An American Family History

Prior Oxley was born about 1798 in Fleming County, Kentucky. Hir parents were Eli and Margaret Oxley. The Oxley children were listed in an 1820 Fleming County, Kentucky deed.

Before 1825 prior married and had two daughters.

Prior Oxley married Isabella Neal in 1825 in Mason County, Kentucky. Isabel was born in 1810 in Virginia.

Prior and Isabella's children were Celia Ann Oxley Trumbo (1831), William P. Oxley (1832), Amanda Oxley (1839), Thomas J. Oxley (1844), and James R. Oxley (1848).

By the time of the 1830 census they were in Switzerland, Indiana. The household consisted of:

two girls under 5 - Celia and Unknown daughter
a girl between 5 and 9 - Unknown daughter
a woman between 15 and 19 - Isabelle age 19
a man between 20 and 29 - Prior

In 1840, Isabel appeared by herself in the Fleming County, Kentucky census. The household consisted of

a boy between 10 and 14
a girl under 5 - Amanda age 1
a girl between 5 and 10- Celia age 9
a girl between 10 and 15 - unknown daughter
a girl between 15 and 19 - unknown daughter
a woman between 20 and 29 - Isabel age 30

In 1850 the household consisted of Isabel age 40, Celia Ann age 20, William P. age 18, Amanda age 11, Thomas J. age 6, and James R. age 2.

According to Kentucky birth records, on September 9, 1852, Celia Ann Oxley gave birth to an illegitimate daughter named Lucy Ann Oxley in Fleming County, Kentucky.

In 1860 and 1870 Isabel was in Morehead, Rowan County, Kentucky. She donated five acres to Rowan County for public buildings and in 1872 received $300.

Whereas, It is represented to this General Assembly that Isabella Oxley, a widow woman, donated to the county of Rowan five acres of land upon which to erect its public buildings, and after erecting the same the said county laid off into town lots about three acres of said land, and realized by the sales thereof about the sum of $1,000; and whereas, said Isabella Oxley is now old and very poor; therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
1. That the county court of Rowan county be, and the same is hereby, authorized, at the court of claims thereof in the year 1872, to allow Isabella Oxley a sum of not exceeding three hundred dollars, to be listed by the county clerk as a claim against said county, and to be paid by the sheriff of said county out of the county levy for said year 1872 as soon as collected. 2. That said county court may make a sufficient levy to pay off said claim, in addition to any other claim or claims that may be allowed for said year against said county.
3. That said sum shall be exempt from attachment, levy, or appropriation in any way, except as herein provided, and the same shall be paid directly to Isabella Oxley by said sheriff as aforesaid.
4. This act shall be in force from and after its passage. Approved January 24, 1872.