Carl J Fox

Carl J Fox



Carl J Fox was Born on December 18, 1895 in Laurens,Pocahontas Co.,Iowa. Carl along with only two other brother had the spelling of their last name changed from Fuchs to Fox for the ease and convenience of them and their family's.



Carl was raised in the Laurens,Iowa area. When Carl stated out on his own he decided to go into the roller skating business. Carl first portable roller skating rink was in Sutherland, O'Brien Co.,Iowa about 30miles from his home of Laurens. Portable Roller rinks back in the time Carl Fox stated were like a big old circus tent with a probable floor installed for the skater's they also used clap on skate's, These are State's that hooked on to and strapped on to your own shoes.



My father Vern Fox has told the story that starting out Carl went to his father and ask Charles to borrow money from from him to start, his father told him that he would not loan him money for a fly by night stating rink. Before Carl moved on from the rink business the expansion continued until he had rinks in 93 location.



Carl father later commented that Carl had been so successful that later in life Carl could buy and sell his father at least ten time's.



Later then Carl started into a venture with a dance ballroom and amusement park in Leroy,Minnesota. Carl then started building and selling portable rinks. Carl has commented that he made and lost several fortunes.



Carl with borrowed funds built the original surf Ballroom in Clear Lake,Iowa in 1933 four years later he enlarged it.. Carl also built ballrooms in St. Paul and Austin Minnesota. Carl went on to sell the Surf in Clear Lake, Iowa in December of 1946. Since Carl's retiring from the ballroom business He invested in other fields. He owned a bowling alley in Austin, Minnesota. Store's in Minneapolis,Minnesota. At the time of his death he was president and chairman or the board of H and H manufacturing Co. at Joplin, Jasper Co.,Missouri.. They were builder's of Restaurant furnishing. Carl died on August 19, 1966 he was in Joplin Missouri at this time. He was buried in the town that he lived in Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo Co.,Iowa on August 22, 1966 in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Carl married Emma Gertrude Emerick in 1918. Emma was born on August 18, 1897 in Rush Lake Township town of Mallard,Palo Alto Co.,Iowa. Emma was the daughter of George Emerick born in Pennsylvania in February 1865. Martha Fowler was her mother, she was called Mattie and was born in December of 1867 in Ohio. Emma had two sisters Mildred and Jessie Emerick. Emma sister Jessie will marry Carl brother Lloyd G. Fox. Back to Carl and Emma Fox, she died on July 26, 1979 in Clear Lake,Palo Alto Co.,Iowa. She was buried on July 30, 1979 in Clear Lake Memorial Park Cemetery along with her husband Carl.

Carl and Emma are the parents of one daughter, Maxine C. Fox Maxine was born December 23, 1923 in Iowa. Maxine was married to Robert Warren in 1945 in Omaha,Nebraska and later divorced in 1952. Dian Warren was born from this union. Maxine was then married for a very short time to James Poole. She later went on to marry Jim Cook on April 26, 1967 and has been married to Jim until this writing (2007). Jim was born May 30, 1923 in North Carolina. Jim was in the automobile business.

Dian Maxine daughter was born in St Paul,Minnesota Dian was a math teacher of High school and Jr.High students. The first year she taught school, she found out that a boy in her class had a knife on him. She reported it to the principals office and she was told that she was wrong! their were 32 in her class with knife's. She finished out that year of teaching at that school, but did a lot of teaching from near the door way.

Dian married Charles Westerberg April 10, 1971 the marriage ended in divorced,But they are the parents of one daughter and one son. Dian married Don Bebber and are married at the time of this writing (2007)