Mort family papers

Henry Jonathan Mort (1818-1900) took on the management of Franklyn Vale in 1852, which was part of the Laidley Plains run held by his brother Thomas and brother-in-law James Laidley. Franklyn Vale was once home to the Kitabul People, today, the Ugarapul People are considered the traditional owners of the Lockyer Valley region. In 1855 Mort moved to Sydney with his family to join his brother Thomas in Mort and Co., leaving the property in charge of managers, including for a time his son-in-law Edward Crace, who married his daughter Kate. By 1891 Franklyn Vale was jointly owned by Henry Mort and his sons Charles and Arthur. Arthur later took over the management and acquired his brother's interest after his father's death in 1900. They ran Hereford and dairy cattle at Franklyn Vale, but principally used the run as a fattening depot for two other Queensland cattle properties: Redbank in the Burnett, and Avoca in the Brisbane Valley, establishing a creamery and butter factory at Grandchester in 1893.