Mary Ann Giles Telfer died on 15 May 1879 at the age of 77 nine days going into a coma as the result of a stroke in West Hoboken, New Jersey. Her death certificate states her parents are Joel Giles and Mary Giles, both born in New Jersey and that she had been born in New Jersey.
To date nothing has been unearthed about the early life of Mary Ann. Family records state she married Matthew Telfer on 9 Jun 1822, but no place is given and no corroboration has been found.
The couple settled in New York City, where Matthew was a sailmaker. In 1842, Matthew died of typhus fever leaving her with eight children, the oldest eighteen and one more on the way.
How Mary fed the family after Matthew's death is also unknown. By 1850 her sons Matthew a sailmaker and Frederick, a coach painter were contributing to the family economies. Mary continued to live in New York city for a number of years, returning to her native New Jersey about 1866. In 1870 she was living in Jersey City with her granddaughter Sarah.
Mary Ann was buried on 18 May in New York Bay Cemetery in Jersey City.
