lation to a square mile, 15. The
number of sheep in this county, in
1837, was 76,028.

Oxford, Me.

Oxford co. This town is watered
by little Androscoggin river and
several ponds. It contains some
excellent land and two flourishing
villages. It produced, in 1837, 3,226
bushels of wheat. Population, same
year, 1,124. Oxford lies 52 miles
S. W. from Augusta, and 8 S. from
Paris.

Oxford, Mass.

Worcester co. This is an impor-
tant manufacturing town, of uneven
surface, strong, gravelly soil; 45
miles W. from Boston and 10 S. from
Worcester. Incorporated, 1773.
Population, 1837, 2,047. There are
in the town 5 woolen and 4 cotton
mills, and manufactures of boots
and shoes :—total value, the year
ending April 1, 1337, §501,394.
Oxford is a pleasant town, and fine-
ly watered by French river, which
passes to the ocean by the Quinne-
baug and Thames.

The original township of Oxford
was eight miles square, and was
granted to Joseph Dudley and oth-
ers, in 1680, for the accommodation
of about 30 French protestant fam-
ilies, who had escaped from France
after the revocation of the Edict of
Nantz, when they became exposed
to every cruelty and hardship that
catholic intolerance and religious
bigotry could invent. They were
assisted in their emigration to
this country by the proprietors of
the grant, and settled here about
1686. They built a fort on a hill in
the eastern part of the town, now
called Mayo’s, or Fort Hill, where
its remjains are still visible. It was
constructed by the rules of art, with
bastions, and had a well within its
enclosure. They had another fort,
and a meeting house. The grapes,
currants, and asparagus of their
planting, still grow here, and the
last of the peach trees was destroy-
ed by the gale of 1815. They had
a minister while resident here,
whose name was Bondet. These
people remained here till 1696,
when the Indians attacked the place
and murdered some of the people.
This so terrified the inhabitants that
they left -the place, and most of
them settled in Boston, where a
French church was maintained by
them several years.

Oxford, Ct.

New Haven co. Oxford was tak-
en from Derby in 1793. It lie3
14 miles N. W. from New Haven
and 40 S. W. from Hartford. It is
watered by Housatonick and Nau-
gatuck rivers. The surface of the
town is diversified with hills .and
valleys;—the soil is generally a
gravelly loam, fertile and produc-
tive.

There are large manufacturing
establishments in Oxford, among
which are three satinet factories
and an extensive hat manufactory.
The water power at this place is
excellent. Population, 1830, 1,763.
From “ Governor’s Hill” a line
view of the neat village of “ Qua-
ker Farms,.” and the surrounding
country is presented.

About one mile south of the cen-
tral part of the town is a remarka-
ble mineral spring,.called “The
Pool,” from the circumstance of its
waters being efficacious, and much
used for the cure of the salt rheum
and other complaints. ■“ Once in a
month a yellowish scuni will col-
lect upon the surface of the water,
which in a few days runs off,
and leaves the pool perfectly clear.
In the coldest weather, this spring
never freezes ; in the dryest season
ft is as full as at other times.”

Palermo, Me.

Waldo co. This town is-watered
by several beautiful ponds, which
form the head waters of Sheepscot
river. This is a farming town of