Most Worshipful Brother Newell Beeman Dayton

Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah 1949.

Brother Newell Beeman Dayton, the seventy-fifth Grand Master of the M:.W:.Grand Lodge, F. & A. M. of Utah, was born November 18, 1892, at Sullivan, Indiana, where he received his early education and training. He attended the Indiana State Normal School during the school years 1912-13 and 1916-17 and later graduated from the University of Utah.

Brother Stark came to Utah the first time in 1914 and served as Principal of the school at Green River, Utah. He later returned to his home State to continue his education which was temporarily interrupted by World War 1. Immedately following the declaration of war, April 6, 1917, he volunteered his services and was commissioned an officer in the United States Army during September, 1918, and was honorably discharged from the service September I, 1919.

He married Miss Jeanette Jones at Chicago, Illinois, during 1919 and they have one daughter, now Mrs. B. C. Moncla, and one son, John Reid Stark.

He has engaged in educational work during the greater part of his life, first at Green River, Utah, and later at Ogden, Utah. He is now and has been for a number of years, Principal of the Central High School at Ogden.

In addition to his school work he has been very active in civic matters and other useful avocations. He is a member of the Ogden Rotary Club; a Director of the Ogden Community Chest; a Director of the Ogden Fraternal Home Association and a Charter member of the Ogden DeMolay Advisory Council, having served on that Board from 1924 to 1936 and in 1942-43.

He received the Master Mason degree in Orient Lodge No. 15, F. & A. M. at Green River, Utah, December 20, 1915, during the time he was Principal of the Green River school. He dimitted from Orient Lodge No. 15 and affiliated with George Washington Lodge No. 24, F. & A. M. at Ogden, April 7, 1923, and served as Master of George Washington Lodge during the Masonic year July 1, 1940, to June 30, 1941.

He received the Scottish Rite degrees in Army Consistory at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, March 24, 1918, while in the United States Army, stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. He dimitted from Army Consistory and affiliated with the Scottish Rite Bodies of Utah, January 16, 1941, and was advanced to the rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honor by the Supreme Council, October 21, 1947.

He was created a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, A. A. O. N. M. S., in Murat Temple, at Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1918 and transferred his membership to EI Kalah Temple, Salt Lake City, April 19, 1944.

At the conclusion of his term as Grand Master he will have served eight years and four months as an Officer of Grand Lodge, in the following order:

Sept. 23, 1941 to Jan. 29, 1946 Grand Orator
Jan. 29, 1946 to Jan. 28, 1947 Grand Chaplain
Jan. 28, 1947 to Jan. 27, 1948 Junior Grand Warden
Jan. 27, 1948 to Jan. 25, 1949 Senior Grand Warden
Jan. 25, 1949 to Jan. 24, 1950 Deputy Grand Master
Jan. 24, 1950 to Jan. 23, 1951 Grand Master

Brother Stark has rendered excellent service to the Fraternity during the six and one-half years that he served as an officer of George Washington Lodge No. 24 and more than seven subsequent years as an officer of the Grand Lodge. This, together with the many years of experience in educational work, is ample evidence of his ability and willingness to guide the destinies of Grand Lodge during the coming year in a manner suitable to all.

Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1950.

PGM, Newell Beeman Dayton died on November 15, 1960 at Ogden, Utah. Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1960, page 39.