James Telfer
Biography
Role: Son of pioneer James Telfer (1829–1913) & Janet Welsh — the twin brother of Janet Welsh Telfer (1858–1921)
Born: 29 August 1858 — Tungkillo, South Australia
Died: 27 July 1944 — Medindie Gardens, South Australia (aged 85)
Spouse: Frances Margaret Oswald (m. 14 March 1882, Port Lincoln)
Family
| Relation | Name |
|---|---|
| Father | James Telfer (1829–1913) |
| Mother | Janet Welsh (1826–1885) |
| Twin sister | Janet Welsh Telfer (1858–1921) |
| Brother | John Koppio Telfer (1862–1922) |
| Sister | Margaret Rutherford Telfer |
| Sister | Elizabeth "Betty" Telfer (1861–1938) |
| Spouse | Frances Margaret Oswald (1861–1931) |
Life Summary
James Telfer was the twin brother of Janet Welsh Telfer (1858–1921) — the pair shared the birth date 29 August 1858 at Tungkillo, South Australia, children of pioneer James Telfer (1829–1913) and Janet Welsh. On 14 March 1882 he married Frances Margaret Oswald at Port Lincoln, South Australia. Unlike his sister's line (which carried no children through her marriage to Andrew Watherstone), James's line carried deep through the Fraser/Donnelly families via his daughters. He died 27 July 1944 at Medindie Gardens, South Australia, aged 85, and was buried at the North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth, alongside his wife on a shared family headstone.
⚠️ Do not conflate: This James Telfer (1858–1944) is the son and twin. He must not be confused with his father James Telfer (1829–1913) of Koppio, nor with the unrelated James Telford / other James Telfers elsewhere in the tree. The shared 29 Aug 1858 twin birth date is his signature identifier.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 29 Aug 1858 | Born at Tungkillo, South Australia (twin of Janet) |
| 14 Mar 1882 | Married Frances Margaret Oswald at Port Lincoln, South Australia |
| 1882–1898 | At least seven daughters born (Jane Margaret 1882, Janet Welsh 1885, Millicent Agnes 1887, Rose Gladys 1890, Mary Frances 1893–1893, +2 more) |
| 27 Jul 1944 | Died at Medindie Gardens, South Australia (aged 85) |
| → | Buried at North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth, South Australia |
Sources
- Find A Grave (PRIMARY — headstone): James Telfer (1858–1944) — memorial 201613602, North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth SA; grave photo by Faithe Jones: "JAMES TELFER … DIED JULY 27th 1944, AGED 85 YEARS" + wife "FRANCES MARGARET … DECEMBER [?] 1931, AGED 69 YEARS" (photo held in vault `People/Photos/james-telfer-1858-1944-grave.jpg`) (accessed 31 Aug 2026)
- FamilySearch: James Telfer (1858–1944) — KDBV-SG2 — born 29 Aug 1858 Tungkillo, m. Frances Margaret Oswald 14 Mar 1882 Port Lincoln, d. 27 Jul 1944 Medindie Gardens, buried Nailsworth; cites BillionGraves Index, SA Will & Probate, Find A Grave Index (accessed 31 Aug 2026)
- Source: Donald Telfer, A Telfer Family Tree (Supplement to From the Borders to the Bush, 2008), pp. 183, 185 + ch. 9 — twin birth, Portana Station/Sheringa JP detail, "d. 1944 Medindie" (swing 7 extraction, accessed 24 Aug 2026)
- Source (corroborating identity): GRO land-grant records via LocalWiki — "TELFER, James station manager Pt Lincoln 1908"; "Sheringa allocation 1888" — independent primary support for occupation/region (accessed 31 Aug 2026)
Photos
Tags
Spouse
- Frances Margaret Oswald (1861 – 1931)
Parents
- James Telfer (1829 – 1913)
- Janet Welsh (1826 – 1885)
Siblings
- Janet Welsh Telfer (1858 – 1921)
- John Koppio Telfer (1862 – 1922)