The Descendants of William Telfer

William Telfer and Barbara Cook had eight known children

1.      George Telfer was born on 4 Nov 1779 in New York. He was christened on 14 Nov 1779 in      Manhattan, New York. George was christened in Trinity Springs Church. George moved to England    with his parents as a child, settling in Andover where he remained the rest of his life.
In 1841 he is listed as perfumer, perhaps an attempt at a second occupation as he was a hairdresser both before and after. Living with him are daughters Ann and Jane.  In 1851 his occupation is hairdresser. 

                                    1851 Census - note both daughters names listed as Ann

He died in 1859 at the age of 80 in Andover. 

George married Dinah Gibbs (1775-10 Apr 1834)  on 26 Dec 1800 in Andover. Her death notice states,

"Died, on Thursday the 1st ult., aged 59 years, the wife of Mr. Telfer, hairdresser, Andover"

George Telfer and Dinah Gibbs had two known daughters.   

a.      Ann Telfer was born about 21 Apr 1802 and christened 29 Apr 1802 in Andover.  Ann can be found in Andover in the 1861 and 1871 census returns.  In 1871 she is listed as a hairdresser daughter and a pauper. Ann most likely died in the 3^rd quarter of 1874. 

b.     Jane Telfer was born 23 Mar 1807 and christened 19 Oct 1814 in Andover.  Jane most likely died in the third quarter of 1857. 

2. William Telfer was born on 20 Mar 1782 in New York City, New York. He was christened on 31 May 1782 in Trinity Springs Church in Manhattan.  William returned to England with his parents and joined the East India Company as a midshipman.

Among the treasures in the Trindle house is a ceremonial sword heavily mounted with silver which awarded to William for an act of bravery.

“ Uncle Wm entered the service of the Honorable East India Company as a midshipsman and distinguished himself by the brave act of volunteering to rescue the seamen of a burning Indiaman or Vessel at Sea.  For this the passengers of the Thetis the vessel to which he was attached presented him with a cutlass heavily mounted with silver the inscription thereon is as follows.”  

Accept this for having at the age of 15 preserved the lives of your fellow seamen at the risk of your own. To William Telfer Midshipman of the Thetis, East Indiaman; 27 February 1799.

William died of dysentery at an East India seaport at the age of seventeen in 1799.

3. Robert Telfer was the first of William and Barbara’s children known to be born in Apr 1786 in Andover, Hampshire, England, Great Britain. Born in April 1786 he was christened on 5 Jun 1786 . 

To date no further information has been found on Robert, although there was a Robert Telfer who was the Captain of the 235 Reg, 45th Brigade NYS Infantry division of the National Guard in 1845.

Matthew Telfer’s son Robert would have only been 20 so it was unlikely it was him. William O. Chapman’s records indicated some possible connection, so it is possible that Robert, John as noted below and Matthew all emigrated to New York.

4. Ann Telfer was born about 9 May 1788 an christened on 23 May 1788 in Andover, Hampshire, England, Great Britain. No further information has been found for Ann in marriage, death or census records.

5. John Telfer was born about 4 Aug 1790 christened on 25 Aug 1790 in Andover. 

In 1826 there is a John Telfer, hosier listed on 55 Chatham St, New York City, with a residence at 4 Chambers. This is worth following up as John's youngest brother Richard was a hosier and to date we have not found any records for John in England beyond a possible marriage to Anne Telfer in 1808 and the birth of a daughter in 1809, and it is unknown if that is the correct John. 

There is also a listing for John Telfair at 57 Spring St. with no occupation listed.  (Matthew's name is spelled Telfair in this directory)

Both are listed again in 1827 at different addresses.  In 1830 there is only one listing for John Telfair an accountant.  Matthews name is spelled Telfer in this directory.  There is no John listed in 1842.

6. Jane Telfer was born about 26 Nov 1792 and christened on 26 Dec 1792 in Andover.  She died on 8 Jul 1801 at the age of 8 in Andover, H.

7. Matthew Telfer

8. Richard Hudson Telfer was born in Jun 1798 in Andover, Hampshire, England. He was christened on 11 Jul 1798 in Andover. In 1841 he is living in St Martin In the Fields, Middlesex, England.  His wife is deceased and daughters Emily and Louisa are students living in the Brannock House in Ossulstone, Middlesex. 

Richard Hudson Telfer married Jane Good on 24 Jul 1825 at Bloomsbury St George in Camden, London, England. 

OlD COURT. - Saturday, May 17th, 1834.
Fifth Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Littledale.

ALEXANDER WATKINS was indicted for stealing, on the 4th of March , at St. Martin-in-the-fields, 8 sovereigns and 3 half-sovereigns, the monies of Richard Hudson Telfer , in his dwelling-house .

RICHARD HUDSON TELFER. I am a hosier , and occupy the house, No. 10, New-street, 
Covent-garden, in the parish of St. Martin-in-the-fields . I sleep in the house - the shop is part of the house - the prisoner came to the shop on the evening of the 4th of March, and wanted two half-sovereigns for a sovereign - I took a bag of gold from my pocket, and gave him two - he objected to the coinage - he wished for one with the Fleur-de-Lis on it of a more recent date - I put my hand into the bag, and turned some gold into my hand - and in looking for the coinage which he wished for, the prisoner said, "Allow me" - he reached over the counter, and put his hand on the gold, pretending to look at the coinage - he said he should know the coinage immediately; and, after looking for some time, he said there was none there - I again put some more gold into my hand, and some on the counter - after looking at it for about five minutes, he said he was sorry to give me the trouble, there was none of the coinage they wanted, and then left the shop - on leaving the shop, I observed him put a handkerchief from his left hand into his right hand, and put his right hand into his breeches pocket - I heard some money rattle - I had observed that handkerchief in his left hand all the time he was in the shop - as soon as he was gone, I suspected he had taken some of my money - I counted my money, and found it was 9l. 10s. deficient - I had 39l. 10s. in gold, in my bag, before he came to the shop -  SEE TELFER GENEALOGY FOR MORE

