Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the son of the merchant James Black Oxley and Ellen Macdonald, James was educated at Halifax Grammar School, then at Dalhousie University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1874, earning honors in mental and moral philosophy.
During this time served as assistant editor for the Dalhousie Gazette. He was called to the bar in 1874, studied law at Harvard University in 1876-1877, then was awarded a Bachelor of Laws from a Halifax University in 1878. He practiced the legal profession in Halifax for five years before joining the Ottawa Department of Marine and Fisheries as a legal adviser.
From 1880-1883, in addition to his regular job, he worked as editor for the Nova Scotia Decisions.
In 1882 he edited Admiralty Decisions. Oxley was a reporter at the House of Assembly from 1881-1883.
He became a manager for the Sun Life Assurance Company in 1891. During his leisure moments, he began writing a series of juvenile fiction books for boys.
