniversity of UtahThe University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
- Photograph of Marvin Hill