At twenty-one, he was elected a school director in Northern Liberties, including service as president of the board, and also represented the district in the board of health and was elected a director of Girard College by the Philadelphia City Council.
[2] Fox ran unsuccessfully for mayor as the nominee of the Democratic Party in 1862 and 1865, losing to Republicans Alexander Henry and Morton McMichael, respectively.
He won the mayoral election of 1868 against Hector Tyndale by a close margin, a matter that was resolved by the courts after the results were contested.
[3] During his tenure, improvements were made to sanitary conditions in the city and the Philadelphia Fire Department was established, a move that proved controversial with the displaced volunteer fire houses, a number of which displayed effigies of the mayor.
[2][4] After his term as mayor, Fox served as president of the Philadelphia Conveyancers' Association.