John H. Tefft
Parents
| Father | Stephen Tefft (ca. 1790 - 4 January 1866) |
| Mother | Rebecca _____ (ca. 1806 - ) |
Personal Information
| Record Created: 17 February 2010; Last Edited: 3 February 2022 |
| Person ID | 551 |
| Name | John H. Tefft |
| Gender | Male |
| Born | November 1844 in Jewett City, New London County, Connecticut1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
| Married | ca. 1866 to Ellen O. Boyens4 |
| Divorced | from Ellen O. Boyens9 |
| Married | 1 November 1887 in Griswold, New London County, Connecticut to Jeanette Groves6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Died | 2 June 1916 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut1, 8 |
| Buried | in Maplewood Cemetery, Norwich, New London County, Connecticut1 |
Biography
John served in the Civil War. He is listed as John H. Tifft, of Norwich, and mustered on 4 August 1862 in Company A, 18th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers. He mustered out on 27 June 1865 at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.10
His obituary published on 5 June 1916 provides a brief summary of his life:8
Obituary.
John H. Tefft.
The death of John H. Tefft occurred Friday morning at his home on West Town street, Norwich, after a weeks illness with bronchial pneumonia. He was the last of a family of 12 brothers and sisters and was born in Jewett City 72 years ago, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Tefft. The larger part of his life was passed in Jewett City, where he was a successful farmer.
There are two daughters and a son by his first marriage, Mrs. Annie Chapman of Norwich, Mrs. Luella Senay of New London and Elmer Tefft of Montville. His marriage with Janet Groves of Jewett City took place in 1888. Six years ago they moved to Norwich Town and became members of the First Methodist church.
He leaves a widow and a daughter, Miss Gertrude Tefft, by the second marriage.
An account of John’s funeral was published on 6 June:11
Funeral.
John H. Tefft.
There was a large attendance Monday afternoon at the funeral of John H. Tefft, held at 2 o’clock from his home on West Town street. Rev. E. P. Phreaner, pastor of the First Methodist church, was in charge of the service. The comforting words of our God shall never pass away, he said. I think I can hear our friend say as an old sildier [sic], I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith. Happy the one who can say I have won. This battle of life has its suffering side. God has added the bitter with the sweet. We are made holier by the trying, testing times. Even more than a soldier of his country he was a soldier of the Lord. His clear and true witness accorded with his life. He has finished his course and has won in the last fight through the Captain of his salvation. He has answered the last roll call and is in the ranks of those before the throne. In closing was read “Father, in Thy gracious keeping leave we now Thy loved one sleeping.”
The Hymns Lead, Kindly Light, and There’s a Holy and Beautiful City were sung by Miss Hazel Miller. The choice of flowers included from the family three beautiful forms; clusters of carnations and roses, lilies, purple and write [sic] iris, and pansies from relatives and friends. Members of the G. A. R. were in attendance and acted as bearers. Mr. Tefft served in the Civil war from 1861 to 1865, a member of the 18th Conn. Regiment.
Burial was in the family lot in Maplewood cemetery, where a committal service was read at the grave. The bearers were Henry Hovey, F C. Geer, H. L. Muzzy and James McKee. Those present from out of town were Mrs. Luella Tefft of New London, Mrs. Annie Chapman of Norwich, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Tefft and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Tefft of Montville, David Groves of New Bedford, Mass., Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin, Mrs. Sharkey and George Blake, all of Jewett City, Mrs. Hutchinson from Meriden.
Funeral Director C. A. Gager, jr., was in charge of arrangements.
