Isabella Christian Oxley (1856 - 1956)

Born 3 Aug 1856 in Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 16 Aug 1956 at age 100 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Paul Bech [send private message] and Vikki Watson [send private message]

Biography

Isabella was born in Mudgee in 1856^[1] and died in North Sydney in 1956.^[2] The newspaper clipping is from about 1955 about Isabella mentions she believes she is the descendant of the explorer John Oxley. I cannot find any evidence of a connection, certainly she is not directly descended from him. If there are any common ancestors they must pre-date 1700 in England.

John Oxley the explorer was born about 1783 near Westow in Yorkshire. Isabellas ancestors came from Kent (particularly Benenden). Also John Oxley died near Camden in NSW in 1828, before Isabellas family arrived in Australia.

The article mentions a story of stolen records and a fight that killed John Oxley. I believe I know where that story came from. Three years before Isabella was born her grandfather William Oxley (a police constable) was killed while intervening in a fight between two men in Mudgee. William was quite a pioneer himself, but not the explorer John Oxley. As a young child Isabella would have heard the story and somehow it has been corrupted to the events in the article. I have heard from many of my cousins, near and far, that they believe in a John Oxley connection, but I believe it is just the same story passed on to each generation and has no basis in fact.

According to her death certificate she was never married. At the time of her death she had been living at 114 Spit Road, Mosman, Sydney, NSW.

Sources

1. ↑ NSW Birth Registration 5920/1856
2. ↑ NSW Death Registration 19654/1956

• Birth: New South Wales, Births, Deaths and Marriages registry online; F= Owen, M= Isabella

• Death: New South Wales, Births, Deaths and Marriages registry online; F= Owen, M= Isabella

• Death: Certificate sighted.