Frances Margaret Oswald
Biography
Role: Wife of James Telfer (1858–1944), the twin son of pioneer James Telfer (1829–1913) & Janet Welsh — mother of seven daughters
Born: circa 1861 — South Australia (exact date and place not yet confirmed)
Married: 14 March 1882 — Port Lincoln, South Australia, to James Telfer
Died: December 1931 — Adelaide, South Australia (aged 69)
Family
| Relation | Name |
|---|---|
| Husband | James Telfer (1858–1944) |
| Daughter | Jane Margaret Telfer (1882–) |
| Daughter | Janet Welsh Telfer (1885–1924) |
| Daughter | Millicent Agnes Telfer (1887–) |
| Daughter | Rose Gladys Telfer (1890–) |
| Daughter | Mary Frances Telfer (1893–1893) |
| Daughter | Elizabeth Lillian Telfer (1896–) |
| Daughter | Martha Pearce Telfer (1898–) |
Life Summary
Frances Margaret Oswald married James Telfer on 14 March 1882 at Port Lincoln, South Australia. James was the twin son of the Koppio pioneer James Telfer (1829–1913) and Janet Welsh, and later served as a Justice of the Peace for some forty-five years at Portana Station, Sheringa. The couple raised seven daughters, and Frances is buried in the Telfer family plot at the North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth, on a headstone she shares with her husband. She passed away in December 1931, aged about 69; her exact birth date and place, and her Oswald parents, are not yet confirmed.
⚠️ Not yet verified — do not treat as fact: Frances's exact birth date and birth place, her parents' names, and the precise day of her death (the headstone's day figure is worn; a secondary source gives 8 December 1931). These are open leads, not confirmed facts.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 1861 | Born (exact date/place unconfirmed; "aged 69" in Dec 1931 implies birth ~1861–62) |
| 14 Mar 1882 | Married James Telfer at Port Lincoln, South Australia |
| 1882–1898 | Seven daughters born (Jane Margaret, Janet Welsh, Millicent Agnes, Rose Gladys, Mary Frances, Elizabeth Lillian, Martha Pearce) |
| Dec 1931 | Died at Adelaide, South Australia (aged 69); buried in the Telfer plot, North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth |
Sources
- Find A Grave (PRIMARY — headstone): James Telfer (1858–1944), North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth SA — memorial 201613602; grave photo by Faithe Jones records "FRANCES MARGARET … BELOVED WIFE OF JAMES TELFER … PASSED AWAY DECEMBER [?] 1931, AGED 69 YEARS" and "JAMES TELFER … DIED JULY 27th 1944, AGED 85 YEARS" (photo held in vault `People/Photos/james-telfer-1858-1944-grave.jpg`) (accessed 31 Aug 2026)
- FamilySearch: James Telfer (1858–1944) — KDBV-SG2 — spouse Frances Margaret Oswald (1861–1931), married 14 Mar 1882 Port Lincoln; seven daughters listed (accessed 31 Aug 2026)
- MyHeritage name index (snippet-level, bot-walled): Frances Oswald records — "Frances Margaret Telfer (född Oswald), 1861–1931 … Dec 8 1931, Adelaide, South Australia" — supplied the death day/place (accessed 31 Aug 2026)
- Source (corroborating marriage/region): Donald Telfer, A Telfer Family Tree (Supplement to From the Borders to the Bush, 2008), ch. 9 / p.183 — marriage to Frances Margaret Oswald 14 Mar 1882, Portana Station/Sheringa, JP detail; descendant line through Oswald/Vigar (book-digester report p.195, accessed 24 Aug 2026)
Photos
Tags
Spouse
- James Telfer (1858 – 1944)