He was most likely married twice, but no record of a first marriage for John has been found. His first three children were born between 1822 and 1826 and there is enough evidence to show that his second wife, Sarah (Sally) Town, did not marry him until 1829. As he was twice a witness to land records for Luther Poland, it might be worth looking for a relationship there.
"John Oakes, Jr was a witness of John Lock deed to James Horner 1827 in Waterville. Also witness of Ephraim Stevens deed to Luther Poland 1822 along with Moses Fisk and when Luther Poland sold to Aaron Pinney 1826. He witnessed a sale of Stephen Miller to Amos Willey, page 54. This property was on north part of lot 42, bounded on east by John Oakes, widow Brown, Ephraim Stevens, O. McFarland, Ira Olmstead. "
In her application for a pension Sally Town Oakes stated that she was married to her son Oberon's father on 26 December 1829 at North Hero, Vermont, by John Knight. North Hero appears to have been originally written North Hill, then Hill was written over to appear as Hero.
Confirmation of the marriage of Sarah Town and John Oakes can be found in a land deed in North Hero, Vermont dated July 30, 1845, registered as James Woodward to Edmund Town. James Woodward was married to Hannah, Sarah's sister; and Edmund was Sarah's brother. This deed held with the Hero Town Records and Deeds states in Paragraph Two: "To have and to hold all our rights, title and interest which we have in and to the said Pilots Point lot and quit clamed premises as heirs to the estate of Silas Town, deceased, with the appertunances thereof to the said Edmond Town, his heirs and assigns to his and their proper use and behoof forever, and furthermore we the said James Woodward and Hannah (Town) his wife; John Oaks and Sally his wife; and Jabez B. Town do for ourselves, our heirs executors and administrators covenant with said Edmund Town.........that we the said Jabez, James & Hannah his wife, John and Sally his wife will have and claim no right in or to the above released and quit claimed premises......
In witness thereof we have hereunto set our hands and saith this 30th day of July AD 1845, signed sealed and delivered Jabez B. Town, James Woodward, Hannah Woodward in presence of W. Kenzie Payne, G.F. Cooke. Augusta Knight (for James Woodward),
John Oaks, Sally Oaks, Nancy Hibbard (&Hannah Woodward)........................ There personally appeared the within named Jabez Town, James Woodward and John Oaks, signers and sealers of the foregoing written instrument and acknowledged the same to be their free act and deed..........
Before me Augustus Knight, Justice Peace State of Vermont North Hero Grand Isle County July 30.1845. "
Allen Stratton's History Town of North Hero Vermont mentions that an Account Book to the store located at City Bay (then called Ladd's Bay) listed, on Oct. 9, 1826, Sally Town making a purchase on account. Since she was using the name Town and this is after the birth dates of Orson (1822) and Emery (1824), she is, almost certainly, not their mother.
John sold his last property holdings in North Hero, Grand Island Co., VT in 1841. On 11 Nov 1842, the Burlington Free Press reported that John would be declared bankrupt in the office of Samuel Prentiss, District Judge, on 14 Dec in Montpelier. On 10 May 1843 the paper reported his discharge.
The family moved to Missouri before 1847. According to daughter Caroline, who claims to have been born on the New York side of Lake Champlain, John brought his family down the river to Quincey, IL and from there by ox team to Shelby County, MO where his brother Truman was already living.
In 1850 the were living in Shelby County. Orson was living next door with his new wife Mary Nichols Madkins Oakes and her seven children. In close proximity was the family of Edward Naylor. No land records for John were found in Shelby county, it seems likely he was living on land owned by Truman.
Shortly thereafter, John patented two lots in Knox county, 40 acres on 9/23/1853 and 80 acres on 1/18/1855 at $1.25 an acre. These were first sale patents from the government. John and Sallie first settled in the Locust Grove neighborhood and later moved to a farm north of Pelvna in Knox County.
The 40 acres were deeded to Jabez Barnes on 4/10/1860 along with the land that Bronson sold to Jabez.
John died in 1856/1857 leaving his estate to his large family. In 8 Jan 1867 his descendants signed over to Melvina Newell, one of the daughters, the rights to some land.
The 1860 Knox Co., MO Census shows Sally Oaks 56 in a household with dau. Lauretta 21, Albert T. Turner 30, Eusebia Turner 29, and a boy named John H. Harden 6.
Sally Oakes is also mention in the History of Monroe and Shelby Counties, Missouri, 1884 as a member of the Shelbyville Christian Church, one of the earliest members from it's organization in 1839.
On 16 January 1884 the Shelbina Democract reported, in a column called From Shelbyville, that "Old Mrs. Oaks died and was buried last week. She has been a resident of the county for a long time and died at a very advanced age."
John Oaks - Dropbox
