At 17, he arrived at Ellis Island, New York on the "La Touraine," a French ship that left from La Havre, France.  Teles was destined for California, but ended up in Nevada, where he found work as sheep herder for Smoke Creek Sheep Company.

Teles eventually made it to California, where he met his wife, Marķa Encarna.  They married in Fallon, Nevada in 1929 and moved to Homedale, Idaho in 1930.  Teles worked for a number of sheep companies in Idaho, including Mendiola Sheep Co., Archabal Sheep Co., Jump Creek Sheep Co., and as a farmer and foreman for Simplot in Marsing and Caldwell.  His children, Richard, Dolores, and Daniel, were born and raised in Idaho.  Active in the Boise Basque community, Teles served on the board of directors of the Basque Center and was elected as its second president.