In the 17th century, there was a lot of social change and resistance. One part of society supported the dissident movement, while the other part followed religious rules and tried to stop the revolution. George Fox, a preacher who didn’t agree with the Church of England, was part of the first group. He was a man with a lot of guts, and he stirred up trouble with the spiritual and radical authorities by taking a strange and stubborn view of Christian faith. He went all over Britain and Europe to try to spread his ideas, but the authorities often stopped him because they didn’t agree with them. He is best known for starting the group Friends of Truth. They became known as the “Society of Friends” and then as “Quakers” over time. Even though religious groups and authorities fought him hard, his followers grew, and he led a ministry in which his people lived in different parts of the world and preached his ideas and grew the “Quaker” movement. He was arrested a lot because he didn’t follow the rules, but that didn’t break his spirit. Together with his friend and helper, William Penn, he set up the American Quaker Colony of Pennsylvania, and he kept preaching until the day he died.
Early years and childhood
George Fox was the oldest of Christopher Fox and Mary’s four children. He was born in Drayton-in-the-Clay, Leicestershire, England.
From a very young age, he had a religious view of life and believed in “righteousness” and “simplicity.” Even though there are no records of his schooling, it is thought that he could read and write. He worked as a shepherd and as a shoemaker’s apprentice.
At age 19, he started to look down on how religious and alcoholic people behaved. So, in 1643, he left home and went to London in a state of confusion and pain.
A Later Life
During the next few years, he traveled around Britain and Europe, where he formed many of his nonreligious, different beliefs. During his intense soul-searching, he hoped to find a connection with the “English Dissenters.” Around this time, he thought a lot about the “Temptation of Christ.”
Through meditation and prayer, he went against many common Christian beliefs. He showed that Christian rituals don’t have to be followed as long as there is a spiritual conversation, and he proved that no one needed a special qualification to be a minister. He also said that Moses, Jacob, Abraham, and David, all of whom were shepherds, didn’t need to go to school to do what they did.
In 1647, he spoke out about his ideas, which slowly gained followers. Even though there are no records of when the “Society of Friends” was started, it is known that at first, they called themselves “Children of Light” or “Friends of Truth.” Because of their beliefs, they eventually became known as “Quakers.”
In 1649, he was put in jail for preaching, but that didn’t stop him. He continued to speak out against the Church of England. The next year, he was sent to prison again at Derby for “blasphemy.”
In 1651, he and a group of other preachers went around the country to spread his message. Still, many religious leaders and political figures opposed him strongly and tried to get him and his followers to leave.
The following year, he held his first meeting in Balby, which is near Doncaster. After getting a group of followers, he went around England, held a lot of meetings, and got a lot of people to believe that Christ will speak directly to their souls.
In 1653, he was arrested again for “blasphemy.” Some people wanted to put him to death for his bad behavior, but this was turned down. Up until 1675, there were a number of arrests.
As the number of people who followed him grew, some of his “Friends” were sent to prison. This made him even more against common Christian practices like baptism by water and taking off hats in public places like a court.
With Charles II becoming king, it didn’t look good for the “Society of Friends.” In New England, “Quakers” were forced to leave, and some of them were even killed.
In 1671, he made up with the King and went on a trip around the world to the Americas and the West Indies. When he went back to England two years later, he found that his group had become very popular there, but that it was very split.
The “Society of Friends” grew more and more popular, and in 1675, the “Meetings for Sufferings,” a group that acted on behalf of the “Society of Friends,” was created.
Near the end of his life, his health was getting worse, but he kept doing the things he liked to do. He wrote to other world leaders and told them what he thought and what the “Quaker” philosophy was all about.
Personal History and Legacies
On October 27, 1669, he married Margaret Fell. She was ten years older than he was, and she was one of the first people to follow him. Thomas Fell, her first husband, gave her eight children.
Margaret and George worked together, and they were even locked up together many times.
He died in London and was buried at Bunhill Fields, where many of his fans came to pay their respects.
Many of his journals and letters were published soon after he died, while others took years to be put together.
These letters and journals were very clear about his ideas, the disagreements within his group, and how the “Quakers” came to be.
After he died, his group, the “Society of Friends,” kept his work going. This work is still going on today.
George Fox University in Oregon is named for him, and a building at Lancaster University is also named for him.
The book “The Peaceable Kingdom: An American Saga” tells about his relationship with his wife, and James Harcourt’s film “Penn of Pennsylvania” from 1941 is based on his life.
Estimated Net worth
George Fox is one of the wealthiest singers and is also on the list of the most popular singers. From what we can tell from Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider, George Fox has a net worth of about $1.5 million.
Trivia
When he was sick and depressed for a long time, this English dissident temporarily lost his sight.