PAUL GERHARDT TONSING

Time Line
Information Gathered by Dorothy J. Linn
for the Family Reunion held July 11, 2002
in Cleveland, Ohio

THE FAMILY

Ernst Frederich Toensing1 was bom September 27,1827 in Linne, Hannover, Germany, the third of six
children2 of Johan Heinrich "Henry" Tonsing and Maria Elizabeth Lindemann.

Anna Maria Gertrude Walker3 was born May 5, 1835 in Brockhausen, Hannover, Lower Saxony,
Germany, the tenth of eleven children4 of Jacob Heinrich Walker and Maria Elizabeth Bohning.

Their wedding was held at Zion Lutheran Church in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, February 26, 1852.

During his life, Ernst was described as an undertaker, Justice of the Peace, a carpenter and was in the
last City Directory as a cabinet maker working for Cleveland Furniture Company.

Ernst and Maria's children:

1. Jobst Heinrich Tonsing Born 1852 - died 1852
2. Maria Sophie Tonsing Born 1853 - died 1853
3. Clara Elizabeth Tonsing Born 1853 - died 1853
4. Dorothea "Dora" Wilhelmine Tonsing Born 1855 - died 1909
5. Wilhelmina "Minnie" G. Tonsing Born 1856 - died 1925
6. John Frederick Tonsing Born 1858 - died 1919
7. Anna Carolyn Eleanore Tonsing Born 1860 - died 1916
8. William Henry Tonsing Born 1863 - died 1933
9. Paul Gerhardt Tonsing Born 1870 - died 1936

At the time of his birth in 1870, Paul G. has two older brothers and three older sisters. A brother has
been recorded as born and died in 1852 and also twin sisters5 who died of cholera in 1853 when almost
a year old. Of his living siblings, his sister Dora is 15, Minnie is 14, John F. is 12, Carolyn is 10, and
William is 7 years old.

The spelling has been variously given in the records of Ohio as Tounsing, Toensing, Tonsing, and even Tensing (in the 1870 Ohio
Census). Ernst arrived in Baltimore, Ohio on October 15,1845, at age 18.

Obituary of Ernst Frederich Toensing.

Maria's native city also has been spelled Brackhausen. Her parents, Jacob Heinrich Walker and Maria Elizabeth Bohning Walker, and
the children disembarked from the sailboat "Frederick Schiller" on October 6,1845 after 36 days at sea. NOTE: It is possible her family
and Ernst Tonsing's traveled In the same ship and the correct date of landing may be either October 6 or October 15, 1845.

Obituary of Ernst Frederich Toensing.

5 The names of the brother and the twin sisters were recently discovered by Kathy Ott (Tonsing/Voelzow branch). Paul G. Tonsing also
noted in his brief autobiography that: "The twins died when they were but one year old with the cholera. Six [children] grew to maturity."

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FOREWORD

Many exciting events occurred in the mid-western territory of Kansas after 1855. John A. Martin, recorded as one of the
founders of the Republican party in Kansas, arrived in Atchison with his parents from Pennsylvania in 1857. Young Martin
found work at a small pro-slavery newspaper company that published the Squatter Sovereign.6 Purchasing the business
and property in February 1858 when he was 19 years old, he changed the name of its paper to the Atchison Champion and
the publication also changed its editorial sympathies to an anti-slavery stance.

On January 3,1859, the fourth territorial legislature assembled in Lawrence and approved the calling of a constitutional
convention in Wyandotte, Kansas. At the same time, the Kansas Free-State party dissolved and its members joined either
the newer Republican party or the Democrat Party. In May, he was chosen as one of the secretaries of the Republican party.
In June of the same year, the Republicans and Democrats met at Osawatomie to select delegates for the Wyandotte
convention. Martin was one of those selected, serving as secretary. He wrote the preamble and four of the ten articles of
incorporation. At the convention, the Republicans were the majority party in twenty counties and the Democrats in seven.

On July 5,1859 in Wyandotte, the delegates chose a Republican as their presiding officer and Martin was elected secretary.
Sixteen committees were created to draft a state constitution preparatory to the territory's application for statehood. Their
guide was the Ohio constitution, and both slavery and suffrage were hot topics. When finally assembled, the newly drafted
constitution prohibited slavery but also rejected giving women the right to vote. On July 23,1859, the first ballot was taken.
It would determine which town would become the new state's capitol and Atchison, Lawrence, and Topeka were strong
contenders. On the second ballot, Topeka won by a small margin and the decision was accepted. October 4,1859, the
constitution was approved by the people of Kansas Territory with 10,421 votes for it and 5,530 votes against. Kansas was
in the midst of a severe drought during this year and into 1860 that lasted 15 months. Martin was named secretary of the
Territorial Relief Convention overseeing more than 7,000,000 pounds of food contributed by the United States government.
He published the sources and dispensation of the relief in his newspaper, the Champion.

December 1,1859, the Republican party carried the entire state ticket and also elected their Congressional representative.
Also, in December a Republican presidential nominee named Abraham Lincoln visited Kansas but apparently gained little
support from the Republican party members since they endorsed William H. Seward. In Cleveland, Ohio during 1859,
President Lincoln spoke in the Lincoln/Douglas debates on the east stairs of the rebuilt Ohio statehouse (reconstructed after
a fire in 1852).

On January 2,1860, the fifth territorial legislature assembled in Lawrence and a law was passed abolishing slavery. When
the governor vetoed the bill, the legislature overrode him. Early in 1860, a state census counted the people in Kansas,
coming up with slightly over 70,000 inhabitants, too few to gain representation in Congress as a state. However, a federal
census also taken in 1860 showed a population of over 100,000 and thus representation was legal.

Kansas did not receive statehood in time to partake in the national presidential election in the fall of 1860. Even though he
was not the choice of the Kansas Republican party, Abraham Lincoln won. This victory pleased the local party members
who regarded it as just punishment visited upon the "miserable oligarchy of slaveholders and traitors," as they called the
Democrats and non-voters. Many decided they would have voted for Abe Lincoln anyway and became extremely proud to
claim him as a party member.

Railway construction was another hot topic under discussion in Kansas. On October 17, 1860, a meeting in Topeka
discussed possible aid from the federal government. The Atchison, Wyandotte, and Topeka interests worked intensely to
forge the line eventually known as the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. Some members of the Challiss family,
ancestors of Paul's future wife, Ruth Martin, became closely connected with those endeavors. By the end of 1870, ten years
later, the total miles of railroad track were 1,234.

Ruth M. Tonsing wrote her grandson, Ernst F. Tonsing [Fred], in 1955 about her house standing on the site of the printing office of the
Squatter Sovereign, a Rebel newspaper and she noted her father bought the business when he was only age 18 and changed the
paper's name to Freedoms Champion.

