Rev. Frank Fox, D. D. Biography This biography appears on pages 895-896 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm REV. FRANK FOX, D. D. Rev. Frank Fox is pastor of the First Congregational church at Sioux Falls, the largest church of the city. He is a well known and prominent representative of the Congregational clergy and in his chosen life work his efforts have been of no restricted order or influence. He is also widely known as an educator, lecturer and traveler and from each experience of life he draws the lessons which it contains or gathers therefrom knowledge, anecdote, or illustration for his sermons and his lectures. He is a broad-minded man in the truest and best sense of the term, realizing fully the duties and obligations that rest upon the individual and appreciating as well the countless opportunities for improvement, progress and the development of Christian character. A native of Ohio, Mr. Fox was born in Oxford, January 28, 1859, his parents being Michael and Elizabeth (Hampton) Fox, the former a native of County Fermanagh, Ireland, and the latter of Virginia. Broad educational advantages were accorded him and constituted his preparation for the holy calling to which he has concentrated his life. He won the Master of Arts degree at Valparaiso University of Valparaiso, Indiana, while the Chicago Theological Seminary conferred upon him the degree of Bachelor of Divinity when he had completed his regular course of study there in preparation for the ministry. The University of Kansas City, Kansas, bestowed upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. In early manhood Rev. Fox studied law for some time but following his graduation from the Chicago Theological Seminary in 1895, he at once entered actively upon the work of the ministry, accepting the pastorale of the Congregational church at Three Oaks, Michigan, where he remained for four and one-half years. He then went to Kansas City, Kansas, where he continued for about six and one- half years. On the 1st of February, 1905, Dr. Fox accepted a call from the First Congregational church at Sioux Falls, where he has since remained. The Congregational church was organized almost a quarter of a century before but during the twenty-five years which had elapsed its growth had not kept pace with the growth of the city and the original church building was an unattractive edifice. With the arrival of Dr. Fox, however, the church took on new life and activity. He infused into it much of his own zeal and energy, manifesting from the first a consecrated devotion to his work that was felt by all. He sought out those who had become indifferent to their church duties, made the acquaintance of the students of the town, and his gifts of oratory and sound reasoning were factors in producing increased attendance at the church services. It was not long before he formulated the plan of erecting a new house of worship and a meeting was called to consider the question on the 17th of January, 1906. In April, 1907, the erection of the present edifice was begun, the cornerstone being laid on the 5th of October of the same year. On the 28th of March, 1909, the church was formally opened to the public and the day was devoted to the raising of funds to make the final payment. On the 4th of April following Dr. Fox delivered the dedicatory sermon and turned over the keys of the new church to the trustees. Today the First Congregational church owns the finest ecclesiastical edifice in the city—a structure of which they have every reason to be proud. It is built in an attractive style of architecture and is splendidly equipped for the purposes used. In the spring of 1910 Dr. Fox was presented by his church with a purse of six hundred dollars and was given a leave of absence that he might travel in Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Europe. He was absent four months and during that period the present parsonage was built. Under his pastorate three hundred and sixty members have been added to the church and the work has been thoroughly organized in all of its departments, being productive of splendid results as a factor in the moral development of Sioux Falls and the surrounding country. On the 16th of August, 1888, at Vandalia, Michigan, Dr. Fox was united in marriage to Miss Florence A. Thomas, a daughter of Silas and Elvira Thomas, and their children are Florence A., Harold W., Clement S., Mary H. and Rachel Inez. During the summer of 1913 Dr. and Mrs. Fox traveled in Africa, Palestine, Syria, Greece, Turkey and most of the countries of Europe and were delegates to the World,s Seventh Sunday School Convention in Zurich, Switzerland. Rev. Fox is a republican in politics and he is a member of the Commercial Club. He believes that no citizen is exempt from the duties of citizenship but owes an allegiance to his home town which should be manifest in active efforts for its upbuilding and substantial development. He is a prominent figure in Masonry, is a past master of Unity Lodge, No. 130, F. & A. M., has taken the degrees of the York and Scottish Rites and of the Mystic shrine, and in October, 1913, was raised to the Court of Honor degree by the Scottish Rite Consistory at their meeting in Washington, D. C., thus receiving the last degree preceding the supreme degree, the thirty third. He is well known upon the lecture platform and his lectures partake of the nature of instruction as well as entertainment. Expressions of the highest appreciation thereof have been received from various sections of the country. He is spoken of as a "cultured gentleman, a scholar, a clear thinker, an eloquent, convincing speaker and a man of deep convictions and of high purpose."