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.
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.