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Martin was elected state Senator from the Brown and Atchison district before he was twenty-one, and thus served in the first
state legislature under the Wyandotte constitution that convened on March 26,1861. Kansas had become the thirty-fourth
star in the United States flag on January 29, 1861. The state motto: "To the Stars Through Difficulty," reflected the seven
year struggle to attain statehood.

The admission of Kansas to statehood was regarded as a doubtful blessing by some. The inhabitants of the state were
considered outlaws and land-pirates and not noted for their piety. In 1861, there were fewer than one hundred church
buildings in the entire state. Methodists were the largest denomination with 3,932 members; the Baptists counted 1,231
and the Congregationalists and Presbyterians had about 800 and 600, respectively. Their combined membership was only
six percent of the total population of about 100,000.

During the fall and winter of 1861, John A. Martin assisted in organizing the Eighth Kansas Infantry and was appointed
Lieutenant-Colonel, serving on the Missouri border. In 1862, Martin was appointed Provost Marshall of Leavenworth,
Kansas, and went with the regiment to Mississippi. He was promoted to Colonel on November 1, 1862 and was Provost
Marshall of Nashville, Tennessee.
•
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the words for a Christmas song "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," during 1864 in
memory of his wife who had died three years earlier in a tragic fire. Longfellow, horribly burned on his face and hands while
trying to extinguish the blaze of his beloved's dress, had grown a beard because the scars made shaving almost impossible.
Longfellow's first stanza included the now-familiar phrases:
"I heard the bells on Christmas day, Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat, Of peace on earth, good will to men."

The third stanza was about his beloved country and written while the Civil War was in full swing with the Battle of Gettysburg
not long past:
"And in despair I bowed my head; 'There is no peace on earth,' I said,
'For hate is strong, and mocks the song, Of peace on earth, good will to men!'

His verse continued:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep; God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men."

While serving with the Eighth Kansas, John A. Martin took part in several battles including Chattanooga and Chickamauga
until he mustered out at Pulaski, Tennessee, on November 17, 1864. He then returned to his home state of Kansas,
resuming control of the Atchison Champion and was elected mayor of Atchison in 1865.

President Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, and his casket toured many states including Ohio, traveling in a
special train draped in black.
1870 Jan 3 Paul G. Tonsing is born to Ernst Frederick Toensing, and Anna Maria Gertrude
Walker in Cleveland, Ohio.
Feb 1 Maria llsabein Toensing Bohning, Paul's aunt, dies in Cleveland.
OH Census CY11 030: "Tonsing, Ernst, 43, cabinet-maker, from Hanover, Mary 34
- keeping house, from Hanover." The children are listed as: "Minn, age 13 OH, John
12, Caroline 10, William 7, and Paul 6V2." This listing is in the Index under Tensing,
Ernst. Dorothea, age15 and their oldest child, is not mentioned. Minn. 13 OH
means their second daughter, Minnie, born in Ohio, who is 13 years old. Paul is six
and one-half months old.
May 5 Maria, Paul's mother, is 35 years old on this day.
Sep 27 Ernst is 43 years old today.

1871 Jun 1 John Alexander Martin and Ida Challiss are married in Atchison, Kansas. He and
his bride moved into the new red-brick, two-story home at 315 North Terrace (1 st
Street).
During the years of 1871 and 1872 in Kansas, there were at least 35 gunfights,
largely considered to be an outgrowth of the War Between the States. Names such
as Sam Bass, William Bonney (Billy the Kid), William Barclay "Bat" Masterson,
Wyatt Earp, William "Bill" Doolin, and Patrick "Pat" Floyd Garrett became household
words largely due to newspaper coverage of their activities. Between 1873 and
1879, there were 147 gunfights. Most 'professional' gunmen often carried firearms
as part of their regular jobs (law officers, cowboys, ranchers, hired guns, soldiers,
miners, farmers, etc.) and most died in the states or territories where the shootings
occurred. These fights only began to taper off after 1896.

1873 Apr 15 Ernst Frederick Tonsing, Paul Tonsing's father, age 45, drowns in a mill pond a
few blocks from his home at 40 Burton Place in Cleveland and the death is listed
a suicide. His wife, Anna Maria, is listed on the published obituary as age 38 (she
will be that age in May). The same obituary shows the spelling of the family
surname both as Toensing and Tonsing. At the time of his father's death, Paul is
just three years old.
Apr 18 Burial of Ernst Tonsing in Monroe Cemetery, Cleveland, Lot 9, sublot E-1/2.
May 5 Birthday of Paul's mother. The widowed Maria is 38 years old.
May 31 Ruth Martin, Paul's future wife, is born in Atchison, Kansas, to John A. and Ida
Challiss Martin.7

1875 May 5 Birthday of Paul's mother. Maria is now 40 years old.

May 31 Ruth Martin's birthday and she is two years old. Paul is five years old.

7
Ruth M. Tonsing wrote to Fred Tonsing on June 12, 1962: "I remember him [her father, John A. Martin,] saying he always liked the name
of Ruth, and it was the name of one of his ancestors. He didn't want any of his children named after him, so my young brother was
named Evan, the Welsh name for John. But after he died, Grandma went to court and had his named changed to John."

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 Paul Tonsing, in a short biography8 written during a brief hospital stay in later
years, notes that he attended parochial school for two years, 1875-77, located on
Jersey Street, and had Mr. Arnold as a teacher (who was a cousin of some kind and
who liked him so much he asked to adopt him). He learned to read and write the
"high" German language very well. School was dismissed at 3:00 p.m. to protect
the young children from rougher older ones who attended a nearby public school.
At that time, he could speak only Plat Deutsch (low German) and in school, he
learned Hochdeutsch (high German).

1876 After Ernst's death in Cleveland, Paul's mother, who had been sewing vests for
stores, began taking in boarders and later managed to pay off the indebtedness of
her home and improve the property with the addition of a small barn at the alley.
In 1876 she marries Frederick Mylander, a widower with several small children.
Paul is six years old and later said he remembered being introduced to his new
step-father at about age 6/4..
Mar 26 A newspaper article9 in Atchison, Kansas quotes Mrs. John A. Martin who says,
"Today, March 26, is the anniversary of the heaviest snow storm I ever saw in my
life. We had a latticed porch to the kitchen and the snow reached to the top. My
brother, Paul Challiss, came and shoveled us out. Later when I went over to my
mother's a couple of blocks away, I walked between walls of snow that were taller
than myself. Being so unusual at this time of the year, I have never forgotten the
date.'" Ida Challiss Martin would have been about 25 years old at the time.
May 4 Paul's sister, Wilhelmina "Minnie" Tonsing, marries Gerhard Jasper in Cleveland.

