Most Worshipful Brother George Henry Dern

Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah 1913.

It has been well said that "The measure of a man's life in the well-spending of it." By that rule the life of Past Grand Master Dern was long. His career was characterized by so many interests and achievements, and his steady rise to influence and prominence so marked, that only the barest outline of facts can be given here.

Born in Dodge County, Nebraska, September 8, 1872, he was in the sixty-fourth year of age when death found him on August 27, 1936.

He was educated in the public schools, the Fremont Normal College and the University of his native state. He came to Utah with his parents in 1894, here, in the thirty-nine years that followed by industry, intelligent application to the work in hand, and by a sturdy integrity of character, he won for himself a high place in the life and history of this Commonwealth.

His varied interests and experiences as a banker, business man, mining engineer and operator, legislator, and wise Governor of his adopted State, served to equip and qualify him for that larger and national service to which he was called in the President's Cabinet. In this responsible position those qualities of character which brought him success in other fields of endeavor-thoroughness, devotion to duty, rugged honesty, and courage, enabled him to render an increasingly valuable and distinguished service to his country.

In taking up his duties as Secretary of War he entered a field in which he had had no previous experience and of which he had no special knowledge. He was at a further disadvantage in that the minds of many-if not quite generally-a question mark was attached to his appointment-the President had selected one of his particular friends for this responsible position, without much regard for the fitness of the appointee for the task assigned. With that dogged determination to master whatever he undertook, which was a marked characteristic of the man, he brought about a reversal of that opinion; won the co-operation, confidence and esteem of those with whom he was most closely associated and by his constructive leadership, came to be recognized as one of the really great peacetime Secretaries of War.

A year after his duties of Secretary of War were taken over by him, a writer in a widely circulated publication, after a long characterization in other particulars wrote:

" * * * when President Roosevelt wants some new activity administrated honestly and efficiently, he turns to the War Department and George Dern, formerly Utah's good Governor`; the Nebraska farm boy who made good as gold miner, engineer and statesman."

For almost 40 years Brother Dern was a member of the Masonic fraternity and while a resident of the state gave liberally to that Brotherhood of his time, energy and talents.

He was initiated in Wasatch Lodge No. 1 F. & A. M., of this city, April 16, 1897; passed April 23rd and raised May 7, 1897. He was Master of that Lodge in 1902.

In Grand Lodge he served as Grand Lecturer for the years 1910 and 1911; was elected Senior Grand Warden January 18, 1911; Deputy Grand Master January 17, 1912; and Grand Master January 22, 1913. He was a member of the Board of Custodians in Grand Lodge 1916 to 1919, and 1924 to 1934; of the Committee on Grievance and Appeals, 1920 to 1923, and of the Committee on Jurisprudence 1925 to August 27, 1936.

In York Rite he received the Chapter Degrees in Utah Chapter No. 1, R. A. M., February 2, 1898, and was Knighted in Utah Commandery No. 1 Knights Templar, March 22, 1898.

In the A. & A. S. Rite he received the degrees from the 4th to the 32nd inclusive, in Utah Consistory in November, 1904; served as presiding officer in the Lodge of Perfection; Council of Kadosh and Utah Consistory. October 16, 1923, he was advanced to the rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honor and on October 21, 1927, he was invested with the Thirty-third Degree and proclaimed an Inspector General Honorary and an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council of the Southern Jurisdiction.

He was created a Noble of the Mystic Shrine in El Kalah Temple, Salt Lake City, March 28, 1898, and served that organization as Illustrious Potentate for the year 1929.

On June 7, 1899, Brother Dern was married to Miss Lottie Brown of Fremont, Nebraska. To them seven children were born, five of whom with his widow survive him.

The foregoing paragraphs give little more than glimpses of the career or our distinguished Brother. For a more complete account the reader is referred to newspapers of the period, particularly to those which recorded the event connected with the funeral services held in this city September 1, 1936. (See also, under "Occasional Communications of the Grand Lodge,' p. 84.)

Ref: Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Utah, 1937, p. 84, 85.

Electronically Transcribed as written without corrections to grammar or spelling by Aaron E. Saathoff, P.M., March, 2005.