Jane Good was born in 1806. She died before 14 Aug 1839 at the age of 33 in St Martin In the Fields, Middlesex, England. She was buried on 14 Aug 1839 in St Martin In the Fields, Middlesex, England.  Richard Hudson Telfer and Jane Good had the following children:

a. Jane Sarah Telfer was born in 1827 in St Martin In the Fields, Middlesex, England. It is possible that this is not the correct Sarah.  Matching the address might prove one way or the other. She was buried on 21 Nov 1852 in St Martin In the Fields, Middlesex, England. 

b. Emily Telfer was born in 1829 in St Martin In the Fields, Middlesex, England. In 1851 Emily is living with her father and stepmother and working as a hosier's assistant. She appeared in the census in 1841 in St John Hackney, Middlesex, England. 

c. Louisa Telfer was born in 1831 in St Martin In the Fields, Middlesex, England. In 1851 Louisa is living at home and working as a dressmaker. She appeared in the census in 1841 in St John Hackney, Middlesex, England.  Louisa Telfer married Edmund Elias Humphreys (1832…) in 1854. Louisa and Edmund had seven known children:

i. Eva Mary Humphreys was born in 1855 in Hackney, London, England. She died in 1885 at the age of 30.

ii. Clara Louisa Jane Humphreys was born in Jan 1858–Mar 1858 in Mile End Old Town, London, England. She died in Dec 1947 at the age of 89 in Cuckfield, Sussex, England, United States. 

Clara Louisa Jane Humphreys and Ernest Irwin Packington (1857, Surrey – 1901 Surrey)were married on 18 Oct 1879 at Clapham Holy Trinity in Lambeth, Surrey, England. Clara and Ernest had nine known Children

(1)    Ernest Irwin Packington was born on 25 Jul 1880 in Southwark, Surrey, England.  Ernest married Nellie Amelia Triggs on 29 Jul 1906 at Norwood Christ Church in Lambeth, Surrey, England.  Ernest and Nellie had four known children.

(a) Elizabeth Joan Packington was born on 1 Aug 1908 in Lewisham, London, England. She died on 26 Aug 1908 at the age of 0 at Norwood Cemetery in Lewisham, London, England. 

 

William Telfer

William Telfer was born in 1754 in the United Kingdom, where exactly he was born is not yet known. One possible clue might be that there were Telfers in St Martin in the Fields and elsewhere in Westminister before Willliam's son Richard settled there.  Tracing those Telfers might lead to a connection.  Another clue is found in the apprentice tax records.  In 1782 George Telfer, barber of Andover, took on an apprentice.[1] Considering the fact that William named his oldest son George and that he was living in Andover by 1786, this might be a record for his father or a brother. The profession of barber was controlled by the Barbers Company which until 1745 also included surgeons.  However, an  act of Parliament as early as 1540 had legislated that no barber could perform surgery and no surgeon could perform barbers tasks, although both could practice dentistry. 

Apprentice Duty paid 16 Apr 1782 Class: IR 1; Piece: 31. 

Another entry of note as we look for Williams ancestry is that of George Telfer who is listed with the 16^th Regiment in Albany, New York in 1795.[3]  Might this be a brother and the same George found in Andover in 1782.

We know that William was living in New York at the time that his sons George and William were born. The family information states that William was a hairdresser working for the army and that he left when the army left, this has not been corroborated by records, but the time frame does fit and later records do corroborate his occupation.   

There is a William Telfer, hairdresser, listed in the Westminster Rate books in 1784.  He is also listed in the 1782 book, but as an addendum at the address with a note that looks like he took up lodging in 1783. He does not appear there in later years.  The first known record of William in Andover is 1786 when son Robert is christened, so this might be the correct William.  This might also be a tie to origins in London.



By the time William settled in Andover, which was situated on the main Exeter-Salisbury-London road, it had become a major stop for the more than 30 stagecoaches that passed through the town each day. A canal to Southhampton was opened in 1789. The population in 1801 was just over 3300 individuals.

In 1792 when William took on an apprentice his occupation was listed as peruke maker. A peruke was a man's wig, usually powdered and gathered at the back of the neck with a ribbon or a periwig.  This would fit with an occupation of hairdresser found in other records. 

 Apprentice Duty paid 31 Oct 1792 Class: IR 1; Piece: 35.

William died on 3 Dec 1800 at the age of 46 in Andover, Hampshire, England, Great Britain. 

William Telfer and Barbara were married before 1779. Besides the children listed below there are two other possible children, a daughter, Elizabeth bn 1785 who died in 1800 and a son Thomas who died at birth in 1782.  Barbara was born in 1762 and died on 15 Jun 1812 at the age of 50 in Andover. 

No known record gives Barbara a last name, but family legend states Barbara's father was named Matthew Cook and that he owned Cook farm.  His wife’s surname was reportedly Schemel.  The story goes on that on his death Barbara received an interest in the estate with her three brothers, Daniel, David and Phillip.     No documentation has been found and it is unknown whether this was a New York family or an English family, however, the German surname for Matthew’s wife makes it more likely that records will be found in the colonies rather than in England. 

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