Yabtree Station
It had been a long journey to find the reasons behind the connection between John Little and his death place - Gundagai. Part of this investigation included checking the electoral roll covering the Gundagai area for the year 1894, one of the names was a William Horsley listed as freehold owner, Yabtree Station. So when I found the current owner was a Mr. Frederick Horsley, the chances that there was a running history of the property were great.Yabtree Station is situated approximately 40 kms south / west of Gundagai, in the general direction of Wagga Wagga and is in country vastly different to that which surrounds Curraweena or Glenariff. Although it was comparitively dry at the time of our visit, the paddocks are lush when compared to those surrounding Curraweena . As is the case of a lot of properties today the majority of the 43,000 acres are given over to wheat and grain crops, with only a token number of sheep still being run.
Following a phone call to Fred Horsley we able to pay him a visit during one of our trips. The drive in to the property is something out of "Country Life" magazine and my photos do not do it justice. Fred appeared somewhat hesitant at first to discuss family history, but over a cup of tea we gradually broke the ice. His family has been on the property since 1854, and records had been kept remarkably well upto the late 1880's, then lapsed for a period of time after the death of Fred's great grandfather. With the lack of any material relating to that time Fred was unable to find any reference to John Little, and the conversation slowed somewhat till I mentioned John's wife Susie Evans White. This jogged his memory of having seen a photo saying "I think it was of a Bob White on a horse on the driveway at the front of the house, but I think he was killed in the Boer War".
This of course could only be Robert James Little White, the third son of Agnes White (nee Little), Agnes being John's younger sister. At last a link. As it transpires Fred showed us several photos, a number of which were of relatives of his and, with including Robert, Agnes' first born Mabel, and her husband Major General Kenneth Mackay, with their 1st born Annie Mabel Mackay. History tells us that Robert was killed in 1900, so the photos had to be prior to this, and with Annie being born in 1892 the photos of her looking about six or seven years old would put the date to about 1898.
It was at this time Fred gave us a
logical explanation as to why (perhaps) John Little was at Yabtree. His great grandfather had
placed a codicil in his will which, on his death, prevented his son from taking control of
the property till he attained the age of 32. As a conscequence, when he died several years
before the son reached this age, in accordance with his will, the Public Trustee appointed
a Station Manager.
Whilst Fred Horsley did not have a record of John Little holding this position, there
was evidence of another person being there leading upto the relevant time of John being
there.
I have yet to find the connection from "Wallendbeen" to "Yabtree"
Extra Note:
I have found Donald Mackay (Kenneth's explorer brother) registered as a voter at Glen Arif during 1893 - 94, making a connection from Wallendbeen to Yabtree Station.
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