Most Worshipful Brother Emery Roy Gibson

Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah 1922.

Brother Emery Roy Gibson comes from Illinois, where he was born January 11, 1875, Creston being the place of his birth. When thirteen years of age he came, with his parents, into the adjoining State of Iowa.

At Creston, Illinois, and later at Woodward and Perry, Iowa, he attended the Public Schools, in the meantime learning telegraphy. In August, 1890, he came to Utah and entered the employ of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company, serving for a brief period as relief Agent at Thompson, going soon after to Helper as night operator. He remained with the Company until the fall of 1899 when he accepted a position with the Utah Fuel Company as Chief Clerk at Sunnyside, Utah. In February, 1904 he went to West Virginia as Auditor of the Austen Coal and Coke Company. On accout of Mrs. Gibson's ill health he returned to Utah in October, 1905 and again entered the employ of the Utah Fuel Company at Salt Lake City as Traveling Auditor, remaining in that position until May 1, 1912 when he was appointed Auditor of the several Companies which were subsequently consolidated into the United States Fuel Company, which position he still occupies.

Brother Gibson was married to Miss Annie Ryan, daughter of William and Janet C. Ryan, in August 1896. They have one daughter, who at present is in Columbia University, New York City.

Brother Gibson was initiated an Entered Apprentice August 15, 1903, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft September 25, 1903 and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason October 21, 1903 in Damascus Lodge No. 10, F. & A. M. at Mt. Pleasant, Utah. In January, 1907 he dimitted from Damascus Lodge and in April following became a member of Argenta Lodge No. 3, by affiliation. . His name appears on the official roster of Argenta Lodge, as junior Steward, in the Grand Lodge Proceedings of 1912, and as Worshipful Master of that Lodge in 1917. At the Annual Communication of that year he was appointed Senior Grand Deacon, thereafter being regularly advanced until the Fifty First Annual Communication, January 18, 1922, when he was elected Grand Master of Masons in Utah.

On May 19, 1920 he received the Royal Arch degree in Salt Lake Chapter No. 5.

At the Eighth Reunion of the Scottish Rite Bodies, October 2225, 1906, he received the degrees from the 4th to 32nd inclusive. In recognition of his services and value to the Craft he was elected to the rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honor by the Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, October 18, 1922.

Brother Gibson takes up the duties of Grand Master with the confidence and esteem of the Craft of the entire jurisdiction. He is not in the class of those who "strike twelve" at the outset, for the qualities which distinguish him are of the substantial sort. The better he is known the more highly will his worth be appreciated. Possessed of a sunny, genial disposition, good judgment, sound business experience and the confidence of his Brethren, his administration promises to be one characterized by harmony and positive growth.

Ref: Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Utah, 1922, facing pages.

Electronically transcribed as written without corrections to grammar or spelling by Marianne Ausseresses, April, 2005

PGM Emery Roy Gibson died on February 23, 1969 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings 1970, Page 62.