Francis James White

Francis (1830-1875) was born at Ravensworth, New South Wales, on 21 April 1830. Educated at Maitland by Gregor and Rev. Thomas Aitken he qualified as a surveyor before returning to Edinglassie. On 6 July 1853 he married Mary Hannah Cobb of Anambah, and lived at Belltrees for ten years before settling at Edinglassie, his share of his father's estate. Genial and generous he was 'a principal mover in all public matters' in Muswellbrook, where he was chairman of the bench of magistrates and president of the hospital board and the agricultural society. In 1875 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the Upper Hunter but died suddenly of fever at Edinglassie on 4 May. He was survived by his wife, a daughter and six sons, of whom the most notable were James Cobb of Edinglassie, a well-known breeder of Aberdeen Angus cattle, and Henry Luke of Belltrees.

Australian Dictionary of Bibliography http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/white-james-4837