Martha Allen
Biography
Born: ~1840 | Died: 9 May 1876 | Mother: ? | Father: ? | Occupation: Servant (unconfirmed)
Family
| Relation | Name |
|---|---|
| Self | Martha Allen |
| Spouse | John Telfer (1840–1913) |
| Son | James Telfer (1866–1946) |
| Daughter | Elizabeth Telfer (1868–1950) |
| Daughter | Susan Telfer (1871–1952) |
| Daughter | Martha Telfer Cameron (1873–1964) |
Life Summary
Martha Allen married John Telfer on 10 January 1865 at the Residence of Robert Boyd, Adelaide, South Australia. She bore four children between 1866 and 1873 — three daughters and one son — before dying young at German Flat, near Mount Gambier, on 9 May 1876, aged approximately 36.
Her death left John Telfer a widower with four young children (the youngest, Martha, was barely three). John remarried seven months later to Martha Clara Henstridge on 28 December 1876.
Place of origin, parents, migration, and burial location are all unknown. She may have arrived in South Australia aboard the Morning Star (departed Liverpool 28 November 1862, arrived Port Adelaide 13 February 1863) as an unmarried servant, but this is unconfirmed.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| ~1840 | Born (location unknown — possibly England) |
| 13 Feb 1863 | Possibly arrived SA aboard Morning Star as a servant (unconfirmed) |
| 10 Jan 1865 | Married John Telfer at Residence of Robert Boyd, Adelaide |
| 27 Apr 1866 | Birth of son James Telfer |
| 9 Aug 1868 | Birth of daughter Elizabeth Telfer |
| 18 Dec 1871 | Birth of daughter Susan Telfer |
| 15 Nov 1873 | Birth of daughter Martha Telfer |
| 9 May 1876 | Died at German Flat, Mount Gambier SA (age ~36) |
Sources
- Source: WikiTree — John Telfer profile (Telfer-549) — accessed 02 June 2026
- Source: John Telfer vault file.md) — accessed 02 June 2026
- Source: Trove — Morning Star arrival notice, 16 Feb 1863 — accessed 02 June 2026 (confirms ship arrival only, not passenger list)
- Source: Genealogy SA marriage index — Gre B 110 P 134 — John Telfer & Martha Clara Henstridge (referenced from John Telfer profile)
- Source: Genealogy SA marriage index — 1865 — John Telfer & Martha Allen (from WikiTree citation)