Robert George Larson was a founder of and activist

Activism

Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...

 in neo-druidic

Neo-Druidism

Neo-Druidism or Neo-Druidry, commonly referred to as Druidism or Druidry by its adherents, is a form of modern spirituality or religion that generally promotes harmony and worship of nature, and respect for all beings, including the environment...

 organizations.

Larson was born in Waukegan, Illinois

Waukegan, Illinois

Waukegan is a city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,901. The 2010 population was 89,078. It is the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population...

, the son of Lawrence and Margaret Larson.

From 1961 to 1965 he attended Carleton College

Carleton College

Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S...

, where he became a priest of the Reformed Druids of North America

Reformed Druids of North America

The Reformed Druids of North America is an American Neo-Druidic organization. It was formed in 1963 at Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota as a humorous protest against the college's required attendance of religious services. This original congregation is called the Carleton Grove, sometimes...

. After settling in Berkeley, California

Berkeley, California

Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...

, he shared his vision with Isaac Bonewits

Isaac Bonewits

Phillip Emmons Isaac Bonewits was an influential American Druid who published a number of books on the subject of Neopaganism and magic. He was also a liturgist, singer and songwriter, and founded the Druidic organisation Ár nDraíocht Féin, as well as the Neopagan civil rights group, the Aquarian...

and became the local Archdruid for a group of Neopagans that organized in 1968 as the Berkeley Grove. He and Bonewits subsequently worked in several of the same neo-druidic organizations. The Berkeley Grove is considered the progenitor of Live Oak Grove, Hazelnut Grove, Birch Grove, Duir De Danu Grove, Tuatha De Danu Grove, Baccharis Grove, and Poison Oak Grove.

Larson worked for pay as a printer.