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Surnames: Terhune
Classification: Biography
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Message Board Post:
William O. Terhune
As recorded in:
Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana
…Men and Women of the County Whose Works of Merit Have Made Their Names Imperishable
by B. F. Bowen
1903
Pages 292-293
William O. Terhune was born September 27, 1862, in the state of Illinois, and is a son of
Garrett and Mary Ann Terhune, both of whom are deceased. William O. attended school in
the "Red School House," in Chester township, Wells county, Indiana, until he was
eighteen years old, and remained at home with his father working for his board and
clothing until he was twenty-one years of age. He then began to cultivate his
father's farm, receiving one-fourth of the crops for his labor, continuing to farm on
those conditions until his marriage, which occurred March 4, 1886. On this date he was
united in wedlock with Nancy Catherine Jones, who was born about 1867 and is a daughter of
Isaac and Sallie (Huffman) Jones, both of whom are yet living in Jackson township and who
are among the first settlers of Wells county, Indiana. Isaac Jones is the father of nine
children: Henry at home with his father; Susan, the wife of A. E. Terhune; Mary, the wife
of Ira Brown, living in Warren, !
Indiana; Daniel, a farmer in Jackson township; Eliza, the wife of Jacob Sills, now living
in Chester township; Nancy C., sife of the subject; Ella, wife of John Alspach; Nora, wife
of Charley Stimson; Amy, the wife of Frank White; and Minnie, who is the wife of Willard
Grover.
The subject, after his marriage, continued to farm the old home place, living with his
parents and receiving one-third of the crops. He continued in this manner until within
two years of his father's death, when he obligated himself to support his father, pay
taxes, keep u repairs, etc., and received all the proceeds of the farm. After the death
of his father he remained in possession of the old home place, a farm of one hundred and
twenty-six acres. The subject is a general stock farmer, and breeds Poland China hogs and
a general stock of cattle. He is a believer in the system of feeding his grain and forage
on the farm and driving it to market on the hoof. He has on his farm six producing oil
wells and prospects for more, which gives him a neat monthly royalty.
Mr. Terhune is the father of eight children, seven of whom are living; Henry, born June 4,
1887; Nellie, born October 26, 1888; Perry, born July 10, 1890; Neva, born April 11, 1892;
Dessie, born July 3, 1894; an infant son that died unnamed; Goldie, born October 24, 1898;
Ralph, born January 21, 1901. The subject has always lived on the farm and devoted his
life to agricultural pursuits. He has been successful and is now enjoying the results of
his industry and frugality in the possession of a well stocked and well cultivated farm, a
pleasant country home, surrounded by sons and daughters who are being educated for future
usefulness as citizens of the state. In politics the subject has always been a Republican
and takes a lively interest in the success of his party in their recurring campaigns. He
is regarded as a successful and substantial tiller of the soil, possessing the esteem and
confidence of his neighbors, and by his character and standing adds dignity to the cla!
ss which he represents. His home life is typical of the millions of homes of our country,
in which resides a silent strength that wields a powerful influence in the affairs of
state, and contains in the sons and daughters thereof a bulwark of future strength for the
perpetuity of the principles of the republic.
Edward Terhune
As recorded in:
Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana
…Men and Women of the County Whose Works of Merit Have Made Their Names Imperishable
by B. F. Bowen
1903
Pages 303-304
Edward Terhune is a son of Garrett and Mary A. Terhune and was born in Miami county,
Indiana, January 11, 1854. He attended the common school in district No. 4, Chester
township, Wells county, Indiana, until he was eighteen years of age, after which he
remained with his father working for his board and clothes until he was twenty-one. He
then continued to live with his father, working by the month for about five years. He
spent some time in Illinois and in 1878 was in the state of Missouri. June 12, 1879, he
was married to Ellen McCullick, a daughter of Henry, St., and Susan (Truby) McCullick, and
who was born August 29, 1858. The father, Henry, St., was a native of Virginia and the
mother of the state of Ohio, and they were among the first settlers of Wells county,
Indiana. After his marriage the subject remained at home for one year, and then, in the
fall of 1880, settled on the farm where he now lives. Then the land was all in the woods,
but has now about sixty-fiv!
e acres of cleared land. His farm is in the oil field and contains nine very good wells.
He is a general stock farmer and breeder, principally of Poland China hogs and shorthand
cattle. He has been on the farm where he now lives since he first settled on it and has
devoted his time wholly to his farming interests. he is the father of eight children,
seven of whom are living, viz: Edith, born August 13, 1879, married James M. Mitchell,
now a resident of Chester township, Wells county; Charlie, born March 21, 1881, died
February 26, 1899; Clayton, born December 22, 1882, at home with his parents; Williom O.,
born November 1, 1884, Henry, born August 17, 1886; Bertha, born July 27, 1889; Edward R.,
born December 21, 1893; and Grace, born January 31, 1900.
The subject is the owner of eighty acres of fine farming land and a pleasant county home,
where he resides surrounded by all the comforts attending successful farm life. His wife
is connected with the Disciples church, to which he is a liberal contributor. He is a
member of the Mt. Zion Lodge No 684; I. O. O. F., also of Oil City, Encampment No. 182, at
Montpelier, Indiana. He with his wife also belong to Paradise Rebekah Lodge No. 83, at
Bluffton, Indiana. He has passed through all the chairs of the subordinate lodge and has
twice been a representative to the grand lodge. Mr. Terhune has been a Republican all his
life and is an active party worker in all campaigns, national, state and county. The
subject of this sketch is a worthy representative of that class who stand midway as it
were between the hardy pioneers, who first broke the primeval solitude of our virgin
forest with intent to found homes for themselves and posterity in its vast areas, and the
present genera!
tion who are so abundantly reaping the fruits of their labors—a class who in their half
century of existence have ably supplemented the labors of their predecessors by a
continuation of the reclamation of the remaining tracts of forest land, which stood as
mute witnesses of the unfinished labor of a passing generation and an invitation to the
ambitious and energetic of their sons to carve out for themselves homes beside those of
their sires. After availing himself of the common school, the subject settled on land in
the woods and by his own efforts has builded a home which is an honor to himself and a
credit to his vicinage. In doing this he has also found time to take an active and
intelligent interest in public affairs and a participation in the social amenities as
exemplified in the fraternal orders of his locality. He is an active and intelligent
citizen, possessing the confidence of his neighbors and with an aptitude for the
transaction of public business. A!
ll honor to the class of whom Edward Terhune is a worthy representative.