Elizabeth Beattie Telfer

Role: Daughter of James Telfer (1796–1863) — emigrated to SA on the Oliver Lang 1854 with her brothers James and Robert
Born: 1832 — Scotland
Died: 1896 — South Australia
Spouse: John Charles Dillon (1827–1906) (m. 18 December 1856)
Father: James Telfer (1796–1863)
Mother: Elizabeth Beattie (1802–1891)

Family

Life Summary

Elizabeth Beattie Telfer, known as "Betty" in the family, was the second child and eldest daughter of James and Elizabeth Telfer. She emigrated to South Australia with her brothers James and Robert on the Oliver Lang in 1854, landing in Melbourne and travelling overland to SA. She married John Charles Dillon in 1856.

Family Stories

Elizabeth Beattie Telfer — known in the family as Betty — was born in 1832 at Castleton in Scotland. She was the only daughter among the five children of James and Elizabeth. In 1854, she emigrated to South Australia with her brothers James and Robert on the ship Oliver Lang, landing in Melbourne and then travelling overland to Uncle Francis Telfer at "Macoota" in the Adelaide Hills.

Betty married John Charles Dillon on 18 December 1856 at the home of her uncle Francis Telfer, at "Macoota", Chain of Ponds. John had come from Ireland. They made their home in the South East of South Australia and had a large family of ten children — five sons and five daughters — though tragically, one son was stillborn and twin girls lived only 15 minutes.

The Dillon family spread through the South East region. The connection between the Telfers and Dillons runs deep — Betty was the bridge between the two families, and her descendants are still found in the Mount Gambier district today.

Betty died in 1896, aged 64. John Charles Dillon died in 1906 at the age of 79.

(From the Borders to the Bush, pp. 214–215)

Sources

• Source: Donald Telfer, From the Borders to the Bush (ISBN 0 7316 6387 X), pp. 33