Oxford Township, New Jersey
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- see also: Oxford CDP, New Jersey
| Oxford, New Jersey | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Warren |
| Established | May 30, 1754 |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Township (New Jersey) |
| - Mayor | Bonnie Riley (2008) |
| Area | |
| - Total | 6.0 sq mi (15.6 km²) |
| - Land | 5.9 sq mi (15.4 km²) |
| - Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²) |
| Elevation [1] | 466 ft (142 m) |
| Population (2006)[2] | |
| - Total | 2,622 |
| - Density | 388.7/sq mi (150.1/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07863 |
| Area code(s) | 908 |
| FIPS code | 34-55530[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882247[4] |
| Website: http://www.oxfordnj.org | |
Oxford Township is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 2,307. It part of the eastern-most region of the Lehigh Valley.
Oxford is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located entirely within Oxford Township.
Oxford Township was formed from portions of Greenwich Township on May 30, 1754, while the area was still part of Sussex County, and was incorporated as one of New jersey's initial group of townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Mansfield Township became part of the newly-formed Warren County on November 20, 1824. Over the centuries since its creation, portions of the township were taken to form Knowlton Township (February 23, 1763), Franklin Township, Harmony Township and Hope Township (all on April 8, 1839), Belvidere (April 7, 1845) and White Township (April 9, 1913).[5]
The origin of the name and the exact date of the township's creation is in dispute. One source says that the township was named after the university in England, and was formed in either 1753 or 1755,[6] but another source claims that the township was named after an early settler named John Axford, who came to settle in the area with others between 1735 and 1739, and affirms that the township's creation was in 1755.[7]
Oxford Furnace, built in 1741, it was the third furnace in Colonial New Jersey and the first constructed at a site where iron ore was mined. Other furnaces used ore extracted from bogs in South Jersey, impure deposits called bog iron. Oxford Furnace operated the longest of any of the Colonial Furnaces, not being "blown out" until 1884. In 1835, it was the site of America's first successful use of the hot blast in which preheated air was blown into the furnace, cutting production time. Though worn down by time, much of the site still stands. Oxford Furnace is listed on the State and the National Register of Historic Places.
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.6 km² (6.0 mi²). 15.4 km² (5.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (1.33%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,723 |
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| 1940 | 1,548 | −10.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,489 | −3.8% | |
| 1960 | 1,657 | 11.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,742 | 5.1% | |
| 1980 | 1,659 | −4.8% | |
| 1990 | 1,790 | 7.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,307 | 28.9% | |
| Est. 2006 | 2,622 | [2] | 13.7% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[8] | |||
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 2,307 people, 886 households, and 618 families residing in the township. The population density was 150.0/km² (388.7/mi²). There were 938 housing units at an average density of 61.0/km² (158.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.58% White, 1.21% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.65% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.47% of the population.
There were 886 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $53,359, and the median income for a family was $63,750. Males had a median income of $45,667 versus $31,210 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,515. About 2.6% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Oxford Township is governed under the Township form of government with a three-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year.[9] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Deputy Mayor.
Members of the Oxford Township Committee are Mayor Bonnie Riley (D, term ends December 31, 2008), Deputy Mayor N. Angelo Accetturo (R, 2009), William Bray (D, 2010).[10][11]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Oxford Township is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District.[12]
New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, covering the northern portions of Bergen County, Passaic County and Sussex County and all of Warren County, is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 23rd District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township) and in the Assembly by Michael J. Doherty (R, Oxford Township) and Marcia A. Karrow (R, Raritan Township).[13] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[14]
Warren County is governed by a three-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. As of 2008, Warren County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director John DiMaio (term ends December 31, 2009), Freeholder Deputy Director Richard D. Gardner (2008) and Freeholder Everett A. Chamberlain (2010).[15]
[edit] Education
The Oxford Township School District serves public school students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. Oxford Central School had an enrollment of 314 students as of the 2005-06 school year.[16]
Students in grades 9 and up for public school attend Warren Hills Regional High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship. The Warren Hills Regional School District also serves students in grades 7-12 from the municipalities of Washington Borough, Washington Township, Mansfield Township, and Franklin Township.[17]
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Oxford Township include:
- George M. Robeson (1829-1897), Union Army general during the American Civil War, and United States Secretary of the Navy during the Grant administration.[18]
[edit] References
- ^ USGS GNIS: Township of Oxford, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b Census data for Oxford township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 12, 2007.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 247.
- ^ Snell, James P. (1881) History of Sussex and Warren Counties, New Jersey, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Vol. 2 (Centennial ed., Harmony, NJ: Harmony Press, 1981) pg. 606
- ^ Harpster, Richard E. Historical Sites of Warren County. (Warren County Tercentenary Committee and Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders, New Jersey, 1965) pg. 127
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 103.
- ^ Township Directory, Oxford Township. Accessed May 21, 2008.
- ^ Oxford Township, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2008.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 62. Accessed August 30, 2006.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ Board of Chosen Freeholders, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed March 8, 2008.
- ^ Data for the Oxford Township School District. Accessed May 21, 2008.
- ^ Warren Hills Regional High School 2007 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 21, 2008. "Warren Hills Regional High School offers a comprehensive education for students in grades 9 through 12. Our school population comprises students from Washington Township, Washington Borough, Mansfield Township, Oxford Township, and Franklin Township."
- ^ George Maxwell Robeson, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 24, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Oxford Township website
- Warren County page for Oxford Township
- Oxford Township School District
- Oxford Township School District's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for the Oxford Township School District
- Warren Hills Regional School District
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