James White arrived in South Australia in 1845. His first occupation was as overseer at C. H. Bagot's head station "Koonunga". He headed for the diggings in 1851 during the Victorian gold rush, and returned a year later and purchased his first block of land at Bagot's Gap, the first of many pastoral properties in the Kapunda region and elsewhere in the colony, and became quite wealthy. He was a partner in station agents and auctioneers, first with W. Brewer around 1859, then with Jenkin Coles as Coles and Goodchild, later Goodchild, Duff, & Co., which business was taken over by Elder, Smith & Co. in 1889. He was elected MHA for the seat of Light after the resignation of Edward Hamilton, and served August 1871 to December 1871 and from February 1875 to April 1881, his associates being David Nock and Randolph Isham Stow. He stood for reelection in 1881 and 1884 and the 1888 Legislative Council election, but was unsuccessful on each occasion. He was convicted under the Fraud at Auctions Act in 1876, and urged to resign his commission as Justice of the Peace but refused, on the grounds that would constitute admission of guilt. An appeal to the Supreme Court resulted in the controversial overturning of this verdict. Alexander Hay added to his woes by publicly refuting some of his courtroom statements. A year later he was re-appointed J.P. White was a taciturn man and never made many friends. He was buried at the Church of England cemetery, Kapunda.
Family
James White married Rebecca Bridget Goodchild and married again, to the widow Bessie Read on 3 November 1888; they lived at "Albavale", Kapunda. They had no children. Abraham White, brother of James, was a farmer and railway contractor of "Illawarra", Bagot's Well. He was married to Mary White née Wharton. They moved to nearby Kapunda then Western Australia, where most of their children had settled. Their children included:
James Wharton White, married Sophie Agnes Geyer. He was MHA for Light 1890–1896, moved to Esperance, Western Australia.
Lilla Rebecca Wharton White married engineer Edward H. V. Keane on 27 May 1879. He was a noted WA politician.
Edward Wharton White married Alice Kate Buchanan on 10 December 1887, moved to Albany, Western Australia. Alice was another daughter of Alexander Buchanan, of Anlaby Station.
