Samuel Paul was born in Colraine, County of Londonberry, Ireland, February 20, 1836, and died at his home in Salt Lake City, April 21, 1927, aged 91 years, 2 months and one day.

When 17 years of age Brother Paul left his native land and arrived in New York in the fall of 1853, going thence into southeastern Pennsylvania, where he remained for a year. He then turned his face toward the Great West, which was to be his future home. He stopped first in the new territory of Kansas, and a little later went into Iowa and Nebraska.

When the war between the States came on, Brother Paul enlisted as Sargent in Company A, Fifth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, August 29, 1861, and after successive promotions, he was given a Captain’s Commission, January 29, 1863. His command was attached to the Army of the Cumberland, and he saw much service in Tennessee and Georgia.. He was mustered out January 26, 1865.

In the years of 1868 and 1869, the Captain spent time in Chile and Peru, South America, in the interest of railroad construction .
Returning to this country, in the spring of 1870 he was appointed Deputy U. S. Marshal by U. S. Marshal M. T. Patrick, and came to Utah with him, and for 57 years this State has been his home.

For years he was engaged in freight and ore-hauling, then in the livery business, and when he retired had been long identified with the Salt Lake Transportation Company.

In city affairs he was Supervisor of Streets for one term and Chief of Police for two terms.

He married Miss Florence A. Slade, November 10, 1874, and four children, two sons and two daughters, came to bless this union.

For more than sixty years Brother Paul was an earnest, active member of the craft. He received the degrees in Covert Lodge No. 11, Omaha, Nebraska, in 1866, dimitted, in 1872 and was one of four men responsible for the organization of Utah Lodge U. D. (now Story Lodge No. 4) Provo, of which he was the first Junior Warden and a few months later, upon the removal of the Senior Warden from the Jurisdiction, he was appointed Senior Warden by Grand Master O. F. Strickland. On October 12, 1878, he affiliated with Wasatch Lodge No. 1, of Salt Lake, and was Worshipful Master of that Lodge for six consecutive years, from December 27, 1882 to December 27, 1888. In Grand Lodge he served as Grand Lecturer, Grand Marshal, and Grand Treasurer, and in 1887 was elected Deputy Grand Master, and Grand Master in 1888.

During his term of office, he laid the cornerstone of the Ogden Union Depot, November 5, 1888, and 36 years later was present when that cornerstone was removed and the box taken out, after the building had been destroyed by fire.

He received the Capitular Degrees in 1881, in Utah Chapter No. 1, was Knighted in Utah Commandery No. 1, in the same year, was Eminent Commander in 1889, and was honored by being chosen the first Grand Commander of the Utah Commandery of Utah, 1910, and thereafter served as Grand Prelate till his death.

He received the Scottish Rite Degrees in the Salt Lake Bodies in April. 1908, and in October, 1919, was elected K. C. C. H. by the Supreme Council.