OXFORD TOWNSHIP


On 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 a report of the following division line;  "Beginning at a post in the line of Fallowfield, about 30 perches westward of David Kennedy's spring head, and 3 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,then 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 twp, 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 NE corner of William Penn Jr.'s manor, thence south 8 5 1/2 degrees west 850 perches to the NW 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.

William Penn granted a warrant, dated 15th of 7th MO, 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.

OXFORD BOROUGH


The borough of Oxford was incorporated by act of Assembly of April 8, 1833. It was taken partly from Lower Oxford, but principally from East Nottingham. A few years later it was enlarged by decree of court.





This page updated on February 28, 2009