Fox, Kate (c. 1839–1892)

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Fox, Kate (c. 1839–1892)

Canadian-born spiritualist and medium. Name variations: Catherine or Katie Fox; Kate Fox-Jencken. Probably born in 1839, in Bath, New Brunswick, Canada; died July 2, 1892, in New York, NY; dau. of John Fox (farmer) and Margaret (Rutan) Fox; sister of Margaret Fox (c. 1833–1893); m. Henry D. Jencken (international lawyer and legal scholar), Dec 14, 1872 (died 1881); children: Ferdinand (b. 1873) and Henry (b. 1875).

Modern spiritualism and mediumism dates from the mid-19th century, the time of the Fox sisters, Kate and Margaret, who quite innocently set into motion a social and religious movement that encompassed millions in America and thousands in Europe and England.

See also Women in World History.