Source: Portrait & Biographical Album of Whiteside County, IL
Originally published 1885 Chapman Bros., Chicago, IL

Transcribed by: Becky Jones

Pages 276-277

Osro W. Terpenning, general farmer, resident at Coleta, Genesee Township, was born May 22, 1842, in Cayuga Co., N.Y. Peter Terpenning, his father, was born in the same State and was of New England parentage and German descent. He was a farmer and married Lydia Anable, also a native of New York and of mixed English and French extraction. They removed after some years to Lenawee Co., Mich., settling in the township of Addison. The father died there March 16, 1857, at the age of 46 years. The mother died in April, 1884, aged 78. They were prosperous and became prominent in the community where they resided. They had ten children.

Mr. Terpenning is the eighth child, and he was two years of age when his parents came to Michigan. When he was ten years old he came to Genesee Township, and lived with relatives. He obtained a good fundamental education and was sent to Mt. Carroll Seminary, where he complete a more thorough course of study.

He was married Nov. 22, 1865, to Angeline, daughter of Ivory and Alzina (White) Colcord. (See sketch of W. H. Colcord). She was born Nov. 22, 1847, in Genesee Township. Mr. and Mrs. Terpenning have three children: Frank I. was born Jan. 1, 1868; Harry E. was born Jan. 24, 1869; Aeolia V., Sept. 3, 1871.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Terpenning resided five years on a farm, which at that time contained 40 acres, and in 1876 they settled on the Colcord estate, where they were residents until 1883, the date of their removal to the village of Coleta, where they own 24 acres of land on the south boundary. Mr. Terpenning is also the owner of 260 acres of land in Genesee Township, nearly all under improvement.

Mr. Terpenning is Steward in the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his wife is also a member.

He is a Republican of consistent and honorable record.