The Telford Family

John's father moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to secure work and move the remaining Telford family. He contracted Mountain Fever and died in 1811. Just before his death, John's mother moved to Philadelphia to take care of him, but she also died from Mountain Fever in 1811.

To survive, John was apprenticed to a weaver. However, he wanted to work as a farmer. John married Jane Telford on March 13, 1825 in Barrhead, Scotland. In 1830, the Telford family decided to move to the United States for opportunities in the farming industry.

The Telford family sailed on a government-paid ship to help colonize Canada. They settled in Ontario, where John had a maple sugar orchard and operated a logging crew. In 1838, the Telford family was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Due to persecution, John was unable to sell his property when he moved to live with the Saints. He locked his front door and left.

After the assassination of Church President Joseph Smith, the Telford family moved across the Mississippi River to flee from more persecution. The Telford family joined the Harry Walton/Garden Grove Company on May 17, 1851 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on Sep 25. Soon after their arrival, the Telford family moved to Bountiful, Utah.

On March 13, 1857, John entered the practice of polygamy by marrying Elizabeth Robinson in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Utah. The family remained in Bountiful until 1860, when they moved to Richmond.