John Thomas ‘J.T.’ Teller (Character Bio)

John Thomas “J.T.” Teller (May 5, 1940 – November 13, 1993) (voiced by Nicholas Guest) founded the Sons of Anarchy with Piney Winston and was the club’s first president.  John  was Gemma’s first husband, and they had two children together, Jax and Thomas. Thomas “Tommy” Teller (January 8, 1984– April 4, 1990), died from a congenital heart defect at only six years old. As Jax reiterates to Opie in Season 2, episode 10 (“Balm”), J.T. died from injuries suffered from a vehicular accident while riding on I-580 in California.

Gemma states in an earlier episode and is shown in a Charming Police Department report in Season 4, Episode 2 (“Booster”): after J.T.’s Harley was “sideswiped” by a semi-trailer truck on November 11, 1993 at 13:54; J.T. was dragged 178 yards, taken to St. Thomas Hospital, and died two days later. His home address on the police report is 8824 Sandy Creek in Charming, California. Deputy Chief Wayne Unser signed the report. In Season 4, Episode 5 (“Brick”), Unser says Clay killed J.T. and had Unser cover it up; Clay responds he merely asked Unser to “lose a little paperwork”. Unser retorts that J.T. had written that Clay would make two attempts on his life. Several times in Season 7, SAMCRO members are seen touching the roadside memorial dedicated to J.T. (e.g., in episode 7 “Greensleeves” and episode 13 “Papa’s Goods”).

John served in the 25 Infantry Division of the United States Marines, along with his best friend, Piney Winston. He served two years in Vietnam, from 1965-1967. Upon returning home, he and Piney saw the deterioration of the country they’d left, and faced considerable discrimination and economic hardship common to many returning Vietnam veterans. Teller formed the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club with Piney and Lenny, with the hope that they could rediscover the feeling of brotherhood they had found in Vietnam. Teller started the Sons of Anarchy clubhouse at 1968 Fairfield Rd. in Charming and took over the automotive repair and garage business with Clay Morrow, calling it Teller-Morrow Auto Service. With little other economic opportunity available, the founding Sons made their seed money in the black market, running dope and smuggling contraband goods through Northern California. John was hit by a semi-truck, Nov. 11, 1993 and died two days later from his injuries. Before his death, he wrote a manuscript called The Life and Death of Sam Crow: How the Sons of Anarchy Lost Their Way. He started writing it after his second son, Thomas’ death and finished it March 3, 1993, the same year he was killed. The manuscript quotes many great poets, writers, and thinkers, notably Emma Goldman and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, two towering figures of anarchist thought (indicating that he himself was a philosophical anarchist). It espouses a radical ideology of individual freedom and liberty.  With regard to the MC, John details what he sees as the club’s downfall–the Sons’ entry into the gun-running business in the manuscript. It goes on to document John’s efforts to get the club out of guns, and back to a peaceful and legitimate motorcycle club and John’s unwillingness to change course despite the internal opposition.

JT’s Manuscript

 

 

 

John Teller’s Bike

 

 

Status:  Deceased

Cause of Death  Bike crashed into semi-truck (killed by Clarence ‘Clay’ Morrow)

Spouse(s)  Gemma Teller Morrow

Maureen Ashby (divorced)

Family:

Jackson ‘Jax’ Teller (Son; deceased)

Thomas Teller (Son; deceased)

Trinity Ashby (Daughter)

Abel Teller (Grandson)

Thomas Teller II (Grandson)

Faction:  SAMCRO

Title:  President

First 9

JT and Tig