Creek Indians inhabited land that was to become Telfair County. The early population was made up of settlers of Scottish descent. They had to produce almost everything they used, from food to equipment. Named for Edward Telfair, a two-term governor of Georgia, the county was formed in 1807 from a portion of Wilkinson County. Gradually, several counties were formed from parts of Telfair. Since 1870, Telfair County has kept its current boundaries. The original county seat was located in Jacksonville, about 20 miles south of McRae, Georgia, where it was moved by the legislature in 1871. While Georgia was a hotbed of secession, Telfair County representatives to the Secession Convention in 1861 voted "no" to the resolution, reflecting the sentiment of the county's population. Even though there was strong objection to secession, many Telfair County citizens did their duty and volunteered to serve the Southern cause.