John Telfer

Role: Third son of James Telfer (1796–1863) to emigrate — founder of the Tantanoola Telfer line
Born: 1840 — Peel, Roxburghshire, Scotland
Died: 5 January 1913 — Tantanoola, South Australia
Spouse: Martha Allen (1842–1876) (m. 1865), Martha Clara Henstridge (1856–1921) (m. 1876)
Father: James Telfer (1796–1863)
Mother: Elizabeth Beattie (1802–1891)

Family

Life Summary

John Telfer was the third son of James and Elizabeth to emigrate to South Australia. He was born at Peel, Roxburghshire in 1840 and followed his siblings in 1859 at age 19. He settled at Tantanoola in the South East, became the first Postmaster, and was a prominent figure in the community. John and his second wife Martha Henstridge built the family that would carry the Telfer name through the next generations.

Family Stories

John Telfer was born at Peel, Roxburghshire, Scotland in 1840, the third son of James and Elizabeth Telfer. In 1859, five years after his brothers James and Robert had left, and at the age of 19, John followed them to South Australia. He left home with a reference from the Rev. John Fergusson of the Parish of Edgerston, dated 15th June, 1859 — one of the last documents he obtained before sailing. Three days later, on 18th June, 1859, he sailed on the "Morning Star" for a journey of 140 days to Melbourne. The ship carried 111 adults and 13 children. John was listed as a Shepherd, aged 19, from Scotland.

He landed in Melbourne and made his way to South Australia, where he found his Uncle Francis Telfer at "Macoota", Kersbrook. It must have been a happy reunion with his brothers and sister — he hadn't seen them in five years.

John came to South Australia under contract to Mr. Alexander Borthwick Murray. For seven years he worked as a shepherd for Mr. Murray at Tungkillo in the Adelaide Hills. On 19th January, 1865, he married Martha Allen at the private residence of Mr. Robert Boyd in Synagogue Place, Adelaide. The marriage certificate described John as a Shepherd of "full age" and Martha as a spinster, also of "full age". Martha was the daughter of William Allen, born in 1842, and her family are believed to have come from Glenmaquin, County Donegal, Ireland.

John and Martha had four children — James, Elizabeth, Susan and Martha.

The family moved to the South East of the State in 1874 and settled at Tantanoola, then known as Lucieton. But tragedy struck. Martha died on 9th March, 1876 from cancer, leaving John with four children aged 10, 8, 5 and 3. The "Border Watch" recorded her death bluntly: "Death in Hospital: On Thursday morning, Martha Telfer, wife of Mr. John Telfer, of German Flat, died in Hospital in Mount Gambier from cancer. She had not been there long. She was 34 years of age."

John married for the second time on 28th December, 1876 — just nine months after Martha's death, and with four young children to care for. His second wife was Martha Clara Henstridge, daughter of Frederick Henstridge. The marriage took place at John's private residence at Tantanoola Creek, officiated by Rev. Charles Tresize. John was described as a "Stockholder", aged 34, and Martha as a Spinster, aged 23.

Martha Henstridge came from a family with a remarkable heritage. An old letter in the family notes that "we are descended from the Viking Hengest who came to England as a mercenary to assist King Vertigen of Kent. He overthrew Vertigen and ruled Kent for a number of years. His descendants fought the Normans in Sherwood Forest with Robin Hood. The heir to Hengest-Ridge Castle was given a baroncy by King John." The family held the manuscripts to Magna Carta secretly in Hengestridge Castle until King John was forced to sign them. The town of Henstridge is still there, part of the estate held by the Duke of Bedford.

John quickly established himself in Tantanoola. The first town blocks were auctioned in 1879 — John purchased Lot 106 for £2.15.0. In 1888 he bought more lots, and in partnership with his brother Adam and Heinrich Kornor, he purchased several other allotments in 1889. The three were listed as Directors of the Tantanoola Cheese and Butter Venture.

He opened a butcher shop in 1880 but closed it seven years later. He was appointed as the first Postmaster at Tantanoola in 1881, a position he held until 1888. The Post Office operated a daily service to Adelaide, and in 1890 a telegraph service commenced, followed by a money order service in 1891, and a Savings Bank Agency in 1893.

In 1894, when the Tantanoola Cheese and Butter Venture failed, John purchased the factory, the land and the plant for £170 — it had originally cost £1,000. The price of milk at that time was 2½d per gallon, but a neighbouring factory paid 3d, so farmers carted their milk by horse and dray an extra five miles for the extra halfpenny.

John was Chairman of the Tantanoola Drainage Board, a member of the Tantanoola District Council, and on the committee that formed the Presbyterian Church in Tantanoola — the church was built on land that John gave. He purchased grazing land near Tantanoola, named his property "Brackenridge", and farmed there until his son Mark took over. John retired to a house in the township where he lived until his death.

His obituary in the South Eastern Times on 10th January, 1913 noted: "For several years he was in the employ of Mr. A.B. Murray at Tungkillo. He came to Tantanoola in 1874 and for many years carried on a butchery and storekeeping business very successfully, but of late years he had been in poor health. He was a member of the first district council of Tantanoola. Deceased leaves a widow and large family of sons and daughters."

John Telfer died on Sunday, 5th January, 1913, aged 72. He is buried at Tantanoola Cemetery alongside his second wife Martha Clara, who died in 1921. Her memorial card read: "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

Some of John's descendants still live and farm in the Tantanoola district to this day.

(From the Borders to the Bush, pp. 233–240)

Sources

• Source: Donald Telfer, From the Borders to the Bush (ISBN 0 7316 6387 X), pp. 36–37
• South Eastern Times, 10 January 1913 — obituary
• Border Watch, 11 March 1876 — death of Martha Allen Telfer