Margaret Wright Telfer

Role: Third wife of Francis Telfer (1809–1895) — mother of John Telfer (1847–1929)
Spouse: Francis Telfer (1809–1895) (third marriage)
Born: 1810 — per A Telfer Family Tree - Supplement 2008 (p.203 "Margaret Wright (1810–1892)"); sources differ, see Sources note
Died: 13 Sep 1892 (aged 86–87) — Kersbrook, South Australia
Burial: Kersbrook Cemetery (General, Section B, Row 1, Plot B13)
Great-grandson: Murray John Telfer (1924–2009)
Great-great-nephew-in-law (by marriage through her husband's line): Mark Telfer (1877–1946) — Descends from James Telfer (1796–1863), the brother of Margaret's husband Francis Telfer (1809–1895); he is NOT Margaret's descendant.

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Family

Relation	Name
Spouse	Francis Telfer (1809–1895) (3rd wife)
Children	John Telfer (1847–1929), George Wright Telfer, Margaret Dougal Telfer

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Grave — Kersbrook Cemetery, South Australia

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Life Summary

Margaret Wright was the third wife of Francis Telfer (1809–1895). She married him in South Australia after the deaths of his first wife Jean Murray (d. 1839) and second wife Dinah Flavel.

She was the mother of:

• John Telfer (1847–1929) — Margaret's son (corrected notes: was labelled "Great-great-grandfather"; that is a conflation — Telfer's father is a different John Telfer (1840–1913) of the Tantanoola/James Telfer branch)
• George Wright Telfer — who later farmed at Willaston
• Margaret Dougal Telfer

Margaret Wright died on 13 September 1892 at Kersbrook and is buried at Kersbrook Cemetery (General, Section B, Row 1, Plot B13). Her death came about three years before Francis, which prompted his eventual move from the farm at Kersbrook to live with his son at Gawler.

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About the Three Wives of Francis Telfer

Francis Telfer married three times — an unusual number that sometimes causes confusion in genealogical records:

Jean Murray — married in Scotland, mother of James (1832), Esther Jane (1834), Elizabeth (1836). Jean died 22 Jan 1839, shortly after arrival in SA.

Dinah Flavel — second wife in South Australia

Margaret Wright — third wife and mother of John and the younger children

Some trees simply list "Margaret Telfer" as Francis's wife without specifying which marriage, leading to contradictions between sources.

Family Stories

The Stirling Castle Legend

According to Donald Telfer's family history (1986), Chapter 2, p. 27: Family tradition held that Margaret Wright was "born in Stirling Castle." Which room — the main bedchamber, a guest room, or the servants' quarters — was left for speculation. The last reigning monarch to live at Stirling Castle was James VI (1567–1625), so the story may refer to her family's residence within the castle precincts rather than the royal apartments.

Francis's Last Letter to Her — October 1891

Around eleven months before Margaret's death, her husband wrote her a letter dated 21 October 1891, addressed to "Dear Wife," reflecting on their time together since their marriage in March 1845 and on the family's migration from Langholm, Scotland, to Adelaide. It is among the few surviving documents in Francis's own hand — see the letter on his profile: Francis Telfer (1809–1895).

Sources

Birth-year note (resolved to 1810 by Mark, 8 Aug 2026): sources disagree. A Telfer Family Tree - Supplement 2008 p.203 gives "Margaret Wright (1810–1892)". The earlier vault index used 1807, and Find a Grave gives ~1805 (died 13 Sep 1892 aged 86–87). Per Mark's decision the book source, A Telfer Family Tree - Supplement 2008 (1810) is the recorded birth year; the gravestone ~1805–06 and earlier 1807 figures are retained here for traceability pending a primary Scottish birth record.

• Find a Grave: Margaret Telfer (1805–1892) — buried Kersbrook Cemetery (General, Section B, Row 1, Plot B13) — 1 headstone photo
• WikiTree: Francis Telfer (abt.1809–1895) — confirms three wives
• RootsWeb Tarlee Cemetery listing — confirms wives' names
• Geni: John Telfer (1847–1929) — confirms mother Margaret Telfer