1878 Aug 8 Paul's sister, Caroline Tonsing marries Henry Voelzow in Cleveland, Ohio.

1879 May 9 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a daughter, Dorothy
Mathilda "Tillie" Voelzow, born in Ohio.
Aug 3 In Ohio, Paul's mother, Maria and stepfather have a son, Louis (or Lewis)
Mylander. She is 42 years old and Louis will be Maria's last child.
Aug In Atchison, Kansas, John A. Martin starts construction of a building on Fifth and
Commercial.10

1880 Jan 3 Paul is ten years old and lives with his family in Ohio.
Nov 3 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a son, Ferdinand
J. Voelzow, born in Ohio.

1881 Jan - - The Kansas House of Representatives meets in their hall in the west wing of the
new capitol building in Topeka, Kansas, although the walls are unplastered and

June 4, 1921 autobiography quote: "I am told that my birth took place at 40 Burton street, Cleveland, Ohio, Jan. 3, 1870. I'm glad it was
this year as it has always been easy to calculate from an "0" year. My father was Ernst Tonsing who came from Hanover, Germany _ .
He died when I was three years old. He was drowned in a mill pond about 6 blocks south-east of 40 Burton St. and was buried in the
street cemetery. He had been a cabinet maker for many years, was in business for himself and was burned out without insurance
seveal [several] times. The only recollection I have of him is the riding to the cemetery in a closed hack. This one event alone is
indellibly [indelibly] stamped on my mind in connection with my father."

Atchison Daily Globe, March 26, 1924.

10 Atchison Daily Globe, Jan. 1, 1929.

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 there is a temporary wooden floor. The Senate area in the east wing and the
Representatives' in the west now boast a covered walkway between them. This
area is sometimes referred to as the 'cave of the winds.'

1882 Jan 11 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a son, Walter
Voelzow, born in Ohio.
Jun 3 Paul's uncle's wife, Eleonore, dies in Ohio. She and Johann Frederich Tonsing
have no children. Johann later marries Maria Martin and they have one child, Edgar
Alfred Tonsing, born in 1894, who dies Nov. 7, 1895.

1883 Jan 18 A fire destroys the Champion office; the news room, editorial room, and the files
while Col. Martin is away from Atchison. This is the second fire, the first occurring
in 1868. He has just been elected Secretary of the National Republican Committee.
William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas estimates there are 140,000
people now living in the area of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, up
from 5,000 inhabitants in 1864 when the governmental grant was made for the
railway.

1884 Feb 25 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a daughter, Olga
Wilhelmina Voelzow, born in Ohio.
Nov - - John A. Martin is elected Governor of Kansas.
" -- In Topeka, construction is now underway on the central portion of the state capitol
and the senate chamber in the east wing is remodeled at a cost of $300,000. The
interior is finished in French Renaissance, the walls being encased with marble and
Mexican onyx to the height of twelve feet on all sides, above which the walls and
ceiling are finished in stucco work. All the gas pipes are arranged so that the lights
are controlled from the gas stand in the sergeant-at-arms' room. There is a
provision for wiring so that incandescent lights can later be installed.

1885 Jan 11 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a daughter, Laura
Voelzow, born in Ohio.
May 5 Birthday of Paul's mother, Maria. She is 50 years old and her youngest child,
Lewis, is six.

1886 Jan 25 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a daughter,
Amanda Voelzow, born in Ohio.
Governor John A. Martin calls a special session to correct certain errors in earlier
statutes and to reapportion the state legislative districts. A serious railroad strike
occurs while this session is in progress and Governor Martin recommends the
establishment of arbitration boards. When the strike continues, Martin sends the
adjutant general instructions to call out the troops. Gov. Martin helps negotiate a
satisfactory settlement between management and labor.
Feb 25 Paul arrives in Kansas on this date according to a newspaper article dated Feb.
26, 1926, or "left Ohio on this date," said another newspaper article on Feb. 23,
1933. He was 16 years old. Paul and his step-brother, August Mylander, arrived
by train in Waterville, Kansas, a German-American community about eighty-five
miles west of Topeka. August tried his hand at house painting and Paul at farming,

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 living with a Mr. Hersey.11 They met Rev. James A. Lowe, a pastor in Atchison
since September 1883, who tutored him since Paul had not even finished high
school. He then sponsored him at Midland Academy in Atchison in the fall of 1887.
Aug - - Work began on the rotunda of the capitol in Topeka. Almost half of the outside
walls of the main building were up.
Nov 13 Johan Frederick "Fred" Toensing, Paul's uncle, dies in Cleveland, Ohio.
Nov - - John A. Martin is re-elected governor of Kansas but lost Atchison County because
he was a 'dry.'

1887 Paul's brother, William Henry Tonsing, married Caroline "Lena" Brecht in
Cleveland, Ohio.
Feb 15 In Topeka, during the 1887 legislative session, Boston Corbett, a former Union
soldier, unofficially adjourned the House by pulling a pistol. Corbett was the man
who had killed John Wilkes Booth, Abraham Lincoln's assassin, and since 1878,
had lived a solitary life on a homestead near Concordia, KS. Disarmed by the local
police, he was declared insane and committed to Topeka State Insane Asylum. On
May 26, 1888, he escaped on a stolen horse and after briefly showing up at
Neodesha, KS, disappeared to lead his own life.
Paul attends the Midland Academy, a new school just opened. To help pay his way
in the beginning, Paul washed windows and cleaned the building. He worked his
way through school carrying papers, using a cart and horse. After two years in the
preparatory high school, he went on for four years in the college, the latter time
being counted as the first three years of study at the Western Theological Seminary
(later named Central Seminary when the school moved to Fremont, Nebraska). At
that time, the seminary had a staff of four and two visiting lecturers to serve the six
students who were enrolled.

1888 Jan 5 Paul'ssister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a daughter, Elfrieda
Voelzow, born in Ohio.
Sep - - In Topeka, the interior walls and piers of the capitol dome were at a level with the
attic and the fourth-floor beams were in position.

1889 Apr 22 Oklahoma Indian Territory was opened to settlement with The Run. Family stories
say Paul Tonsing deeply desired to be part of this group in Oklahoma but didn't join
this race for settlement land or any of the later ones.
May 9 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a son, Rudolph
'Ralph' Voelzow, born in Ohio.

