This is a very random post, as it is all bits and pieces of what I found, whether right or wrong!
I had been looking long and hard at a Francis Stover who lived at 66-mile Siding (area of
Normanton). He was sometimes listed as a labourer, and more often as a wood cutter, probably for the steam trains. (took forever to find that yes, they were using wood, not coal). I could follow him from 1908 to 1919 on electoral registers; the only problem is how long would someone remain on the registers once deceased, as I think your Francis died in 1916.
--------------
Unrelated finds from the above:
From the Queensland Gazette, April 1883, someone thought he lived in Grass Tree, as he, denoted as Francis Peter Stover, had unclaimed mail.
The March 1885 Queensland Gazette shows unclaimed mail for Francis Peater [sic] Stover, at Emerald.
Again from the Gazette, Feb 1890, someone thought he lived in Jundah, as again, unclaimed mail for the full name of Francis Peter Stover. (The following December is when his father put the notice in the paper for him, so perhaps it was him).
-----------------
In 1897, Francis Peter Stover was arrested in Camooweal. the date of commitment to trial was 04 Mar 1897 in the District Court of Cloncurry, with an actual trial date of 04 Oct 1887. The charge was"false pretences" committed against Wm. Beaumont. His sentence was 5 months to be served in the
Normanton Gaol. Arresting officer was Const. P. Meldon. There is an asterisk next to Francis' name, which corresponds to
• Released under " The Offenders Probation Act of 1896."
The bolded
Normanton connection is why I think it may be the same man as the 66 mile Siding fellow.
In 1916, there is a news article of deceased persons that had no wills, so the government was acting as administrator for. It included a Frank Stover, late of Morestone station, another small train hub that connected to 66 mile Siding.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-northern-herald-frank-stover-moresto/151010695/As to the 1911 and 1913 articles that Neale posted, the definitions of "occupier" and "owner" under the Local Authorities Act of 1902 can be found here:
http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/qld/hist_act/laao19022evn19305/ on roughly page 9 or 10. Francis may never have set foot on the properties, and I am wondering if perhaps they passed to him when his father died in 1907. William T does not seem to appear on any will or intestate list for Queensland.
Lastly, if you look for the death of "Frank Stover" in 1916, you will find nothing. I took a look for all Frank's with no surname that died in Queensland 1916, and I think the following should be him:
Name Frank Strover [sic]
Death Date 25 May 1916
Death Place Queensland
Registration Place Australia
Registration Number 003102
Page number 1934
PS: I have had no luck finding any news article on the arrest or trial in 1897. Still looking!
