People / John Telfer

John Telfer

1840 – 1913
Farmer, Tantanoola district | **Buried:** Tantanoola Cemetery, SA
JT

Biography

Born: ~1840–1841 (Scotland) | Died: 5 January 1913 (Tantanoola, SA) | Mother: Elizabeth Beattie (1802–1891) | Father: James Telfer (1796–1863) | Occupation: Farmer, Tantanoola district | Buried: Tantanoola Cemetery, SA

Family

RelationName
SelfJohn Telfer
FatherJames Telfer (1796–1863)
MotherElizabeth Beattie (1802–1891)
BrotherJames Telfer (1829–1913)
BrotherRobert Telfer (1835–1907)
BrotherAdam Francis Telfer (1842–1925)
Spouse (1)[[Martha Allen (1840–1876)] (m. 10 Jan 1865 β€” d. 9 May 1876)
Spouse (2)Martha Clara Henstridge (m. 28 Dec 1876 β€” d. 13 Nov 1921)

Children β€” Martha Allen (4)

NameBornDiedMarried
James Telfer18 Oct 1866, Honeysuckle Flat SA28 Aug 1946, Glencoe West SAAlma Ida Sporer (24 Oct 1917)
Elizabeth Telfer2 Oct 1868, Black Heath, Tungkillo SA11 Oct 1950, Gumeracha SAEdwin Ernest Clarke (6 Jul 1899)
Susan Telfer9 May 1871, Black Heath, Tungkillo SA29 Jul 1952, Mount Gambier SARobert Agnew (21 Dec 1892)
Martha Telfer18 Apr 1873, Black Heath, Tungkillo SA4 Aug 1964, Mount Gambier SAMalcolm Duncan Cameron (29 Mar 1899)

Children β€” Martha Clara Henstridge (11)

NameBornDiedMarried
Mark Kenneth Telfer12 Apr 1877, Up and Down Rocks SA23 Jul 1946, Adelaide SAJulia Matilda Seebohm (9 Jul 1902)
Maria Clara Telfer~187822 Dec 1903, Tantanoola SANever married
Isabella Lucieton Telfer17 Jul 1880, Edgerston SA30 Jun 1964, Klemzig SAAlexander Brown Thomson (12 Jul 1911)
John Roland Telfer20 Jan 1882, Tantanoola SAUnknownβ€”
Clara Blanche Telfer19 Nov 1883, Tantanoola SA7 Jun 1974, Cheltenham Cemetery SAFrancis Edward Lane (6 Apr 1903)
Robert Freddy Telfer4 Jan 1886, Rosaville SA14 Feb 1949, Burnside SAMay Foy (15 Aug 1919)
Douglas Telfer7 Oct 1887, Mount Gambier SA1956, Brunswick East VICLilian Daisy Dawson (1910)
John Roland Telfer (1882–1975)20 Jan 1882, Tantanoola SA1975 (age 93)β€”
Colin Roy Telfer (1889–1964)19 Jan 1889, Tantanoola SA14 May 1964 (age 75), Surry Hills NSWβ€”
Alma Tressy Cullen (1893–1976)27 Nov 1893, Tantanoola SA8 May 1976 (age 83), Ringwood VicGeorge Lewis Cullen (5 Sep 1923)
Marian Telfer Cornish (1896–1977)~1896, Tantanoola SA1977Kenneth Cornish (21 Jun 1924, Gumeracha SA)

Life Summary

John Telfer was born around 1840–1841 in Roxburghshire, Scotland, the son of James Telfer (1796–1863) and Elizabeth Beattie. He emigrated to South Australia with his family sometime after 1842 (his youngest brother Adam was born in Scotland that year).

John first married [[Martha Allen (1840–1876)] on 10 January 1865 at the Residence of Robert Boyd, Adelaide. Martha was born around 1840 and had possibly arrived in SA aboard the Morning Star (Nov 1862–Feb 1863) as a servant. They had four children together: James, Elizabeth, Susan, and Martha. Martha Allen died on 9 May 1876 at German Flat, Mount Gambier, aged about 36.

John remarried later that same year β€” on 28 December 1876 at the Residence of J. Telfer, Tantanoola Creek β€” to Martha Clara Henstridge. Martha Clara was born 22 January 1854, the daughter of Frederick Henstridge. She and John had 11 children together, bringing the total to 15 across both marriages.

John settled in the Tantanoola district of South Australia's South East, where he farmed. He died on 5 January 1913 at Tantanoola, aged approximately 72, and was buried at Tantanoola Cemetery.

His second wife, Martha Clara Henstridge, survived him by nearly 9 years, dying on 13 November 1921 at Adelaide, aged 67. She was listed as a widow of Tantanoola.