Notes made during an interview with his father, Ernest F. Tonsing by Fred on December 23, 1962: : "Paul Gerhart (sic) Tonsing and
his half-brother [either Frederick Mylander, born 1861 or August Mylander (n.d.) noted Fred] got tired of Ohio and came west to work on the railroad
[Fred noted this was the Central Branch of the Union Pacific], When they got tired of that, they got off in Waterville because it 'sounded' cool after the
hot weather they had been having. They did odd jobs around the town. But his brother soon left and returned to Ohio to marry a girl he had known
before leaving. Paul was 'taken under the wing' of the Lutheran pastor there, [perhaps Rev. J.A. Lowe of the Waterville, Kansas Evangelical Lutheran
Church who served until December 15, 1888, said Fred] who later encouraged him to go to college. Paul explained that he had had no idea of going to
college, let alone of completing high school. So the pastor and the townspeople sent him to Atchison, Kansas, to three years at the 'Midland Academy'
and four years at 'Midland College.' He was quite a football player and used to brag that he had played as center seven years on a college team.
While at Midland, grandfather once attended a funeral of some old fellow who had once been governor, just out of curiosity. He later met and married
the girl whom he had seen at this funeral, Ruth Martin, daughter of Governor John Alexander Martin."

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 May 28 Paul's future wife's grandfather, James C. Martin, dies in Atchison, Kansas. James
and his wife, Jane Montgomery Crawford, have lived in Atchison since September
1857 and James had been Postmaster from 1864 to 1873.
Jul - - Paul's brother and his wife, Wm. Henry and 'Lena' Tonsing, have a daughter, Julia
M. Tonsing.
Aug 3 Paul's stepbrother, Lewis Mylander, is 10 years old. Paul is 19.
Oct 2 Paul is 19 years old when his future wife's father, Governor John Alexander Martin,
dies just after completing a second term in office (1884-1889). Ruth Martin, the
oldest of Ida C. and J. A. Martin's seven children, is just 16 years old.12
At some time in 1889, Caroline and Henry Voelzow's son, Walter Voelzow, dies in
Ohio at age 6!4.

1890 In 1890, the Farmer's Alliance became the People's party in Kansas. Much of it's
voting strength came from rural citizens but it's leadership was from lawyers and
editors of small newspapers. By the end of this year, 60% of the taxable acreage
in Kansas was mortgaged land and most farms of 160 acres were under heavy
indebtedness. The Kansas House of Representatives fell to the control of the
Populists and non-Republicans won five of seven congressional seats. Populists
did not have enough members to survive as a viable political party but many of its
ideas would become laws before the next twenty years had passed.
At Topeka, the Kansas state capitol is nearly complete in 1890 except for the final
decorative touches. Plans called for a fountain in the first floor rotunda with
sculptures to go above the columns north and south and a large statue of Ceres,
the Roman goddess of agricultural fertility was planned for the top of the dome.
Some Kansans thought Ceres' morals were questionable and she never graced the
statehouse. The pediment sculptures for the north and south were never made
either.
Jan 3 Paul is twenty years old.
Sep 9 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a daughter, Julia
Katherine Voelzow, born in Ohio. Caroline is 30 years old and Julia is her ninth
child.

1891 Oct 31 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a son, Ewald
Gerhardt W. 'Jack' Voelzow, born in Ohio.

1892 Spring Paul is a member of the second graduating13 class of Midland College, Atchison,
Kansas.
Sep 4 Ruth's brother, John Alexander Martin, dies at age 12 in Atchison, Kansas. His
birth name, Evan Challiss Martin, had been changed to John Alexander Martin after
his father died.

12 Ruth Martin Tonsing wrote Fred, on June 12, 1962 and spoke about not seeing her father very much "the last four years of his life
because he was in Topeka, Kansas, all the time. There was no Governor's mansion there then, so he went back and forth on that old
Sfe [Santa Fe Railway] plug train Mondays and Saturdays." She also noted that her three younger brothers and sister didn't remember
him at all because they were so young when he died. On that sad day, Ruth was 16 and the baby, Harres, was only two years OLD.
13 Story of the Midwest Synod; U.LC.A; 1890-1950.

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1893 May 1 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a son, Arthur E.
Voelzow, born in Ohio.
May 3 Paul's future wife, Ruth Martin, is twenty years old.
Sep 7 Paul marries Ruth Martin in Atchison, Atchison County, Kansas.14 The ceremony
is performed by Rev. J. A. Long. Paul is 23 and she is 20. Ruth, the oldest of
seven children of John A. Martin and Ida Challiss, wore her mother's wedding dress
and like all of her aunts (Dr. Challiss' daughters), she carries orange blossoms.
Her grandfather, Dr. William L. Challiss was the first medical person to settle in
Kansas territory and one of the founders of Atchison. He first arrived in Atchison
June 3, 1856 on the steamboat Meteor from Moorestown, New Jersey. Ruth has
three sisters and three brothers: Grace, Ethel, Faith, and Evan C. (later renamed
John A.), Paul A., and HarresC. Paul's father has been dead 16 years and Ruth's
father for four.15

1894 Oct 20 Paul is licensed to preach. He is twenty-four years old.

Oct 21 Paul and Ruth have their first child, a son they name Evan Walker Tonsing.

1895 Mar 23 Paul visits as a guest pastor in Beloit, Mitchell County, Kansas, on this date,
preaching on the 24th and again on March 31 st .
May 5 Birthday of Paul's mother. Maria is 60 years old.
May 19 Paul goes again to Beloit and the congregation issues a call for him to be their
pastor, effective June 1 st .
Paul graduates from Western Theological Seminary in Atchison, Kansas. He is one
of six students in the first class. The Seminary is now a department of Midland
College in Fremont, Nebraska.
Jun 1 Paul is accepted as pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Beloit. The congregation
was received into the Lutheran Synod in Kansas in the fall of 1894. Their pastor
resigned in December of that year and they chose Paul to succeed him, who
preaches in both English and German.
Jun 8 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a son, Albert H.
Voelzow, born in Ohio.
Jun 22 Paul, Ruth and family arrive in Beloit16 with their belongings carried on a loaned cart
pulled by a borrowed horse. The horse and cart they had owned had been stolen
just before they were to leave Atchison and all they had left was the buggy and
harness so they borrowed the conveyance. Paul later goes up to Nebraska and
gets a bay mare that is only half broken to harness. They name her Dolly, but the

14
Ruth M. Tonsing wrote Fred Tonsing on September 7, 1956: "As I write the date I am reminded of the fact that this is the 63rd
anniversary of Grandpa [Paul G. Tonsing] and my wedding. A happy marriage, and I miss him so much since he went away over 20 yrs
ago."
15
Letter from Ruth M. Tonsing to Dorothy Dambold [Linn] dated July 3, 1958: "Carrying papers is an old story in my family, my two
brothers did that, and when we were married, Dad Tonsing [Paul G.] carried the KC [Kansas City] Times and Star. He had a pony and
cart, and that little creature knew the paper-route, and would stop at every place where the paper was to be delivered. One time before
we were married, Grandpa [Paul G.] was sick and couldn't deliver the papers, & so my brother Paul [Martin] and I did it. Dad said Dollie,
the pony, knew the route and she did. And tho different subs in evening, she never mixed them up."
16
"At Beloit, PT [Paul] would use a little hand press when he would print little things. He had a nose for news, and could write [well]. Paul
Tonsing would tell the news to Ed Howe, the famous [editor] of the Atchison Daily Globe, and together they would go up to investigate it.
Paul Tonsing wrote the feature items, inventions, etc." This was a comment by his PGT's son, Ernest F. Tonsing, and gathered in a
verbal interview in 1993 by Fred Tonsing.

