Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Helen Deans[1]

Female 1847 - 1898  (51 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Helen Deans 
    Born 1847  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
    Gender Female 
    Name Ellen Deans  [8
    Name Helen Telfer 
    Residence 1861  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Free Church 
    Residence 1871  North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [5
    C. Presb. 
    Residence 1891  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Presbyterian 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-105077 
    Died 24 Feb 1898  [9, 10
    Cause: Cancer (20 months) 
    Buried Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [9
    Person ID I105077  Generations
    Last Modified 6 Apr 2024 

    Father James Deans,   b. CALC 17 Jul 1806, , Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 17 Apr 1896, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 89 years) 
    Mother Janet Brydon,   b. 1817, , Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 15 Feb 1851  (Age 34 years) 
    Family ID F6374  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family John Telfer,   b. 1838, North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Sep 1884, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 46 years) 
    Married 25 Dec 1873  Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 7
    Children 
     1. Jessie Brydon Telfer,   b. 9 May 1874, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 May 1923, East Zorra Twp., Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 48 years)
     2. Helen Margaret "Nellie" Telfer,   b. 21 Oct 1875, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 Oct 1951  (Age 76 years)
     3. Mary Deans Telfer,   b. 13 Dec 1878, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     4. Telfer,   b. 5 Feb 1884, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Feb 1884, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 0 years)
    Last Modified 7 Apr 2024 
    Family ID F26870  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • MRS. HELEN TELFER was the daughter of Mr. James Deans, and inherited many of his qualities. She was quiet and retiring, shunning publicity, and loving most the peaceful seclusion of her own fireside. She answered to the Apostle s injunction to the young women: " To love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home." She was deeply religious, devoted to the truth, seeking always to exemplify the obedience of the faith. She fed upon the hidden manna, and bore abroad in the kindliness of her spirit, and in the sweet charity of her disposition, a benediction wherever she went. Her children rose up to call her blessed. Her life made no great stir, but, like the movement of the silent sunbeam, and the refreshing dewdrop stealing down upon the thirsty plant, it made impressions that abide, and that nourish the higher and better life of the soul. She sought constantly and earnestly to approve herself to God, and she and her children lived in the fear of God.

      She suffered long from a malignant disease, which eventually ended her pilgrimage. But all through it she was patient, and endured what God sent her without a murmur. When I called to see her she would ask me to sing for her, which I did. One day I asked her if there was any hymn she would like, and she said: " Sing Rock of Ages, cleft for me. " I sang it, and when I came to the last verse, and to this line, " When I soar to worlds unknown," etc., I shall never forget her look. She was near her end, and I realized the thorough unscripturalness of the thought here, and how unsuitable it was, because untrue. We go not to " worlds unknown," but to our Father s House, where a place is prepared for us; and we go not unattended. Jesus says: " I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." That is not soaring to worlds unknown. No! No! It is going home to a loving heart, and a sweet fellowship, and unspeakable joy. Taking Christ s own representation, of which Paul s is just the echo, " Absent from the body, present with the Lord," there is in it warmth and comfort and upholding, just what the parting soul needs. When our feet are crossing the threshold the Lord comes to meet us and give us welcome. Ever since singing that verse at that time I have had a feeling much averse to it, and would never again sing it in like circum stances. We should sustain the heart with truth at that trying time.

      At the extremity of her suffering she was full of blessed confidence and sweet peace, and died as she had lived, trusting in the mercy of God through her Saviour, Jesus Christ.

      She loved all good things, the Word of God, the house of God, the place of prayer, the fellowship of Christian hearts, and the blessed hope, and now, in the faithfulness of God, she is enjoying to the full the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

      1aEbenezer: A History of the Central Presbyterian Church, Galt, Ontario, with brief sketches of some of its members who have passed on the the other side, The Rev. James A. R. Dickson. pg 256-158

  • Sources 
    1. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 017037-1902.
      Donald Alexander Murray, 32, Farmer, b. East Zorra, Res. same, son of George Murray and Elizabeth Sutherland, married Jessie Bryden Telfer, 28, b. Galt, Res. same, daughter of John Telfer and Helen Deans, Witnessed by: J.E. Murray of East Zorra and Helen M. Telfer of Belleville, 18 June 1902 at Galt

    2. [S336] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1881, Galt Division 2 Page 37.

    3. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration.
      John Telfer Born: North Dumfries Age: 35 Born: abt 1839 Father: George Telfer Mother: Ellen Telfer Spouse: Ellen Deans Age: 25 Born: abt 1849 born: North Dumfries Father: James Deans Mother: Janet Deans married 25 Dec 1874 married: Waterloo, Galt

    4. [S1778] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1861, Div 6 Page 45.

    5. [S355] Census - ON, Waterloo, North Dumfries - 1871, Div. 2, Page 51.

    6. [S1800] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1891, Sec. 1 Page 62.

    7. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 9909-74.
      John Telfer, 35, occ. Yeoman, b. North Dumfries, res. same, son of George and Ellen, married Ellen Deans, 25, b. North Dumfries, res. same, daughter of James and Janet, witnessed by: James Deans, Thomas Telfer and Walter Murray, All of Galt, 25 Dec 1873 at Galt

    8. [S57] Vit - ON - Birth Registration.
      Jessie Telfer Born: 9 May 1874 County: Waterloo Father: John Telfer Mother: Ellen Deans

    9. [S122] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Cambridge - Mount View CC#4495 Internet Link .
      In/ memory of/ John Telfer/ who died/ Sept. 4, 1884;/ in his 46th year/ his wife/ Helen Deans/ died Feb 24, 1898/ in her 50th year/ their infant dau./ died Feb. 7, 1884/ aged 2 days

    10. [S713] Vit - ON - Death Registration, death certificate 021327 (1898).
      Mrs John Telfer Gender: Female Age: 49 Birth Date: abt 1849 Birth Place: Durspier Death Date: 24 Feb 1898 Death Place: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Cause of Death: Cancer

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 1847 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Free Church - 1861 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - C. Presb. - 1871 - North Dumfries Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 25 Dec 1873 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Presbyterian - 1891 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth