An American Family History

Clare Oxley was born on July 23, 1745 in Hopewell, Mercer (formerly Hunterdon) County, New Jersey. His parents were Henry Oxley and Mary Everett. He was named in honor of his mother's mother, Elizabeth Clare Everett's, family.

On January 6 1771 his father, Henry, gave him 221 acres of land on Catoctin Mountain adjacent to his siblings, Everett Oxley, Hannah Stephens Rachael Oxley, John Oxley, and Henry Oxley, Jr.

He married Rachel Stout on June 7, 1773 in Loudoun County, Virginia. Her parents were Joseph (James, David, Richard) Stout and Mary Hixon. The Stout family was instrumental in organizing the Hopewell Baptist Church.

On April 24, 1773 Clare sold 20 acres to his brother Everett.

Rachel and Clare's children were Joseph Oxley (1774), Micajah Oxley (1776), Mary Oxley (1779), Everett Oxley (1781), Ann Oxley (1786) and John Levy Oxley (1793).

According to his great grandson's biography, Clare lived to be over 100 years old and died in Indiana.

Marshall Oxley, a prominent and prosperous agriculturist of Linn county, has spent his entire life within its borders and is now the oldest settler in the community where he makes his home. His birth occurred in Marion township on the 18th of February, 1853, his parents being John S. and Jane (Halley) Oxley, who were born in Kentucky a century ago.

Clair Oxley, the great-grandfather of our subject, came to this country from England in colonial times and lived to attain the remarkable age of one hundred years. His remains were interred in Rush county, Indiana.

Everett Oxley, the grandfather of Marshall Oxley, passed away near Louisville, Kentucky, when forty-five years of age, his death being occasioned by an accident. While hewing timbers for a cabin the broad ax which he was using struck his knee and inflicted a wound which proved fatal.

In 1824 the Oxley family left Kentucky and took up their abode near Crawfordsville, Indiana, where the parents of our subject celebrated their marriage September 1, 1831. The year 1840 witnessed their removal to Linn county, Iowa, the date of their arrival being October 18. John S. Oxley built the first grist mill in this county in 1842-3 and the third sawmill. He devoted his attention principally, however, to general agricultural pursuits throughout his active business career and at one time was personally acquainted with every white man in the county.

from History of Linn County Iowa, From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. II, Chicago, The Pioneer Publishing Company, 1911, p. 562-3.