History of Oxford Township and Borough (1881); Chester County, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sandra Ferguson <ferg@ntelos.net>.

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from THE HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA, by Futhey and Cope (1881);
 
     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 appointee 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 Wm 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.
    Wm Penn granted a warrant, dated 15th of 7th MO, 1701, for the survey of 
10,000 acres of land for his son Wm 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 Wm Penn Jr on the west side of 
Fagg's Manor, and the remainder was subsequently conveyed, unlocated, by his son 
Wm to Wm 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.