Two years after Denis Regan’s death Sarah married Thomas Musgrave on March 16, 1865. Musgrave refurbished the house on the other side of the Burrangong Creek and operated it as a Hotel, calling it “Musgrave House”.

Uncle James’ health had deteriorated since Denis Regan had died. While being driven back from Young by Thomas Musgrave James caught a chill and he realised that his death was imminent.

James arranged for William Regan and Mr. Macarthur, the postmaster, to come to his home and help draw up a will.

Aged 74 years and nine months James passed away on September 5, 1865.

James White was buried in the Burrangong Station cemetery not far from the homestead.

During his life time he had never revealed his convict past.

The founder of Burrangong Station and therefore the founder of Young, James White, had seen his property flourish and a large family of grandnieces and grandnephews grow around him.

He had accumulated considerable wealth during his lifetime, with the purchased properties of Burrangong and Curraburrama and goods valued at £12000.

He having no children of his own he made provision for the children and grandchildren of his two brothers, Thomas and John White, and sister, Janetta Taylor.

The estate of James White was divided up with shares for Sarah and Eliza’s children and the land holdings divided between the sons of William Regan, Thomas White and Sarah’s son Denis Regan.

Edward Taylor, Janetta’s grandson, received 150 acres and Edward’s mother, Mary Taylor, received 40 acres.

Curraburrama was successfully ran by William Regan and was sold in 1873.A sizable share was left for the Regan daughters when they reached the age of twenty-one.

The Taylors were not as successful with Burrangong and it did not amount to much.

Sarah Musgrave, James White’s niece, the first white woman to be born in the Young district was often invited back to Young as a symbol of the history of Young’s pioneer past.

The Wayback, her reminiscences of the past as she saw it was first published in 1926 and again in 1930 and then serialised in the Sydney Mail in 1937.

The daughter of John White (Exile) outlived most of her children and died peacefully at her home at “Burrangong”, Auburn, at the grand old age of 103, on October 4, 1937.

She is buried in Rookwood Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

This series  of articles has been sourced  from a book called” Brothers in Exile” written by Sarah Musgraves’ great great grandson, Leon Isackson. 

“Brothers in Exile” can be purchased at the Lambing Flat Museum in Campbell Street, Young.

It is not only a history of the White family but delves into the real life struggles and fortunes of the 19th century Australian pioneers and immigrants who shaped the nation from a crude convict settlement  into what it is today.

Young Historical Society – Brian James.