Most Worshipful Brother John William Stoner

Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah 1934.

Just why Iowa permits so much good Grand Master material to escape to other jurisdictions is puzzling, to the. present writer, at least. It may be the part of wisdom, however, to refrain from discussing this point, in view of a possible "embargo" that may be declared against further exports by the Fraternity of the "Hawkeye" State-to Utah's great loss.

The sixtieth Grand Master of this Jurisdiction, Most Worshipful John William Stoner, first saw the light of day on a farm in Pottawattamie county, Iowa, July 7, 1887, the second son in a family of ten children. The first ten years of his life was spent in the southwestern part of that state and in the southeastern corner of Nebraska. Then, in 1897 the family moved to Lead, South Dakota, where the head of the family engaged in mining and the future Grand Master did his preparatory work in the public schools, and at the age of eighteen he entered the State School of Mines at Rapid City, South Dakota, graduating from that institution five years later with the degree of B. S. in Mining Engineering. It should be said in passing that one of the five years mentioned was devoted to the very prosaic task of replenishing the exchequer to make possible the completion of the work in the School of Mines.

Following graduation came service with the Homestake Mining Company at Lead, with the Cumberland Mining Company at Maiden, Montana, as assayer and chemist, and then seven years as an employee of the city of Lead, as City Auditor and Clerk of the Municipal Court, City Assessor, and City Engineer.

On October 1st, 1918, Brother Stoner came to Park City and accepted a position with the Judge Mining and Smelting Company which later consolidated with the Park Utah Consolidated Mines Company. These companies he served as Chief Engineer, Chief Geologist, and Superintendent of Mines. His present position is that of Secretary of the company named with an office in Salt Lake City.

On July 16, 1910, our Grand Master was married to Louise Dorothy Marceau, at Deadwood, South Dakota. Two sons and two daughters have blessed this union.

Only the barest outline of Brother Stoner's Masonic record can be given here. He was initiated in Golden Star Lodge No.9, A. F. & A. M. of Lead, South Dakota, June 6, 1918; passed July 18, and raised September 5, 1918. He affiliated with Uintah Lodge No.7, Park City, November 7, 1919, and served that Lodge as Master in 1922, and later as Trustee and Deputy Grand Lecturer.

He received the Chapter degrees in Ontario Chapter No.3, R. A. M., September 19, 1923, and was its High Priest in 1929. On the 13th of May, 1929, he became a member of the Order of the High Priesthood, and at the Annual Convocation of the Grand Chapter, R. A. M., Utah in June, 1933, he was appointed Grand Captain of the Host.

He was greeted as a Select Master in Utah Council No.1, R. & S. M., Salt Lake City, October 26, 1928.

The Templar Degrees he received in Malta Commandery No.3, Park City, October 20, 1927; was Eminent Commander in 1931. He was appointed Grand Sentinel in the Grand Commandery of Utah, in May, 19W3.

On the 4th of September he became a member of St. Bernard Conclave, No. 25, Red Cross of Constantine.

In November, 1930, Brother Stoner received the degrees from the Fourth to the Fourteenth in Jordan Lodge of Perfection A. & A. S. Rite, Salt Lake City.

He is also a member of Mountain Chapter No.2, O. E. S., Park City, and in 1925 was Grand Patron of the Grand Chapter, O. E. S., of Utah.

In Grand Lodge our Grand Master first appeared in the Grand Lodge line as Grand Sword Bearer, serving in that position in 1929 and 1930. At the Annual Communication of Grand Lodge, January 21, 1931, he was elected Junior Grand Warden, and thereafter was regularly advanced, becoming Grand Master January 17, 1934.

Something of a Masonic record, that. If such service in the Fraternity, and Concordant and allied organizations, together with his professional and business experience have not laid a foundation for a successful administration of the affairs of Grand Lodge, then we shall demand a "New Deal," with another alphabetical commission to administer it.

Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1934.

PGM, John William Stoner died on September 233, 1961 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1962, page 81.