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An American Family History

Rachel Oxley

During the 17th and 18th centuries an adult unmarried woman was considered to have the legal status of feme sole, while a married woman had the status of feme covert. A feme sole could own property and sign contracts. A feme covert was not recognized as having legal rights and obligations distinct from those of her husband and could not own any property. When a woman became a widow she became a feme sole again.

Rachel Oxley was born April 30, 1742 in Hopewell, Mercer (formerly Hunterdon) County, New Jersey. Her parents were Henry Oxley and Mary Everett.

On April 10, 1761 she was dismissed from the Hopewell Baptist Church to the Ketoctin Baptist Church in Loudoun County, Virginia.

January 26, 1771 her father gave her 50 acres of land in Loudoun County where her brother Henry had been living adjacent to her sister, Hannah Stephens, and brother, Everitt Oxley.

In 1777 when her father died she inherited ". . .all the goods that shee had before I came to live with her the last time and likewise all the remainder of my goods that I brought from Clear Oxley and I make and Ordain my Daughter Rachel Oxley Executrix. . .'

Rachel must have been an unusual woman for her time and held in high esteem by her father. Normally an unmarried woman would not have owned land herself or have been made the executrix of the estate.

Rachel died in 1779, Loudoun County.
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.

Children of Henry Oxley
and Mary Everett
  • Everit Oxley
  • Mary Oxley Howell
  • Elizabeth Oxley
  • Hannah Oxley Stephens
  • Henry Oxley
  • Rachel Oxley
  • Clare Oxley
  • John Oxley

    • 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.
     

    Will Abstract for Rachel Oxley, Book B, p. 313
    date of will October 28, 1779
    received in court November 8, 1779
    Stevens, Hannah, Sister
    Howman, Elizabeth
    Oxley, Mary, Niece, daughter of sister Hannah
    Oxley, Joel, Son
    Oxley, Mary, Niece, daughter of brother John
    Oxley, Jesse
    Oxley, Jeremiah, Son
    Oxley, Henry, Father, dec'd.
    Stevens, James, witness
    Stevens, Alice, witness
    Exor James Stevens. £2000 bond, security Thomas Respess

    		  
     

    Rachel Oxley A/I of December 8, 2779; Executor James Stevens; household items totaling 321.2 pounds. Appraisers Joh. Prue, William Douglass, Charles Bell. S/A with executor James Stevens; beginning October 1779; Settlement with Joel Oxley, Securities; John Littlejohn, Patrick Cavan, Samuel Murrey.

    		  
         

     

         

    ©Roberta Tuller 2012
    tuller.roberta@gmail.com