Sam Oxfords Buried Gold.....Lake Hickory

Gypsy Heart

Gold Member
Nov 29, 2005
12,686
338
Ozarks
Samuel Oxford settled on the west side of the Catawba River opposite Barrett's mountain. Applications for land grants had tobe made to the Govenor and his council at New Beru, 250 miles away;therefore, many of the first settlers did not receive their grants forseveral years after settling . Samuel Oxford's first grant was for 300acres on the south (or west) side of the Catawba River, and he purchased a large tract on the north (or east) side of the river fromJohn Perviance, adjoining the lands of Jonathan Barrett. His grant was#602, dated 11 Oct 1783. Samuel began courting Jonathan Barrett's daughter, Barsheba, and would take a long pole with him when he crossed the river so that in case a heavy rain came while he was gone and the water level would rise, he could pole vault from rock to rock back across the river. Samuel married Barsheba and they reared a large family. Samuel raised his cain on a brow of a small ridge that ranfrom a higher hill down to the river. At this place he found a place where horses could cross the river when the depth of the water was normal, and later built a rough skow or flatboat that he used a ferry after rains when the water was deeper than usual. This area became known as Oxford's Ford and Oxford Ferry until 1928 when the Duke PowerCompany built the Oxford Dam and a hydroelectric power plant creating Lake Hickory, or as some call it, Lake Oxford. For more than half a century Samuel operated his ferry on the Catawba River which became a heavily traveled route to the west. At that period of history "hardmoney" was hard to come by and much sought after. The Justices comprising the County Court fixed the rates that a ferryman could charge, from two pence for a man or single animal to one shilling for wagon and team. These fees, while small, were almost always paid incoin or "hard money." It is not known what other sources of incomeSamuel may have had, as commodities bringing cash were few thisdistance from the coast, about all being: hides of game, feathers,tallow, and beeswax. Anyway, Samuel Oxford accumulated a considerable amount of hard money, and the old people who lived in his neighborhood said he buried a peck of gold and silver coins on the place near his home. These people related the story to their children as a fact and it was handed down through the families, whose descendents still live in that community. As a result of buried coin story, treasure seekers have dug dozens of holes over the hill sides about the ruins of his cabin. Samuel was buried a short distance from his cabin on the brow of a hill overlooking the lordly rolling Catawba River, now Lake Hickory. Vandals dug into his grave, hoping to find the buried money and didn't replace the thrown out earth. Whatever may be the facts inthis case, many people believe that somewhere in the earth of a small ridge on Lake Hickory, North Carolina, is a pot of coin buried thereby Sam Oxford, who died without revealing the hiding place
 

OP
OP
Gypsy Heart

Gypsy Heart

Gold Member
Nov 29, 2005
12,686
338
Ozarks
Anyway, Samuel Oxford accumulated a considerableamount of hard money, and the old people who lived in his neighborhoodsaid he buried a peck of gold and silver coins on the place near hishome. These people related the story to their children as a fact andit was handed down through the families, whose descendents still livein that community. As a result of buried coin story, treasure seekershave dug dozens of holes over the hill sides about the ruins of hiscabin. Samuel was buried a short distance from his cabin on the browof a hill overlooking the lordly rolling Catawba River, now LakeHickory. Vandals dug into his grave, hoping to find the buried moneyand didn't replace the thrown out earth. Whatever may be the facts inthis case, many people believe that somewhere in the earth of a smallridge on Lake Hickory, North Carolina, is a pot of coin buried thereby Sam Oxford, who died without revealing the hiding place. Anotherlocal tradition is that a man passed over the road in the night andwithout waking Oxford, took the ferry boat to the opposite side of theriver. The water was only a little higher than normal, but the boatwas on the other side so Samuel just mounted a horse, wnet up theriver a hundred yards and swan the animal across and brought the ferryback across the river. This was certainly service to the travelingman, and is said to have been a trait of Samuel Oxford... when heoffered service, he gave it regardless of the trouble and cost.Colonial records reflect that Samuel Oxford provided food for familiesof the Catawba Indians that fought for the English in the French andIndian War. During the American Revolution, it was reported that atone time had had to flee with his family to his old home in Virginiato escape the British and Tories. Samuel died about 1811, leaving awill in which proceeds from the sale of his goods, chattels lands andtenements were to be distributed among his children. Apparently hiswife, Barsheba (Bathsheba) died earlier as she was not named in hisweill. Samuel Oxford, Jr. was a Revolutionary Solider from NorthCarolina. The DAR Patriot Index lists him as "Oxford, Samuel, M.Bathsheba Barrett, Solider, North Carolina. "On June 19, 1781, SamuelOxford was granted $13.15 by Davidi Vance, Commissioner forRevolutionary War Service. Family tradition has it that Samuel Oxford,Jr., is buried on the South bank of the Catawba River at Oxford Dam.This is the site of Samuel's property.* There is an old graveyard atOxford's Ford about three miles from the Catawba River on theAlexander County side of the river. This is probably Samuel's restingplace, however there is no marker so it cannot be determined with anycertainty

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jbturner&id=I13502
 

Woodland Detectors

Gold Member
Nov 23, 2008
12,712
141
Toll Free ~ 855~966~3563
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Thank god his grave isn't marked. These freaks would dig it up! I hope he is holding on to every bit of those coins in his hidden grave! Runnin from the brittish and torries and now has to hide from the hill billies in North Carolina! The hill billies here freak me out! I got a phone call GH from a guy yesterday who asked me "If had me one of them there detectors for sale that would go 12-15 foot deep"! Seriously? What the ? I had to research on that one.
 

findstuf

Jr. Member
Mar 23, 2009
90
0
Detector(s) used
Fisher CZ-7
This is sorta off subject, but you mentioned Catawba River. I am reading a book right now named "A new voyage to Carolina" by John Lawson. It's basically a diary of his 8 years exploring NC in 1709. He describes in detail; rivers, plantations, Indian villages, trading posts... etc.. His diary has been republished a few times, but the version I have is the 1967 version by Hugh Talamage Lefler. Library of Congress card number 67-23498.


I have a hard time reading books on my computer, but here is the e-version
http://books.google.com/books?as_brr=1&as_pt=ALLTYPES&q=A+new+voyage+to+Carolina&btnG=Search+Books
 

CarolinaCarl

Newbie
Oct 31, 2012
3
0
Hickory NC
Detector(s) used
Minelab, Garrett ,Tesoro , Fisher
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
looking for a treasure hunters in the lake hickory area to locate and search the area where the cabin may have been..we have a 2 box and long range locators to help hone in on the spot..Carl and randy
 

neo

Sr. Member
Jul 15, 2013
456
155
Hickory NC
Detector(s) used
Bounty hunter 2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I'm new to treasure hunting but live in Lenoir I'm waiting on buying a new detector before i do any hunting probably in another two weeks ill be ready and I'm interested in the Oxford treasure.
 

CarlinNC

Newbie
Nov 21, 2014
2
0
Hickory
Detector(s) used
Minelab e-trac, fisher f75ltd,tesoro tejon,garrett at pro,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
looking for a researcher to research the site to its location..we have the equipment and manpower to find it..you will cut in for 20% of the finds..Carl
 

NCDigger1809

Newbie
Oct 16, 2016
2
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Oxford

looking for a researcher to research the site to its location..we have the equipment and manpower to find it..you will cut in for 20% of the finds..Carl

Have any luck with the Oxford search?
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top