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 trip to get her was so strenuous that Paul remains in bed the next day, too sick to
preach.
Oct 19 Paul is ordained as a Lutheran minister. He is twenty-five years old.
Nov. 7 Johann and Maria Martin Tonsing's child, Edgar Alfred Tonsing, dies.

1896 Jan 8 Paul and Ruth have a second child, a daughter they name Orpah Tonsing.
Paul's brother and wife, Wm. Henry and 'Lena' Tonsing, have a son, John E.
Tonsing, born in Ohio. Apparently he lives only a short time, although the date of
death is not known.

1897 Jun 12 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a daughter, Caroline
Eleanore 'Carrie' Voelzow, born in Ohio.
Jul 24 Amelia Earhart is born in Atchison.
Aug 17 Paul and Ruth have a third child, Luther Maurice Tonsing. They are living in Beloit,
Kansas.1718

1899 Apr 18 Ruth M. Tonsing's grandmother, Jane M. Crawford Martin, dies in Kansas City, KS.
Aug 3 Paul's stepbrother, Lewis Mylander, is 20 years old. Paul is 29.
Aug 4 Paul's stepfather, Frederick Mylander, dies in Oak Harbor, Ohio.
Aug 17 Paul's sister, Caroline, and her husband, Henry Voelzow, have a son, Paul Henry
Gerhardt Voelzow, born in Ohio. This, their fourteenth child, is the last one they
have and they call him 'John.' When John is seventeen, his mother dies at age 55.
The Populist executive council employed artist Jerome Fedeli to paint large murals
on the inside panels of the state capitol in Topeka. These murals included partly
nude Grecian women. After much controversy, in 1902 they were painted over with
something more modest but not as beautiful, and the newer ones can be seen
today. Between 1866 and 1903, Kansas spent more than $3,200,000 on the
statehouse and nine workers lost their lives on the job.
Also in 1899, Carrie A. Nation begins her campaign to close saloons and make
Kansas a 'dry' state; smashing bottles and bars with her axe.

1900 Jan 3 Paul is thirty years old.

Apr 1 Paul resigns his pastorate in Beloit. The family moves to Hardy, Nebraska, where
he serves as pastor in the church.
May 5 Birthday of Paul's mother. Maria is 65 years old.
Jun 1 Paul, Ruth and their family are listed in the Hardy, Nebraska Federal Census.
Jessie L. Tonsing, age 17 and born in 1883, is listed in error as his daughter.
Aug 1 Golden Wedding anniversary celebration of Dr. and Mrs. Challiss. Married in
Moorestown, New Jersey, Aug. 1, 1850, William and Mary Ann Harres Challiss
moved to Atchison in 1857 and for the past 35 years, have lived in the same house.

17
Ruth M. Tonsing wrote Fred Tonsing, in a letter dated January 7, 1961: "There wouldn't be any Cuba now if the USA hadn't rescued her
from Spain in '97 [1897], I remember that so well. Your Grandpa was bound to go, (we were living in Beloit then). But I wouldn't let him,
said his place was there with me and our three babies. And the fellows that did go, got only as far as Florida, and were sent home from
there."

In Ernest F. Tonsing's interview gathered by E. Fred Tonsing, he stated: "At Beloit he would repair bicycles for nothing as a young pastor. A young
man in his confirmation class who PT [Paul Tonsing] liked wanted to go into the newspaper business. PT sent him to Atchison. Carl Brown later
became editor of the Globe, and very prominent in the newspaper circles. At the Globe he was famous for one-line editorials and short paragraphs.
Miscellaneous students were developed by Carl Brown."

-10-
 Seven of their eleven children were born in Atchison. One daughter, born in 1855
in New Jersey, lived for only a year. Of their ten living children, all are now married
except the youngest son. They have twenty-three grandchildren and three great-
grandchildren. Ida C. Martin is their oldest child. Their three great-grandchildren
belong to Ida C. Martin's oldest child, Ruth Martin Tonsing and her husband, Rev.
Paul Tonsing.

1901 May 25 Ruth's mother, Ida C. Martin, is fifty years old.

Jun 11 Paul and Ruth have a son, Cyril Martin Tonsing.

1902 Jun 10 Cyril Martin Tonsing dies at Beloit, Kansas (or Hardy, Nebraska?) and he is brought
to Atchison for burial in Mt. Vernon Cemetery.
Sep 20 Paul and Ruth have a third son, Robert Lowe Tonsing.
During the third quarter of this year, Paul, Ruth and their children move back to
Atchison to live in the Martin house. Governor Martin had built the large home (315
North Terrace) on the site of Atchison's first printing office where the previous owner
of the property published the Squatter Sovereign, a Rebel newspaper. Young John
A. Martin bought the property and business, changed the newspaper's name to
"Freedom's Champion," and made it an anti-slavery publication. After moving the
business into town, he used the site overlooking the Missouri river to build his home.
By this time in Paul Tonsing's life, the house has become the responsibility of Gov.
Martin's widow, Ida Challis Martin. At some time during the fall of 1902, Ida moved
to Ottawa, Kansas, to make a home for her two sons, Paul Alexander Martin and
Harres Crawford Martin, while they attended college and she wanted Paul and Ruth
to stay at her home while she was gone from Atchison.

1903 May 3 Paul's wife, Ruth19 Martin, is thirty years old.

Sep 2 Ethel Martin, Ruth's sister, and Charles Hole are married in Atchison, KS at the
Martin home.
Sep 7 Anniversary of Ruth and Paul Tonsing. They have been married 10 years.
After the 1903 flood in Kansas City, Paul heard newspapers were being sold for ten
dollars there so he went by railroad and by boat to the City to sell them in the
avenues.20

1904 Oct 21 Evan W. Tonsing is ten years old.

1906 Jan 8 Orpah Tonsing is ten years old.

Grace Martin, Ruth's sister, and George Mauck are married in Ottawa, Kansas.
They move to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and establish a home.
May - - NPA: "Dr. and Mrs. W.L. Challiss are now making their home in Toledo, Ohio, their
son-in-law, Charley Bennett, having recently moved there with his family. He has
gone into the hardware business there."

