Most Worshipful Brother John Francis Rowe

Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah 1945.

As the Grand Lodge of Utah was organized January 16, 1872, it is now in its seventy-fourth year. During that period four Grand Masters served an aggregate of eight years, therefore our present Grand Master is the seventieth to occupy that exalted position. The Grand Masters who served longer than the customary one year are Brothers Phil H. Emerson, two years; Parley L. Williams, three years; Joseph G. Titley, twenty months, and Harold A. Linke, sixteen months.

Brother Rowe was born at Placerville, California, August 21, 1882. At the age of nine he went to Butte, Montana, with his parents, where he attended elementary school and business college. During August, 1898, he moved to Provo and entered the employ of the Telluride Power Company. He has continued in the service of that company, and its successor, the Utah Power and Light Company, to the present. During the past sixteen years he has been Superintendent of the company at Eureka, having charge of the business in the Tintic district, including a number of towns in Juab and Utah Counties.

He married Miss Henrietta B. Henroid January 5, 1905, and they have one son and one daughter. The son, Brother Gus Francis Rowe, also a member of the Craft, is manager of one of the larger drug stores in Salt Lake City, and the daughter, Jean, is the wife of Lieut. Melvin T. Briggs, now serving in the United States Navy.

He received his Master Mason degree in Tintic Lodge No.9, at Eureka, November 26, 1907, and served as Master during the year 1913. In December, 1927, he was elected Secretary of Tintic Lodge No.9, and is still serving in that position;

He received the Scottish Rite degrees from the 4th to 32nd during November, 1943, and became a member of El Kalah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., April 19, 1944.

In Grand Lodge, after serving in several appointive offices, was elected Junior Grand Warden September 23, 1941; Senior Grand Warden January 26, 1943; Deputy Grand Master January 25, 1944, and Most Worshipful Grand Master January 23, 1945.

Brother Rowe has also been very active in other Fraternal and Civic organizations. These activities include the office of Exalted Ruler of the Tintic Lodge of Elks, District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler of Utah Elks, President of the Eureka Kiwanis Club for two years, Director of the Associated Civic Clubs of Southern Utah, Manager and Treasurer of the Eureka City Parks Commission and others.

During his many years of residence in Utah he has made a host of friends. Many years of active service in the Lodge and in Grand Lodge, combined with his genial and kindly disposition, and most of all, his desire to do things and do them well, qualify him to serve as Grand Master efficiently and wisely.

Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1945.

PGM, John Francis Rowe died on September 1, 1957 in Provo, Utah. Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1958 page 83.