Besides his wife and four children, Mr. Tefft leaves five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Person/Family
| Spouse 1 |  Ellen O. Boyens (daughter of Daniel Boyens and Mary Ann Frissell) |
| Born | December 1839 in Grafton, Worcester County, Massachusetts |
| Married | ca. 1855 to _____ Chapman |
| Married | ca. 1866 to John H. Tefft |
| Married | ca. 1888 to Ezra S. Bennett |
| Died | 15 January 1936 in New London, New London County, Connecticut |
| Children | of John H. Tefft and Ellen O. Boyens: |
| +1. | Elmer James Tefft, Sr. |
| Born | 12 April 1867 in Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut |
| Married | 19 July 1887 in Griswold, New London County, Connecticut to Jessie Louise McClure |
| Died | 27 April 1935 in Montville, New London County, Connecticut |
| +2. | Annie Dora Tefft |
| Born | August 1868 in Connecticut |
| Married | to _____ Phillips |
| Married | 16 October 1895 in Hopkinton, Washington County, Rhode Island to Horace Congdon Chapman |
| Died | 10 December 1957 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut |
| 3. | Orion L. Tefft |
| Born | ca. 1870 |
| Died | 16 March 1885 |
| +4. | Luella Mabel Tefft |
| Born | 15 September 1873 in Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut |
| Married | 27 August 1891 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut to Charles Timothy Senay |
| Died | 12 August 1960 in New London, New London County, Connecticut |
| +5. | Nellie E. Tefft |
| Born | 24 June 1879 in Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut |
| Married | 30 November 1893 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut to Joseph W. Martin |
| Died | 20 June 1905 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut |
| Spouse 2 | Jeanette Groves (daughter of Thomas Groves and Elizabeth McDougal) |
| Born | August 1857 in Blackstone, Worcester County, Massachusetts |
| Married | 1 November 1887 in Griswold, New London County, Connecticut to John H. Tefft |
| Died | 19 April 1924 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut |
| Children | of John H. Tefft and Jeanette Groves: |
| 1. | Gertrude Ethel Tefft |
| Born | 24 August 1889 in Griswold, New London County, Connecticut |
| Died | 18 May 1939 in Norwich, New London County, Connecticut |
Sources
- Find a Grave (website). Maplewood Cemetery, Norwich, New London County, Connecticut, John H. Tifft, born: 1844; died: 1916 [from record, which indicates there is a Civil War marker, and that the information came the Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions, recorded 11 December 1934 by H. C. Lester, Maplewood Cemetery, p 1.].
- U.S. Federal Census, 1850, Connecticut, New London County, Town of Griswold, family of Stephen Tift (57, Connecticut, carpenter); Rebecca Tift (43, Connecticut); John L. Tift (6, Connecticut); George C. Tift (5, Connecticut); Neland P. Tift (11/12, Connecticut).
- U.S. Federal Census, 1860, Connecticut, New London County, Griswold, Jewett City, Page 4, William Withey, 75, Connecticut, farmer; John Tift, 16, Connecticut, farm laborer.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1870, Connecticut, Windham County, Canterbury, Pages No. 39 and 40, John H. Tift, 26, Connecticut, farmer; Ellen Tift, 28, Massachusetts; Lizzie A. Chapman, 8, Conn.; John E. Tift [sic, this is Elmer James], 4, Conn.; Anna D. Tift, 2, Conn.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1880, Connecticut, Windham County, Town of Scotland, Enumeration District 146, Page 5. John H. Tefft, 36, Connecticut, farmer, parents born in Connecticut; wife Ellen O. Tefft, 40, Connecticut [sic]; son Elmer J. Tefft, 14, Connecticut; daughter Annie D. Tefft, 12, Connecticut; son Orion L. Tefft, 9, Connecticut; daughter Luella M. Tefft, 7, Connecticut; daughter Nellie M. Tefft, 11/12, June, Connecticut; step daughter Lizzie O. Chapman, 18, New Jersey.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1900, Connecticut, New London County, Griswold Town, Jewett City Borough, Enumeration District 448, Sheet 6B. John Teft, 55 Connecticut, Nov 1844, confectioner, parents both born in Rhode Island; wife of 13 years Jeanette Teft,42, Massachusetts, August 1857, 1 child, 1 living, parents both born in Scotland; daughter Gertrude E. Teft, 10, Connecticut, August 1889, father born in Connecticut, mother born in Massachusetts.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1910, Connecticut, New London County, Norwich, Enumeration District 526, Sheet 4A. John H. Teft, 65, Connecticut, second marriage, painter, contractor, parents born in Connecticut; wife of 22 years Janet Teft, 52, Massachusetts, first marriage, 1 child, 1 living, parents born in Scotland; daughter Gertrude E. Teft, 20, Connecticut, parents born in Connecticut, berling, woolen mill.
- Obituary, The Day, New London, Connecticut, John H. Tefft, 5 January 1916.
- Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934, containing the Register of Marriages in the Town of Griswold, 1887-88, Page 5, 1 November 1887, John H. Teft, 42, born in Jewett City, Ct., peddler, 2nd marriage, divorced; and Jannett Groves, 30, born in Blackstone, Mass., first marriage.
- History of the Eighteenth Regiment Conn. Volunteers in the War for the Union, by Chaplain Wm. C. Walker. Norwich, Conn.: Published by the Committee, 1885 (available at archive.org).
- Funeral Notice, Norwich Bulletin, Norwich, Connecticut, 6 June 1916, John H. Tefft funeral.