19
Ruth Tonsing notes in a letter to Dorothy Dambold [Linn] dated February 6,1958: "I always baked the homemade bread as long as
Grandpa lived, he didn't like the baker's bread. I like the home-made when fresh. I have a biscuit-mix I make. It was on a Pillsbury flour
sack and it's fine. Just add milk and [it makes] biscuits in a jiffy. Keep mix in air-tight box in cooler. I like them now and then."
20
Ernst F. Tonsing took notes of this during an interview with his father, Ernest F. Tonsing in 1993.

-11-
1907 Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory, with about 1.4 million people residing in the
twin territories, becomes the State of Oklahoma, signed into statehood by President
Theodore Roosevelt. Three-fourths of the residents work on about 200,000 farms
producing cotton, corn, wheat and other grains.
Aug 17 Luther Tonsing is ten years old.
Dec 27 Paul's brother and his wife, Wm. Henry and 'Lena' Tonsing, have a daughter,
Dorothy W. Tonsing, in Ohio.

1908 Ruth's mother, Ida C. Martin, moves back to the Martin home in Atchison. Lives
there with Paul and Ruth Tonsing and their children.
Jul 7 Paul and Ruth have twins, Ernest Frederick Tonsing21 and Ida Tonsing, born in
Atchison, KS.

1909 Apr 20 Dr. William L. Challiss dies at the home of his daughter, Dora (Mrs. Charles
Bennett), in Toledo, Ohio. Eight years previously, they had moved to Adrian,
Michigan and later to Toledo. The body is carried by Rock Island train to Atchison
and a funeral ceremony held at Mt. Vernon cemetery. Paul Tonsing is one of the
pall bearers.
Apr 30 Mary Ann Harres Challiss, widow of Dr. William L. Challiss, dies at the home of her
daughter and son-in-law in Toledo, Ohio. Burial is in Atchison beside her husband.
Jul 12 Grace and George Mauck have a daughter, Grace Kathleen Mauck, born in
Oklahoma City, OK.
Aug 3 Paul's stepbrother, Louis Mylander, is 30 years old. Paul is 39.
Sep 3 Paul's sister, Dorothea "Dora" Wilhelmine Tonsing Schroeder, born 1855, dies in
Cleveland, Ohio.

1910 Jan 3 Paul is forty years old.

Apr 15 Paul, Ruth and the family are listed on the 1910 Federal Census report for Atchison
as living at 315 North Terrace.
Aug 1 Paul's mother, Anna Maria G.W. Tonsing Mylander, dies at age 75 in Oak Harbor,
Ohio.

1911 Oct 25 Faith Martin, Ruth's sister, and Clayton Settle are married in Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma.

1912 Apr 15 Paul's brother and his wife, Wm. Henry and 'Lena' Tonsing, have a daughter, Clara
Tonsing in Ohio.
Aug 17 Robert Tonsing is ten years old.
In 1912, Kansas women finally receive full voting rights.

1913 May 3 Paul's wife, Ruth Martin, is forty years old.

Sep 7 Anniversary of Ruth and Paul Tonsing. They have been married 20 years.

1914 Sep 14 Allen Eugene Settle is born to Faith and Clayton Settle in Strong City, KS.

21
Ernie Tonsing noted in a 1993 verbal interview with his son, Ernst F. "Fred" Tonsing, that he and Ida were born at 315 North Terrace in
the south room [upstairs] of the old house.

-12-
1914 Sep 14 Allen Eugene Settle is born to Faith and Clayton Settle in Strong City, KS.
Oct 21 Evan W. Tonsing is twenty years old.

1915 "PT wanted a car, so he bought22 a 1912 Buick, red with stripes on the side,
acetylene lights, all aluminum crank case, a canvas top, and right-hand drive."

1916 Jan 8 Orpah Tonsing is twenty years old.

Jan 29 Paul's sister, Anna Carolyn Eleanore Tonsing Voelzow dies in Cleveland, Ohio.
The obituary from the Voelzow Bible: VOELZOW - Caroline Voelzow, nee Tonsing,
was born Oct. 4, 1860 at Medina, Ohio.
Feb - - Paul's brother-in-law, Harres Crawford Martin, marries Louise Mary Dodd in
Kansas.
Oct 6 Paul goes to the Osage City convention.23

1917 Mar 3 Paul and Ruth's have a son, Martin Paul Tonsing is born in Atchison, KS. There is
some controversy over his name and so no name is put upon the birth
announcement but his birth certificate says Martin Paul. Many years later, Paul
decides he likes the name as Paul Martin Tonsing and that is what he uses.
Apr 16 Ruth's brother, Harres Martin and his wife, Louise, have a son, John Alexander
Martin, born in Atchison, Kansas.
Aug 17 Luther Tonsing is twenty years old.

1918 Jan 19 Paul and Ruth's oldest child, Orpah, marries Pearl Leslie Mellenbruch in Topeka,
Kansas, in the English Lutheran Church. Pearl changed the spelling of his name to
Pari, and it was occasionally printed as Paul.
Apr 2 Paul and Ruth's oldest son, Luther M., marries Mary L. Saindon in Abilene, Kansas
Jul 7 The twins, Ernest and Ida, are ten years old.
Sep 19 Orpah and Pearl have a daughter, Ruth Margaret Mellenbruch.
Nov 14 The United Lutheran church was formed by merger of 45 district synods. They met
in New York City November 14-18 and thus became the largest single Lutheran
body in America. Pastor Paul Tonsing preached in both German and English and
was fluent in both languages. He was thus able to minister to the older members
who were fluent only in German and also to the second and third generation
members who might speak only English. He also knew Hebrew and would talk to
Hebrew merchants, reciting the Ten Commandments for them.

1919 Jan 18 Carolyn (deceased) and Henry Voelzow's daughter, Laura Voelzow Rand, dies at
age 33 in Ohio, leaving children ages twelve, seven and a baby just over a year old.
Feb 1 Paul's brother, John Frederick Tonsing, dies at age 61 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Aug 3 Paul's stepbrother, Louis Mylander, is 40 years old. Paul was 49 Jan. 3rd.

1920 Jan 1 Paul, Ruth and the family are listed on the 1920 Federal Census as living at 315
North Terrace, Atchison, Kansas.

i
22
Excerpt from Fred Tonsing's interview with his father, Ernest F. Tonsing, in 1993.
In a letter to Fred Tonsing dated September 28, 1960, Ruth M. Tonsing mentioned she always loved to attend the Lutheran Synodical
meetings.

-13-
Jan 3 Paul is fifty years old.
Jan 30 Paul & Ruth's son, Bob Tonsing, made the highest grades of any pupil in the high
school during the first semester, averaging 95.6 in all seven of his subjects.
Feb 11 NPA: "Three members of the Paul Tonsing family are sick." Five days later,
another article notes that Evan Tonsing is laid up with a 'bum ankle.'
Mar 8 NPA: "Pearl L. Mellenbruck, who is attending Kansas University this year, sprained
his back...and is recuperating at the home of his parents at Topeka. Mrs.
Mellenbruck... formerly Miss Orpah Tonsing, and their baby are with his father."
Pearl is Pari.24
Mar 13 NPA: "Harres Martin resigned his job at the Atchison Leather Products Co. and went
to Kansas City today to enroll for a six weeks' course in the Sweeney Auto School."
Another article on the same day mentioned that Harold Challiss, living in Gotha,
Germany, signed another year's contract to sing in the German grand opera. His
mother, Imogene Challiss is there with him.
Mar 22 NPA: "Clayton Settle, whose wife was formerly Miss Faith Martin of Atchison, is very
ill with influenza."
Apr 12 NPA: "Paul Tonsing is in Kansas City attending a convention of the Inter-Church
World Movement."
May 3 NPA: "Harris Martin, 315 North Terrace, has completed the course at the Sweeney
auto school and went to Goff yesterday to work in a garage."
Jun 8 NPA: "Evan Tonsing has returned from Kansas City where he underwent a minor
operation... was in the hospital four days."
Jun 9 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing are entertaining this noon with a dinner for Mrs.
Mina Donald, of Lake Arthur, N.M."
Jun 19 NPA: "Mrs. Pearl Mellenbruck, of Lawrence, and her daughter, Ruth Margaret, who
have been here visiting Mrs. Mellenbruck's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing,
returned to Lawrence today. Ernest and Ida Tonsing accompanied them for a short
visit." Another article said, "Today, in the district court, H.C. Martin brought suit
against his wife, Mrs. Louise Martin, for divorce, alleging abandonment. They were
married at Syracuse, New York, in February, 1916... He also asks custody of a son,
John, three years old."
Jun 20 NPA: "Pearl Mellenbruck, who has been visiting at the Paul Tonsing home for
several days has gone to Topeka this morning."
Jul 10 NPA: "Mrs. John A. Martin... will be the guest at Strong City, Kansas, for several
weeks of her daughter, Mrs. Clayton Settle... will also visit another daughter, Mrs.
George Mauck in Oklahoma City."
Aug 26 The 19th Amendment to the United States' Constitution is passed and after 72 years
of struggle, women have full voting rights in every state.
Aug 31 NPA: "Paul Tonsing, the editor, is the father of L.M. Tonsing, linotype operator for
the Reflector."
Sep 14 Paul and Ruth's oldest son, Luther Tonsing, has a son, John Morris (also known as
Maurice or Michael) Tonsing, in Abilene, Kansas. The boy grows up to be strong
and interested in sports. He later wins a football scholarship to a Catholic High
School in Los Angeles, California.

Apparently Pearl was his birth name but he considered it too feminine as he grew so changed it to Pari. In articles, it was sometimes
given as Paul.

-14-
 NPA: "The Atchison Church Visitor, a weekly publication conducted by Atchison
ministers' union, which has taken an active part in many local political campaigns,
will suspend publication, it was announced today by Paul Tonsing, the editor.
Tonsing has been editing the publication for several years. The Church Ws/'forwas
a "dry" paper in the days when East Atchison was wide open and there were 'blind
tigers' the Kansas side (sic). Mr. Tonsing often spent entire nights searching the
city so as to expose his discoveries in the Visitor. It was said a tip which caused a
raid on the Eagles' Club here several years ago by S.M. Brewster, then Attorney
General, emanated from the Visitor office. Since the country became 'dry' there has
been no field of endeavor open to the publication, and the ministerial association
feels its publication is a useless expense." Abilene Reflection.
Sep Photo of Martin home is taken showing south side and is so good they later use it
for postcards. Grace, Ruth, Junior (Paul), Evan and Faith are show in the photo.
The date is known because Ruth Martin writes it on the back of one of the
postcards.
Until the early 1920's, The Lutheran Midwest Synod had counted members of loca
congregations only by the head of the household (usually male) and he would pay
a sum once a year to the church as the offering of the family. Single women
(widows or unattached maids) could become a paying member and attend
congregational meetings, but not have the right to vote. Some of the constitutions
specifically stated this. Fortunately, the women preferred to stay away from the
meetings anyway since some men felt that arguments might be helped along with
the evidence of shooting irons and drawn knives. The pastor carried the same
protection, just in case. No casualties were recorded.

1921 Feb 15 NPA: "Robert Tonsing, vice president..." of the newly formed High School Honor
Society.
Apr 11 NPA: "Ralph Challiss...brother of J.M. and Paul Challiss and Mrs. John A. Martin,
entered a hospital in Toledo, Ohio. His right foot will be amputated. He is suffering
with tuberculosis of the bones in his right foot." Ralph is 46 years old.
May 13 NPA: "Harres C. Martin, of Horton, son of Mrs. John A. Martin, received severe cuts
about the head and face." Paul Tonsing's brother in law, Harres, was in an
automobile accident while driving his Overland automobile on Monrovia Road 10
miles west of Atchison.
May 27 NPA: "Harres Martin was released from the Atchison hospital this noon."
May 30 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing will go to Kansas City soon, for an operation." Another article
the same date says, "Bob Tonsing probably will attend the University of Nebraska
next fall and study journalism."
Jun 4 NPA: "Paul Tonsing, who underwent an operation in Kansas City Thursday, is
making a fine recovery. He expects to be released from the hospital the middle of
next week."
Jun 17 NPA: "Paul Tonsing will have to remain in the hospital in Kansas City for a week
longer than he had anticipated. An abscess has developed in the wound caused
by the operation which he underwent two weeks ago."
Jun 26 NPA: "Paul Tonsing returned Friday from St. Mary's hospital in Kansas City, where
he underwent an operation two weeks ago. He lost 22 pounds in weight while he
was in the hospital."

