Charles Wesley Morse, Grand master in 1901, died at Salt Lake City, Utah, on August 4, 1938, being at the time of his death the senior living Past Grand Master of Utah. He was born at Cambridge, Illinois, on December 29, 1856, to John C. and Rebecca Morse.

When he was a boy of about fifteen, his family moved to Wellington, Kansas, where he later studied law in the office of an attorney and was admitted to practice in 1880. In the same year he was married to Emma DeArmond of Wellington, who was a true and beloved helpmate to him until her death in 1930. To their happy home were born two daughters: Lenore, now Mrs. W. G. Ruckenbrod; and Zora, now Mrs. J. D. Hurd; both of Salt Lake City.
The young lawyer acted as clerk of the Sumner County, Kansas, District Court for two terms. In 1885 he moved to Garden City, Kansas, where he was City Attorney for two terms.

In 1888 he came to Utah and opened a law office, from which time he steadily grew in the public esteem as a lawyer and as a citizen, so that in November, 1900, he was elected a Judge of the Third Judicial District Court of Utah, an office which he held and administrated with distinction for the next sixteen years.
During these years on the bench, Judge Morse became a recognized authority on water and irrigation law and was called to preside in cases all over the state where important matters involving water rights were in litigation. Upon retiring from the bench in 1917, he became counsel for two large industrial companies, serving them until 1934. From that time until he became seriously ill in December, 1937, he practiced law at Salt Lake City with his son-in-law, J. D. Hurd, and upon the formation of the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Waster District, became its consulting attorney.

Judge Morse was made a Mason in Tyrian Lodge No. 246. A. F. & A. M., of Garden City, Kansas, in 1888. He affiliated with our Wasatch Lodge No. 1 in 1893 and in 1896 was elected its Master.

His Masonic record shows an interest in and a devotion to Masonry seldom surpassed. He was a member of Utah Chapter No. 1, R. A. M. and its High Priest in 1906. He became a member of Utah Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar, and of Utah Council No. 1, R. & S. M. in 1906.

He was made a member of the Mystic Shrine in 1904 and in 1910 became its Potentate.

On May 11, 1903, Judge Morse was a member of the first Utah Scottish Rite class and received its degrees from the 4th to the 32nd. In 1905 he was made a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor; and in 1908 the Honorary 33rd Degree of that Rite was conferred upon him. At the time of his death he was the Senior 33rd in Utah, and it may fairly be said, a man of full stature intellectually and morally, who stood head and shoulders above his fellows and whom the Craft loved and revered for his wisdom and the simple sweetness of his words.
He was attentive to all his masonic duties and performed what he promised. He loved the Masonic institution in all its branches and supported it liberally with his time, his ability and his means. Those who knew him will long remember him as an ideal Mason.

Judge Morse was appointed a member of the Jurisprudence Committee of the Grand Lodge by Grand Master F. C. Schramm in 1909, became its Chairman in 1923, and occupied that position until his death. His work on that important committee was done with the same breadth of vision, coupled with common sense, that characterized everything he did.

Some of his Masonic Degree work will never be forgotten by those who have been privileged to hear it and he was always in demand when some special need or occasion required a speech, serious in nature or joyous and heart-warming, as the case might be.

Judge Morse was active in the religious work of the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City and was President of its Board of Trustees at the time of his death.

After all it is more in his aspects as a man than as a lawyer, judge and Mason that we who knew and loved him will best remember him. He was very human and kindly in all his relationships, and unspoiled and unchanged by the honors and praise he won he remained to the end of his life a modest and unassuming gentleman who loved his fellow-men and was by them beloved. Learned in the law and wise with years and experience, he was yet simple, unaffected and sincere and went his serene way with a smile and a cheery word on his lips and understanding in his heart. Here was a man. We shall not soon look upon his like again.