Timeline

DateEvent
~1840–1841Born in Roxburghshire, Scotland
~1840s–1850sEmigrated to South Australia with family
10 Jan 1865Married Martha Allen at Residence of Robert Boyd, Adelaide
18 Oct 1866Son James born at Honeysuckle Flat
2 Oct 1868Daughter Elizabeth born at Black Heath, Tungkillo
9 May 1871Daughter Susan born at Black Heath, Tungkillo
18 Apr 1873Daughter Martha born at Black Heath, Tungkillo
9 May 1876First wife Martha Allen died at German Flat, Mount Gambier
28 Dec 1876Married Martha Clara Henstridge at Residence of J. Telfer, Tantanoola Creek
12 Apr 1877Son Mark born at Up and Down Rocks
~1878Daughter Maria Clara born
17 Jul 1880Daughter Isabella Lucieton born at Edgerston
20 Jan 1882Son John Roland born at Tantanoola
19 Nov 1883Daughter Clara Blanche born at Tantanoola
4 Jan 1886Son Robert Freddy born at Rosaville
7 Oct 1887Son Douglas born at Mount Gambier
19 Jan 1889Son Colin Roy born at Tantanoola
27 Oct 1890Son Alan Dale born at Tantanoola
27 Nov 1893Daughter Alma Tressy born at Tantanoola
5 Jan 1913Died at Tantanoola, South Australia
Jan 1913Buried at Tantanoola Cemetery

Sources

  • WikiTree: John Telfer (abt.1841-1913) β€” Telfer-549 β€” includes full biography, 15 children with SA BDM registration numbers, marriages, and death details β€” accessed 26 May 2026
  • FindAGrave: John Telfer (unknown-1913) β€” buried Tantanoola Cemetery β€” accessed 26 May 2026
  • Trove β€” Border Watch Almanac: "Tantanoola-Mr. Jas. Telfer" β€” South Australian Chronicle, 13 Apr 1895 β€” accessed 26 May 2026
  • FamilySearch: Eric John Telfer (1913–1963) grandson of John Telfer β€” FamilySearch LVCN-MKG β€” accessed 26 May 2026
  • Trove β€” Wedding Notice: "TELFERβ€”CORNISH" β€” 21 Jun 1924, Marian (youngest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. Telfer, Tantanoola) married Kenneth Cornish β€” The Chronicle, 21 Jun 1924 β€” accessed 28 May 2026
  • Australian Cemeteries Index: John Telfer (1841?-1913) β€” buried Tantanoola Cemetery β€” austcemindex.com β€” accessed 28 May 2026
  • Ryerson Index: Searched for John Roland Telfer in SA (not found); Colin Roy Telfer found β€” died 14 May 1964, Surry Hills NSW β€” ryersonindex.org β€” accessed 28 May 2026
  • WikiTree: Marian Telfer (abt.1896-1977) β€” Telfer-725 β€” confirmed as 15th child of John Telfer & Martha Clara Henstridge, married Kenneth Cornish 1924 β€” accessed 29 May 2026
  • FindAGrave β€” Confirmation: John Telfer (unknown-1913) β€” died 5 Jan 1913, aged 72, Tantanoola Cemetery β€” accessed 29 May 2026
  • Deep Research Report (approved): "John Telfer (1841-1913) of Tantanoola β€” Descendants & Missing Death Dates" β€” Skippy-reviewed and approved 30 May 2026 β€” identified false leads for John Roland & Colin Roy; subsequent manual research found correct death dates
  • Lehmann/Henschke RootsWeb Family Card: John Roland Telfer β€” b. 1882 SA, d. 1975 age 93 β€” moadstorage.blob.core.windows.net β€” accessed 1 June 2026
  • RootsWeb Family Card: George Lewis Cullen & Alma Tressie Telfer β€” marriage 5 Sep 1923 Renmark SA, Alma d. 8 May 1976 Ringwood Vic age 83 β€” freepages.rootsweb.com β€” accessed 1 June 2026
  • Tags

    ancestor

    Children

    • James
    • Elizabeth
    • Susan
    • Martha
    • Mark
    • Maria Clara
    • Isabella Lucieton
    • John Roland
    • Clara Blanche
    • Robert Freddy
    • Douglas
    • Colin Roy
    • Alan Dale
    • Alma Tressy

    Siblings

    • James (1829–1913)
    • Elizabeth Beattie (1832–1896)
    • Margaret (~1829–?)
    • Jean
    • Robert (1835–1907)
    • Isabella (~1837–?)
    • Adam (1842–1925)
    • Agnes (~1848–?)