Fox was admitted to the
Suffolk County, Massachusetts bar in 1854, and began his practice of law. 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 to 1862, Fox served in
Virginia with good marks, and from 1864 to 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. Fox was a member of the
Boston School Committee for three years. From 1867 to 1868, he served in the
Massachusetts House of Representatives and the
Massachusetts Senate from 1870 to 1871. After moving there in 1874, Fox served four terms as the
mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts. ==Personal life==