William Pile (pastoralist)

James Pile (c. 1799 – 19 March 1885) was a South Australian pastoralist who had extensive holdings on the Darling River in New South Wales, and succeeded by his sons William, John and Charles, collectively known as the Pile brothers.

James Pile (c. 1799 – 19 March 1885) was born in Beverley, Yorkshire and left Scotland for South Australia aboard Anna with his wife and family and brother George, arriving November 1849 and settled at "Beckwith" near Gawler. He was until 1852 licensee of the Old Spot Hotel on Murray Street, Gawler. He acquired a considerable area of land at Gawler East and Gawler South, as well as properties at Munno Para East and Nuriootpa, which he stocked with horses and cattle droved overland from Sydney. Around 1850 he was involved with the explorer John McKinlay, who became something of a family friend. McKinlay settled for a while on Yambro station on Lake Victoria station, and on his recommendation James Pile around 1860 took up land with 60 miles (97 km) western frontage on the River Darling, which became Cuthero station, of 15,000 acres (6,100 ha) and Netley stations. A year or two later he sold the Netley station to Joe Dunne (c. 1827–1874) who drowned in Menindie Creek, while rescuing his horses, and his brother John (c. 1832–1893). Around the same time he also acquired Polia station. At first they stocked Cuthero (perhaps named for a type of acacia bush) and Polia with horses and some 1,200 cattle. When his sons reached adulthood he left to them management of the properties, and built for himself a fine house "Oaklands" in Gawler East, where he retired, was appointed Justice of the Peace and served as a Town Councillor and Elder of the Presbyterian Church. McKinlay died at "Oaklands" in 1871.

Around 1870 the sons turned their attention from cattle to sheep, which thrived and soon they had built up their small flock to some 200,000.Then came the "seven years' drought" 1880–1886, and their numbers fell to 12,000. The sons ran the stations until 1899 when, in the grip of the Federation drought, the lease was resumed, was sold to Ben Chaffey in 1909, who later sold it to Arthur Crozier.

Second son William Pile was born in Glasgow, and emigrated with his parents. At the time of the Victorian gold rush, he drove sheep to Ballarat, where he sold them for a handsome profit.

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