Hopewell, Mercer (formerly Hunterdon) County, New Jersey Loudoun County, Virginia
Oxley is also spelled Owsley, Oxleigh and
Oxly.
New Jersey's first permanent European settlement was in 1660.
Hopewell is currently in Mercer (formerly Hunterdon) County, New Jersey. Mercer County was formed in 1838 from portions of other counties including Hunterdon. Early settlers found that their deeds were worthless and they were forced to repurchase their land or relocate. On April 23, 1715 the settlers who stayed organized Hopewell Baptist Church.
Lush forests in Colonial America allowed settlers to build wooden homes.
Estate inventories give us a glance into the home life of Colonial Americans.
Henry Oxley married Mary Everett in 1722 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Their children were born in Hunterdon County.
Henry appeared in the 1722 tax list of Hopewell with 12 horses and cattle and 7 sheep. He had 200 "lands."
After many years of meeting in homes and having problems securing a place to meet, it was decided to build a meeting house. Twenty members were baptized from 1715 to 1728 and by 1747 there were 65 members. A meeting was called on June 19, 1747, held at the home of Henry Oxley in Hopewell (then known as Columbia) at which time David Stout, Benjamin Stout, and Henry Oxley were chosen managers to build a meeting house. (from the History of Hopewell Baptist Church)
In 1731 Henry signed a document with 50 other landowners who were threatened with eviction. They unsuccesfully sued Colonel Daniel Coxe and may have lost their land in Hopewell. This loss may have led to their move to Virginia. They probably traveled along the Great Wagon Road.
Their daughter Elizabeth died on October 5, 1739 when she was only 14 years old.
On June 12, 1753 they divided
the Quota for raising the sum of One Hundred and Thirty Pounds for repairing the Gaol and Court House and killing wolves and panthers &c.
Henry and Everit both appear on the list of those assessed.
On April 10, 1761
Henry Oxley and his daughters, Hannah and Rachel, were dismissed to the Ketoctin church in Virginia. (from Town Records of Hopewell New Jersey, Old School Baptist Church) Both Hannah and Rachel had several illegitimate children.
In 1761 and 1762 Henry bought 1,200 acres in Loudoun County, Virginia from John and Sarah Hough.
The Henry Oxley family was on the list of the communicants of the Ketoctin Baptist Church in Loudoun County, Virginia in 1776. The church, which was also known as "Short Hill" Church, was constituted on October 1, 1751.
Catoctin Mountain is part of the eastern ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is also called Ketoctin, Kittochiny, Kittockton, Kittocton, and South Mountain. The Ketoctin Baptist Church in Loudoun County, Virginia was founded in 1745. It was a log church with an earth floor. Many settlers in the area were atheists or deists and when others gathered for services, they remained outside socializing.
Hunterdon County was originally part of Burlington County, West Jersey. It was set off from Burlington County on March 11, 1714. It included Amwell, Hopewell, and Maidenhead Townships.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
Loudoun County is part of Northern Neck of Virginia.
Settling of the Loudoun area began between 1725 and 1730. Settlers came from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland.
The Great Wagon Road was the most important Colonial American route for settlers of the mountainous backcountry. It went from Philadelphia to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. One fork went to the Tennessee Valley and Knoxville and the other to the Piedmont Region of North Carolina.
American colonists continued to use British monetary units, namely the pound, shilling and pence for which £1 (orli) equalled 20s and 1s equalled 12d. In 1792 the dollar was established as the basic unit of currency.
Loudoun County, Virginia, Order Book B, page 204,
10 Aug 1763,
William Ellzey against John Anderson - in case
jury: William Whitely, Benjamin Hough, Jacob Shilling, Thomas Watson, Henry Heryford, Andrew Hatfield, John Davis, Thomas Beavers, Henry Oxley, William Woolard, Ezekiel Hickman and Timothy Howell;
find the Plaintiff hath sustained damages by occasion of the Defendant's breach of the promise and assumption in the declaration to 10.6.0 pounds besides costs. Plaintiff to recover against Defendant and John Heryford, John Cargyle, and John Owsley who were returned securities for the appearance of the Defendant his damages and costs
Loudoun County, Virginia, Order Book B, page 205,
11 Aug 1763,
Andrew Adam Merch't against James Goulding - in case
jury: William Whitely, Benjamin Hough, Jacob Shilling, Thomas Watson, Henry Heryford, Andrew Hatfield, John Davis, Thomas Beavers, Henry Oxley, William Woolard, Ezekiel Hickman and Timothy Howell;
find the Defendant did assume upon himself in manner and form as the Plaintiff declared and assess Plaintiff's damages by occasion of the Defendant's nonperformance of that assumption to 5.0.6 pounds besides costs
Baptist churches were found in early colonial settlements and grew out of the English Separatist movement and the doctrine of John Smyth who rejected infant baptism.
