Oxford, one of the thriving towns of Sumner county, is located on the Arkansas river, the Missouri Pacific and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroads 13 miles east of Wellington. It has a bank, a flour mill, a weekly newspaper (the Register), a large number of retail establishments, good schools and churches, telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice with two rural routes. The population according to the census of 1910 was 624.

One of the first trading posts in the county was on the site of Oxford. The town was founded by a company of Osage City people in 1871. It entered the county seat fight, but was unsuccessful. The first printing press in the county was set up by the Oxford town company. Before that a postoffice had been established under the name of Napawalla, with L. Binkley as postmaster. Another office was established with T. E. Clark as postmaster and the first one was discontinued. The first school district in the county as organized here in Jan., 1872, and Miss Minnie Whaley was the first teacher. Oxford was incorporated as a city of the third class in Oct., 1879. The following were the first officers: Mayor, B. F. Smith; police judge, Joseph Sleigh; city clerk, George T. Walton. The Sumner County Press, the first newspaper in the county, was started at this place in 1871.