James Telford (1800 - 1857)

Born 2 Feb 1800 in Chester County, South Carolina, USA

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 23 Mar 1857 at age 57 in Marion County, Illinois, USA

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Biography

James was born in 1800. He passed away in 1857.

James Telford was born in Chester Co. South Carolina in 1800 to Samuel Telford and Margaret McCreary Telford. He married Jane Kell in 1820, and they plus Jane's parents and several siblings made the trek with oxen and wagons to Jefferson County IL in 1822. James was a freighter and drove a wagon with produce from his farm to St. Louis. Returning one winter night he caught pneumonia and died soon after that at his home. During the 1850s James's farm was a way station on the Underground Railroad, helping slaves escape.

James Telford, a native of South Carolina, came to Jefferson county as early as 1822, and moved to this county in 1836, and like most of the sturdy pioneers of that early time, was compelled to undergo many privations and do much hard work in establishing a home, but being a man of sterling qualities and indomitable energy he conquered the many obstacles that confronted him and led a useful and influential life as a farmer there, as did also his son, father of our subject, who seemed to inherit much of the older Telford's better traits, and, indeed, the family characteristics have come on down to our subject, who is carefully ordering his life so as to carry out the early praiseworthy characteristics of his ancestors. Samuel G. Telford spent his life on the farm, having lived on the same farm for sixty years. This was taken out of the new prairie land, but the wild soil was soon transformed into highly productive fields. He was a soldier in the Union army, having enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and rendered gallant service until the winter of 1864. He is still living in 1908 near Cartter, Marion County. The mother of the subject was called to her rest in 1882. Her maiden name was Mary Baldridge. She was a native of Illinois, but her people came from North Carolina. James Telford was an Abolitionist and was an historic character in his day, having played an important part in the famous underground railway when Illinois was admitted as a free state in 1818. He came to this state because he was opposed to slavery. His wife's maiden name was Kell, and she was also a native of South Carolina. They were the parents of eight children, five of whom are living at this writing, the father of the subject being the only one of the boys living.

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69313747/james-telford
• “BIOGRAPHICAL AND REMINISCENT HISTORY OF HIGHLAND, CLAY, AND MARION COUNTIES, ILLINOIS”. B. F. Bowen and Company. Indianapolis, Indiana. 1909.

• NPParkinson family history 1928. Jand Kell married James Telford, one of the younger children of Samuel Telford, who with his wife, whose maiden name was McCreary, left County Antrim, Ireland, and landed at Charleston S.C. 1772. The McCrearys lived in S.C. They came to America in the same colony with John Kell, led by Rev. Wm. Martin.

Child of Jane Kell and James Telford - Margaret Telford died in childhood.