James Augustus Fox

James Augustus Fox
James Augustus Fox
	Undated portrait of Fox, published 1913
Born	August 11, 1827; Boston, MA, US
Died	Sept. 1901 (aged 74)
Burial place	Mount Auburn Cemetery; Cambridge, MA, US
Alma mater	Harvard Law School
Occupations	Lawyer; politician;
Spouse	Julia Elizabeth (m. 1848; died 1872)
Children	3 daughters
Family	John Murray Forbes; John Foxe (ancestor);
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Years	1861–1865
Rank	Captain
Unit	Massachusetts Militia
Commands	Massachusetts Artillery
Conflicts	American Civil War
Signature

James Augustus Fox (August 11, 1827 – September 1901) was an American lawyer, soldier, and statesman.

Personal life

Born in the Massachusetts capital city of Boston on August 11, 1827, James Augustus Fox was descended from English and Scottish people. His father—George Howe Fox—came from the line of the author John Foxe, while his mother—Emily Fox (née Wyatt)—was related to the statesman John Murray Forbes. Fox attended Boston Public Schools and Harvard Law School before clerking for John C. Park.^[1]

Fox and Julia Elizabeth (of Providence, Rhode Island) were married in 1848. The couple had three daughters—Henrietta, Julia, and Lillian—before Julia Elizabeth died in 1872. That same year, Fox moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts. He died in September 1901,^[1] and was buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery.^[2]

Career

As a lawyer, Fox was admitted to the Suffolk County, Massachusetts bar in 1854. Throughout the years, Fox was an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Improved Order of Red Men, and the Knights of Pythias (as "Grand Chancellor of Massachusetts, Supreme Representative to the national branch, and Judge-Advocate-General of the uniform rank").^[1]

Military

During the American Civil War, Fox was made a captain in the 13th Regiment of the Unattached Companies Massachusetts Volunteer Militia in 1861. From 1861–1862, Fox served in Virginia with good marks, and from 1864–1865 he commanded the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts. As an early member of the Loyal Legion after the war, Fox occasionally made speeches on the conflict, including his "The Two Civilizations" which was later published.^[1]

Civil service

Fox was a member of the Boston School Committee for three years. From 1867–1868, he served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and in the Senate from 1870–1871. After moving there in 1874, Fox served four terms as the mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Eliot, Samuel Atkins (1913). "Biographies". A History of Cambridge Massachusetts (1630–1913). Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Cambridge Tribune. p. 200. LCCN 14000635.
^ "Mount Auburn Cemetery Map". webCemeteries.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.

External links

Media related to James Augustus Fox at Wikimedia Commons

[1913_History_of_Cambridge_Massachusetts-1] Eliot, Samuel Atkins (1913). "Biographies". A History of Cambridge Massachusetts (1630–1913). Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Cambridge Tribune. p. 200. LCCN 14000635.

[remembermyjourney.com-2] "Mount Auburn Cemetery Map". webCemeteries.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.

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