Ruth May Fox
Encyclopedia
Ruth May Fox was a nineteenth century English-born women's rights
activist in the Territory of Utah. Fox was a poet, hymn writer, and a leader of youth in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
, Wiltshire
, England
to James May and Mary Ann Harding. When Ruth was five months old, her parents converted to Mormonism
. When her mother died in childbirth when Ruth was 18 months old, Ruth was sent to live with various Mormon
families and relatives. In 1865, James May emigrated to the United States
and shortly thereafter brought Ruth and her sister to Philadelphia. The family moved to Utah Territory
in 1867.
without Ruth's knowledge. Around the same time, Jesse lost his business, went into debt
, and the Foxes ultimately lost their home. Ruth was the mother of 12 children.
movement in Utah and did so largely through her involvement in the Republican Party
. She was president of the Utah Woman's Press Club, chair of the Second Precinct Ladies' Republican Club, treasurer of the Utah Woman Suffrage Association, and was a member of the Reaper's Club, the Salt Lake County Republican Committee, the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, and the Traveler's Aid Society. In the late 1800s, she worked for the inclusion of woman suffrage in the Utah state constitution
and helped draft the suffrage memorial presented and accepted by the 1895 Utah constitutional convention. Fox and Emmeline B. Wells
met with Susan B. Anthony
and Anna Howard Shaw
when the visited Salt Lake City on May 12, 1895.
During her tenure as president, Fox changed the name of the organization to the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association and replaced the organization's slogans with scriptural
themes. In 1930, Fox wrote the hymn "Carry On", a song that is now associated with the Young Women and Young Men Organizations of the LDS Church; in 1995, "Carry On" was adopted by Gordon B. Hinckley
as the theme of his tenure as President of the Church.
Fox served until 1937, when she was succeeded by her own first counselor, Lucy Grant Cannon
.
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
activist in the Territory of Utah. Fox was a poet, hymn writer, and a leader of youth in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Early life
Ruth May was born in WestburyWestbury, Wiltshire
Westbury is a town and civil parish in the west of the English county of Wiltshire, most famous for the Westbury White Horse.-Name:The most likely origin of the West- in Westbury is simply that the town is near the western edge of the county of Wiltshire, the bounds of which have been much the same...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to James May and Mary Ann Harding. When Ruth was five months old, her parents converted to Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
. When her mother died in childbirth when Ruth was 18 months old, Ruth was sent to live with various Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
families and relatives. In 1865, James May emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and shortly thereafter brought Ruth and her sister to Philadelphia. The family moved to Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
in 1867.
Family
On May 8, 1873, Ruth married Jesse W. Fox, Jr. In 1888, Jesse Fox married a plural wifePlural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
without Ruth's knowledge. Around the same time, Jesse lost his business, went into debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
, and the Foxes ultimately lost their home. Ruth was the mother of 12 children.
Women's suffrage movement
Fox was active in promoting the women's suffrageWomen's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
movement in Utah and did so largely through her involvement in the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. She was president of the Utah Woman's Press Club, chair of the Second Precinct Ladies' Republican Club, treasurer of the Utah Woman Suffrage Association, and was a member of the Reaper's Club, the Salt Lake County Republican Committee, the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, and the Traveler's Aid Society. In the late 1800s, she worked for the inclusion of woman suffrage in the Utah state constitution
Utah Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Utah is the state constitution of Utah. It defines the basic form and operation of state government.- History :The Utah Constitution was drafted at a convention that opened on March 4, 1895 in Salt Lake City...
and helped draft the suffrage memorial presented and accepted by the 1895 Utah constitutional convention. Fox and Emmeline B. Wells
Emmeline B. Wells
Emmeline Blanche Woodward Harris Whitney Wells was an American journalist, editor, poet, women's rights advocate and diarist...
met with Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony
Susan Brownell Anthony was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women's Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President...
and Anna Howard Shaw
Anna Howard Shaw
Anna Howard Shaw was a leader of the women's suffrage movement in the United States. She was also a physician and the first ordained female Methodist minister in the United States. Her birthday is celebrated as Anna Howard Shaw Day, as an alternative to St. Valentine's Day.-Early Life:Shaw was...
when the visited Salt Lake City on May 12, 1895.
Church leadership
In 1905, Fox was asked to be the first counselor to Martha Horne Tingey in the general presidency of the LDS Church's Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association. Fox served in this capacity until 1929, when church president asked Fox to become the third general president of the YLMIA.During her tenure as president, Fox changed the name of the organization to the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association and replaced the organization's slogans with scriptural
Standard Works
The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the four books that currently constitute its open scriptural canon.* The Holy Bible * The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ...
themes. In 1930, Fox wrote the hymn "Carry On", a song that is now associated with the Young Women and Young Men Organizations of the LDS Church; in 1995, "Carry On" was adopted by Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
as the theme of his tenure as President of the Church.
Fox served until 1937, when she was succeeded by her own first counselor, Lucy Grant Cannon
Lucy Grant Cannon
Lucy Grant Cannon was the fourth general president of the Young Women organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1937 to 1948...
.
External links
- Ruth May Fox (1929–1937) : summary of Fox's tenure as president of the Young Women Organization
- My Story by Ruth May Fox : biography written by Fox's son and approved by Fox