James Patrick Fox

James Patrick Fox (March 2, 1860 – February 27, 1899), Canadian politician and office holder, born in St. John’s, Newfoundland to James and Bridget (Power) Fox. James P. Fox was the first person elected to the assembly under a new system under Prime Minister Sir William Whiteway legislation extending the right to vote in elections for the House of Assembly to all males 21 years of age and older.

Fox had married Isabelle Langrishe LeGallais, a great-granddaughter of Dr. William Carson on September 21, 1882. One of Isabelle and James' six children, John (Jack) Fox, was Newfoundland’s Rhodes Scholar for 1911 and served with distinction in the Newfoundland Regiment in the First World War.

Fox became a partner in his father’s firm, James Fox and Sons, in 1882. Fox Senior had been a member of the Legislative Council, the upper house in the bicameral system of government under which Newfoundland operated in the period between 1855 and 1934. Such as it was, Fox was exposed at an early age and it was something in which he developed a keen interest.

In 1888, he became a member of the first St. John’s municipal council. Consisted of seven members: five members elected on a ward system and two members appointed by the Newfoundland Government, Fox, along with James Goodfellow, who was the first chair of the council, was one of the government appointees.

At 30 years old, Fox left municipal council in 1890 when he was appointed to the Legislative Council by Prime Minister Sir William Whiteway. He then resigned Legislative Council to run in a by-election to fill a seat after Dr. John Dearin had died suddenly. Fox won the seat making him the first person elected to the House of Assembly under the new Manhood Suffrage Act of 1890. He was again reelected in St. John’s East in the general election of November 6, 1893.

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