John Norton Oxley (23 March 1824 – 24 March 1891) was an Australian farmer and politician. He was a member of the

New South Wales Legislative Assembly The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament Ho ...

for one term between 1856 and 1857.

Early life

Oxley was the eldest son of the noted explorer and colonial surveyor-general,

John Oxley John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley (1784 – 25 May 1828) was an explorer and surveyor of Australia in the early period of British colonisation. He served as Surveyor General of New South Wales and is perhaps best known for his two exp ...

. He was educated at

The King's School, Parramatta The King's School is an Education in Australia#Non-government schools, independent Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican, Pre-school education, early learning, primary school, primary and secondary school, secondary day and boarding school, boardi ...

and undertook a grand tour of Europe between 1842 and 1845. On his return to Australia he farmed his father's property "Kirkham Estate" initially growing lucerne but later converting to cereal crops. Together with his brother and fellow parliamentarian, Henry Oxley, he received a government grant of 5,000 acres in the Camden area.

Colonial Parliament

1856 Events January–March * January 8 – Borax deposits are discovered in large quantities by John Veatch in California. * January 23 – American paddle steamer SS ''Pacific'' leaves Liverpool (England) for a transatlantic voyag ...

Oxley was elected unopposed as one of the two members for Western Division of Camden in the first New South Wales Legislative Assembly under responsible government. His parliamentary performance was uninspiring and he did not hold office. He was defeated at the next election in

1858 Events January–March * January – **Benito Juárez (1806–1872) becomes Liberal President of Mexico. At the same time, conservatives install Félix María Zuloaga (1813–1898) as president. **William I of Prussia becomes regent f ...

. One further attempt to re-enter parliament in 1859 for the district of Narellan was also unsuccessful.

Spouse

Oxley married Ann Lydia (Platt) at Morpeth on 26 May 1851, they had one child before she died at Morpeth NSW 9 September 1852,. He married Harriet Jane (Hassall) at Narellan on 15 February 1854 and had five daughters and three sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oxley, John Norton Australian people of English descent 1891 deaths Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly 1824 births 19th-century Australian politicians