person page - 1798

Mr. Ternent was a native of England, born August 15, 1847, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. His parents, William and Hannah (Elliott) Ternent, brought their family from England to this country in 1850, first locating at Cresaptown, Allegany County, Maryland, and in 1857 removing to Lonaconing. Here the father followed his trade of tailor for many years, dying in 1906, at the age of eighty. The mother had passed away in 1884, at the age of sixty-four years. Five of their children reached maturity, namely: Elizabeth, now deceased; George; James, a resident of Lonaconing; Jane, wife, of John Johnson, of Gilmore, Allegany county, Maryland; and Hannah, now deceased. The father was a member of the Episcopal Church. He voted the Republican ticket.
George Ternent was three years old when he crossed the Atlantic with his parents, and a boy of ten years when they settled at Lonaconing in 1857. It was then only a little mining town on the creek, and its educational facilities were in keeping with the rest of its conveniences, but he made the most of them. When fifteen years old he started work at the old Detmold Mines in this vicinity, and continued to follow coal mining until 1872, when he changed to the line which ever after occupied his attention, taking a position as clerk in the store of John Combs at Lonaconing. During fourteen years of association with the business in that and more responsible capacities, he acquired a thorough knowledge of the details of its requirements and operation, and when he bought out Mr. Combs in 1886, was quite capable of handling it profitably, as his subsequent success proved. He devoted the remainder of his life to the store, which became a leading general establishment of the city, commanding a full share of the trade in the town and surrounding territory. He moved from his first place of business, the old stand of John S. Combs, in 1889, to the present location of the store, which is well arranged and completely stocked with a line of desirable goods. Mr. Ternent was a man of dependable character, punctilious in his dealings and conscientious in rendering high-class service to all his patrons, who gave substantial evidence of their appreciation. His integrity in all the relations of life, temperate habits and modest disposition gained and held the unqualified respect of his associates and fellow citizens generally. He held to the principles of the Republican party in politics, but took no active part in such matters.
On August 8, 1871, Mr. Ternent married Miss Jeannette Darnley, of Lonaconing, daughter of James Darnley, and the eleven children of this marriage, seven sons and four daughters, are: Hannah, now the wife of A. M. Evans, of Lonaconing, mentioned elsewhere in this work; Miss Annie E., a partner in the store; Nettie, also unmarried and living in Lonaconing; Willam, a resident of Akron, Ohio; George, who conducts a shoe store in Youngstown, Ohio; James J., who now farms on the Eastern Shore of Maryland; Pearl, married J. W. Hudson, Chester, Pennsylvania; Harry B., who is a partner of the Ternent store in Lonaconing; Oscar G., an electrical engineer, at present located in Detroit, Michigan; Alvin H., a partner of the Ternent store; and Sampson S., a chemist of New York City.
Mr Ternent died August 7, 1918.
William & Thomas "History of Allegany County, Maryland" (1923.)