James Macarthur (15 December 1798 – 21 April 1867) was an Australian pastoralist and politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council on three occasions between 1839 and 1843, 1848 and 1856 and finally from 1866 until his death. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1856 and 1859.
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Early life and education
James Macarthur was born in Parramatta on 15 December 1798, was the fourth son of John Macarthur and his wife Elizabeth. He was initially privately educated in Parramatta, but accompanied his father to England in 1809 in the aftermath of the Rum Rebellion. He stayed in Europe throughout his father's exile and completed his education in Hackney before undertaking a grand tour.
On arriving back in the colony of New South Wales in 1817, he was given responsibility for managing his father's Camden estates. He did this assiduously and greatly increased the family's wealth and property during the next 10 years. On John Macarthur's death in April 1834, James and one of his brothers, William, were bequeathed Camden Park Estate as tenants in common.