OXFORD TOWNSHIP
(INCLUDING UPPER & LOWER)
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Oxford Township | Upper Oxford
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Nov. 26, 1754, commissioners George
Churchman, Elisha Gatchell, Joshua Brown, Mordecai James, and James Brown, who
had been appointed to divide the township of Londonderry, made report of the
following division line:
Beginning at a post in the line of Fallowfield, about thirty
perches westward of David Kennedy's spring head, and three perches southward of
a white oak in James Cochran's line, thence south by east to the corner between
Fagg's and Penn's Manor, thence down the several courses of Elk River to the
southern bounds of the township.
This report was confirmed, and the name of Oxford given to the western
part, as desired by the petition for division. It is supposed that some of
the settlers were from Oxford township, now a part of Philadelphia City, and the
name may have come thence or directly from England. It was divided into
Upper and Lower Oxford in 1797.
In 1841 the line between Upper Oxford and West Fallowfield being in dispute, and
its location uncertain, commissioners were appointed by the court to ascertain
and relocate it. They established it, according to the record of 1728
defining the bounds of Fallowfield, and by tradition, as beginning at the
northeast corner of William Penn, Jr.'s, manor, thence south 85-1/2 degrees west
850 perches to the northwest corner of the same,-- being the northern boundary
of said manor,--thence north 47-1/2 degrees west 496 perches to the middle of
Octorara Creek, which the commissioners say they "believe to be near the
original line."
William Penn granted a warrant, dated 15th of 7th month, 1701, for the survey of
10,000 acres of land for his son William Penn, being "the remainder due to
him of 50,000 acres originally granted by me to his mother." In
pursuance of this warrant a tract of 5000 acres was laid out for William Penn,
Jr., on the west side of Fagg's Manor, and the remainder was subsequently
conveyed, unlocated, by his son William to William Allen, of Philadelphia.
This tract was resurveyed on the 5th, 12th, and 13th days of June, 1741, in
pursuance of a warrant from the proprietaries, dated the 10th of February, 1740,
and a return of the same into the secretary's office was made on the 25th of
June, 1741. From the draught of the manor, the following description may
be given:
Beginning at an ash-tree at the northwest corner of Fagg's Manor,
and from thence running west 800 perches to a Spanish oak, thence south 1000
perches to a chestnut-tree, thence east 800 perches to a post in the line of
Fagg's Manor, and by the same north 1000 perches to the place of beginning,
containing 5000 acres.
The reader will be able to determine the position of the manor on our
county map with tolerable accuracy by being informed that the north line still
remains as that part of the south line of West Fallowfield which runs nearly
east and west, and by supposing other lines one-fourth longer to be drawn
southward from either end of this line, and connected by a fourth line parallel
to the first.
In connection with the draught of resurvey above mentioned, there is given
"a list of names of persons who have presumed to settle on William Penn's
manor," which is here given:
John Glan, James Young, John Simpson, William Porter, Robert
Criswell, James Glascow, John Ross, William Penny, John Black, John Dougherty,
Widow Lion, John Scott, Robert Criswell, William Armstrong, Hugh Miller, Robert
Turner, Robert Fleming, David Fleming, Andrew Sim, Charles Hedges, James Purtle,
John Beard, Robert McKee, Stephen Cornelius, James Dysert, Archibald Blackburn,
Joseph Smith, Thomas Charleton.
This manor embraced all the eastern portion of Upper Oxford and a small
part of Lower Oxford. By deeds of lease and release, dated 3d and 4th of
May, 1742, William Penn, Esq., late of London, but now of Dublin, son of William
Penn, Jr., deceased, conveyed all his right and title to the manor to John
White, of London, to whom a patent was granted Dec. 12, 1747. Those who
had settled thereon did not get title to their land till after this
date.
Between Penn's Manor and Octorara Creek surveys were made from 1730 to 1750, and
later, as desired by settlers.
The taxables in 1754 were as follows:
LAND-OWNERS, 1774.
Alexander Pinkerton, Archibald Tagart, Allen Simpson, James Simpson, Archibald
Fowles, Archibald Shields, Andrew Walker, Arthur Andrews, Arthur Andrews, Jr.,
Arthur McKissag (McKissick?), John McKissag, David Fleming, David Hays, David
Watt, David Sympson, Francis Modral, Florence Scanlan, George Ritchey, George
Criswell, George McCullough, Hugh Luckey, George Churchman, Hugh Russell, Hugh
Miller, Henry Ewin, James Cooper, James Stockman, John Gray, James Ewin, John
Wilson, John Cooper, James Pemberton, John Wallace, James Kennedy, James Moore,
John Smith, John Richey, James Dysart, James Turner, James Henry, James
McDowell, John Gibson, John Guthrey, John McClenaghan, John Black, James
McCleland, John Ross, John White, John Wallace, John Huston, James Gilleland,
James Boyd, James Fleming, James Criswell, John Kinkead, Job Ruston, Moses
Edmiston, Robert Criswell, Robert McCracken, Robert Hogg, Robert Barnes, Robert
Bunting, Robert Henderson, Robert Poston, Robert Law, Robert Smith, Samuel
Smith, Samuel Jackson, Samuel Robb, Samuel McMurray, Samuel McNeil, Thomas Mays,
Thomas Armstrong, Thomas Barrett, Thomas Wallace, Thomas Whiteside, Thomas
Cooper, Thomas Ewin, William Ramsay, Walter Hood, William Woods, William Richey,
William Nilson, William Maxwell, William Lowrey, William Merrett, William Ross,
William Porter, William Luckey, William Carlisle, William McMullin, William
Robb, William Holmes, William Dickey, William Hewit, William Glen, William
McCleary, William Donahy, William Pinkerton, William Bunting, Rachel Jordan,
Thomas Cloyd, Widow Hopkins.
SOURCES:
History of Chester County, Pennsylvania; Futhey & Cope; Louis H. Everts;
Philadelphia; 1881.
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