Virginia Land Deed Books
May 10, 1761 John Hough and wife Sarah of Loudoun
to Henry Oxley of Loudoun
L/R of 1200 acres
adjacent to James Stephens, Thomson Mason and Edward Hardin.
September 13, 1762 John Hough and wife Sara of Loudoun
to Henry Oxley of Loudoun
L/R of 1200 acres in CamP
adjacent to James Stephens, Thomson Mason, and Edward Hardin.
December 13, 1762 Henry Oxley of Loudoun
to son Henry Oxley, Jr. of Loudoun
L/R of 188 acres
adjacent to Edward Harden, John Oxley and 100 acres adjacent to John Oxley Everitt Oxley.
witnesses Lee Massey, Everitt Oxley, John Oxley
December 13, 1762 Henry Oxley of Loudoun
to son Everitt Oxley of Loudoun
L/R of 310 acres adjacent Evan Price, John Oxley, James Stephens,
tenants Conrod Cornelius and Giles Stephens.
witnesses Lee Massey, Henry Oxley, Jr. and John Oxley.
December 13, 1762 Henry Oxley of Loudoun
to son John Oxley of Loudoun
L/R of 100 acres
adjacent to Edward Harden, Henry Oxley, Everitt Oxley and 100 acres.
witnesses Lee Massey, Everitt Oxley, Henry Oxley, Jr
The Coxe Affair - Many residents of Hopewell Township lost ownership of their land to Colonel Daniel Coxe. Coxe demanded that Hopewell landowners either purchase their property from him again or be evicted. On April 22, 1731, fifty landlowners unsuccessfully sued Coxe to resist eviction.Some families immediately left and settled further south in Virginia and North Carolina, others paid him, and some resorted to acts of revenge.
Early American Colonists and pioneers had to make everything necessary for daily life and skilled craftsmen were essential.
Messuage means a dwelling house with outbuildings and land assigned to its use.
January 6, 1771 Henry Oxley, Sr. of Loudoun
to his son Clare Oxley of Loudoun
B/S 221 acres on Kittocton Mt. adjacent to Everett Oxley, Hannah Stephens Rachael Oxley, John Oxley, Henry Oxley, Jr.
Witnesses James Stephens, John Oxley, John Howell
January 26, 1771 Henry Oxley of Loudon to his daughter Rachel Oxley.
B/S of 50 acres where Henry now lives
adjacent to Hannah Stephens, Everitt Oxley.
Witnesses Clare Oxley, James Stephens, John Oxley.
January 26, 1771 Henry Oxley of Loudoun to Hannah Stephens (wife of James Stephens
B/S of 50 acres where Henry now lives on the side of Kittockton Mountain
adj Everitt Oxley, John Oxley,
Wit: Clare Oxley, John Oxley, John Howell.
August 19, 1773
Blacksmith Henry Oxley of Loudoun to merchant Farlin Ball of Loudoun.
LS for 15 year of 188 acres (by deed of gift from his father, where Henry lived before he moved to Leesburg and now occupied by Robert Slocombe)
adjacent to Henry Buckcade, and Thomas Green.
Witnesses John Higgins, John Reiger, and Daniel Conner.
a certain messuage or Parcel of Land situated in the County of Loudoun aforesaid being bounded by Land of Henry Buckade on the North side now occupied by Thomas Green as being part of the Tract of Land made over to the said Henry Oxley by a Deed of Gift from his Father whereon the said Henry Oxley lived before he moved to Leesburgh. . .Rent of six pounds yearly Rent Yielding and paying therefore unto the said Henry Oxley his heirs or assigns yearly & Every year during the continuance of the Demise the aforementioned yearly Rent Provided that the said Farling Ball at the Expiration of this Demise shall Deliver up to the said Henry Oxley the aforementioned Tract of Land in good Tentable Repair as the said Farling Ball now Receives the same and also that the Timber Trees on the said land shall not be wasted or sold on said Land further than the use of said Place and the said Henry Oxley for himself. . .
Catoctin Mountain is part of the eastern ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is also called Ketoctin, Kittochiny, Kittockton, Kittocton, and South Mountain. The Ketoctin Baptist Church in Loudoun County, Virginia was founded in 1745. It was a log church with an earth floor. Many settlers in the area were atheists or deists and when others gathered for services, they remained outside socializing.
