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Looking through the old newspapers for "oppression", there are many articles using it in the sense that we use it today, but there are also many instances of "oppression of the brain".  A few examples:

-Lots of ads for "cures" for dizziness, headaches, and oppression of the brain.

-A 14 mo. old child died of "oppression of the brain", which they blame on his mother giving him some kind of cordial.

- many articles about excessive heat causing heat oppression affecting the brain

- excessive drinking (of alcohol) causes oppression of the brain

Etc, etc.....

Although I have now read a ton of articles on it, there does not seem to be a "definite" meaning to it, other than being a catch-all term for "something is wrong in the brain".  The term seems to appear much more frequently in the 1840's and 50's, but is still around in the 70's and 80's. Presumably as medicine advanced, specific causes started getting their own name, and moved out of the catch-all phrase.

Perhaps, by writing just "oppression", it was understood it meant oppression of the brain, a term now lost to time.

I'm of the same opinion as Elwyn. I note that the informant is described as 'present at death'.

Alas, note that Dublin has suggested that Oppression  can be interpreted as Depression

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I think it means depression, as in an oppression of spirits.

Gadget

Julia (my 3 x Great Grandmother) lost her husband the year before so this is very possible.