JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<table id="data" summary="Bla">
    <caption>Bla</caption>
    <thead>
        <!-- ... -->
    </thead>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td class="from">tralala<span class="ignore-me">foo</span></td>
            <!-- ... -->
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td class="from">trololol<span class="ignore-me">bar</span></td>
            <!-- ... -->
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>

JavaScript

var texts = $(".from").map(function() {
  var $chunk = $(this).clone();
  $chunk.children().remove();
  return $chunk.text();
});
console.info(texts);