-15-
 Jul 7 NPA: "Ida and Ernest Tonsing, twins, are celebrating their birthday today."
Aug 23 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing has started work on a new city directory."
Sep 7 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing are celebrating their twenty-eighth wedding
anniversary today."
Sep 20 NPA: "Rev. and Mrs. Pearl Mellenbruck, formerly of Atchison, were caught in a
cyclone which across Southern Nebraska about a week ago. They were in their car,
midway between Lincoln and Walton when a heavy windstorm came up... The wind
threatened to picked (sic) their car up from the road but Mr. Mellenbruck finally
succeeded in driving it into a corn crib, where they remained until the storm had
passed... It took them several hours to go the three or four miles to their home at
Walton, where Rev. Mellenbruck is pastor of a Lutheran church. He has enrolled
in the University of Nebraska for post-graduate work."
NPA: "Paul A. Martin of Battle Creek was unanimously elected commander of
the...Michigan American Legion." Battle Creek Enquirer (sic) and Evening News.
Paul Martin is Paul Tonsing's brother-in- law.
Sep 23 NPA: "In the baby show of the Nebraska state fair at Lincoln, Neb. recently, second
prize was won by Ruth Margaret Mellenbruck, three year old daughter of Rev. and
Mrs. Pearl Mellenbruck of Walton, Neb, formerly of Atchison."
Oct 7 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Pearl Mellenbruck and their daughter, Ruth Margaret, will arrive
in Atchison tomorrow, to visit Mrs. Mellenbruck's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul
Tonsing."
Oct 1 NPA: "Pearl Mellenbruck, a college student here for a number of years and son-in-
law of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing, 315 North Terrace, was ordained last night at
Emporia as a minister of the English Lutheran church. Rev. and Mrs. Mellenbruck
and their daughter will come to Atchison tomorrow from Emporia, to be guests at the
Tonsing home."
Nov 1 NPA: "Evan Tonsing is spending this week in Kansas City." Another article on same
date says, "Paul A. Martin...will come to Atchison to visit his sister, Mrs. Paul
Tonsing, and his mother, Mrs. John A. Martin, for the balance of the week."
Nov 2 NPA: "Mrs. John A. Martin, whose husband, the late Governor Martin, was ranking
officer in the Eighth Kansas regiment in the Civil War, had two sons in the American
Legion convention in Kansas City; Paul Martin, who saw active service and was in
several hard fought battles, and is now state commanderfrom Michigan, and Harres
Martin, who was a private with the A.E.F. Mrs. Martin also had several nephews in
the parade."
Nov 4 NPA: "Evan W. Tonsing, a Globe reporter, and Miss Bessie Edith Moyer, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence S. Moyer, who live south of Nortonville, were married
today in Topeka." Evan is the sports editor of the Globe.

1922 Jan 14 St. Mark's Bulletin article says, "Mr. Evan Tonsing was elected President of the
newly reorganized Atchison County Sunday School Council."
Jan 31 NPA: "Mrs. Evan Tonsing returned to Atchison last evening from Meriden where she
is an instructor in Meriden High School. Pneumonia, diphtheria and flu are
prevalent in Meriden and vicinity and the schools have been closed for the balance
of this week."
Feb 10 NPA: "A daughter, born to Rev. and Mrs. Pearl Mellenbruch, of Walton, Neb.
Wednesday was dead at birth. The body was interred yesterday in a cemetery at

-16-
 Walton... Mrs. Tonsing went to Walton last night, taking her son, Martin Paul
Tonsing, with her." Wednesday was Feb. 8, 1922.
Mar 1 NPA: "Mrs. PaulTonsing will return to Atchison Saturday... Mrs. Mellenbruch is able
to be up again."
Apr 30 NPA: "Mrs. Pearl Mellenbruch is almost out of danger now, at the St. Elizabeth
hospital in Lincoln, Neb. She was near death last Thursday night, following a very
serious operation, but rallied Saturday and is now steadily recovering... Her mother,
Mrs. Paul Tonsing, will remain in Lincoln a week with her. As soon as she is able
to travel, Mrs. Mellenbruch will come to Atchison with her daughter, Ruth Margaret,
to spend several months at the Tonsing home."
May 7 NPA: "Mrs. P.L. Mellenbruch continues to improve at St. Elizabeth's hospital... She
will be able to go to her home in Walton, Neb. The last of this week. May 20, she
will come to Atchison."
May 21 NPA: "Henry T. Smith... passed away yesterday morning at his home 529 North
Fourth street... of cancer. Mrs. Smith was a sister of the late ex-governor, John A.
Martin... Her maiden name was Miss Annabelle Smith. The funeral services will be
held at the home tomorrow afternoon and...interment will be in the Mt. Vernon
cemetery."
May 24 NPA: "P.L. Mellenbruck... is seriously ill with the mumps at his home in Walton, Neb.
Mrs. Mellenbruck is able to be up for a few minutes each day and is slowly
recovering from a serious operation performed several weeks ago."
May 26 NPA: "Mrs. Henry T. Smith, 529 South Fourth street, is critically ill."
May 31 NPA: "Mrs. Henry T. Smith... passed away this morning... at her home, 537 South
Fourth street... Mrs. Smith was one of six children born to Mr. and Mrs. James
Martin... Of the four who passed away preceding Mrs. Smith, one of them, John A.
Martin, was governor of Kansas for two terms in the late eighties; another, Alf
Martin, was manager of the Atchison Champion for many years; the fourth brother,
James Martin died while serving with the Union army in the South during the Civil
war; and her only sister, Mrs. Ella Mills, died at Kansas City about ten years ago."
Services were Thursday, June 1, 1922. Interment was at Mt. Vernon Cemetery.
Jun 7 NPA: "Mrs. Evan Tonsing will go to Nortonville tomorrow, to spend several days at
the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.S. Moyer."
Jun 12 NPA: "Ida... is at Easton for several days, a guest at the Jack Allen home."
Jun 25 NPA: "Paul Tonsing and son, Robert, drove to Kansas City yesterday, to attend the
Sunday school convention."
Jul 9 Newspaper article says on Sunday, "Ernest and Ida Tonsing, twins, were 14 years
old Friday."
Another article says, "P.G. Tonsing has begun to diet..."
Jul 12 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing has lost nine pounds since he started to diet, and is beginning
to look like a consumptive."
Jul 27 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing, who started in to diet, with the view of becoming willowy, has
slipped. He is again eating like a horse. During the time he did diet he lost fourteen
pounds."
Aug 2 NPA: "Mrs. Clayton Settle will arrive here this evening from Strong City, Kas., to visit
her mother... and sister."
Aug 6 NPA: "Evan Tonsing will build a 5-room bungalow on his lot on the cliff drive at V
street."

-17-
 Aug 10 NPA: "The Rev. and Mrs. Pearl Mellenbruck and daughter, Ruth Margaret, arrived
in Atchison this morning from their home in Walton, Neb. They will spend two
weeks at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing, 315 North Terrace. While in
Atchison, the Rev. Mellenbruck will be supply pastor of St. Mark's Lutheran church,
in the absence of the Rev. W.E. Wheeler."
Aug 18 NPA: "Paul Tonsing: F.A. Moore, of the Dunham Directory Company, of
Springfield, Mo., closed a contract with me to take over the publishing of the
Atchison city directory, delivery to be made the first week in October... the last one
is five years old."
NPA: "Mrs. Imogene Challiss, widow of George T. Challiss, and who returned lately
from Germany, where she went to live 10 or 12 years ago... with her son, Harold
Challiss, a grand opera singer."
Aug 20 Robert L. Tonsing is 20 years old.
Aug 24 NPA: "Rev. and Mrs. P.L. Mellenbruck... will leave tonight for their home in Walton."
Aug 25 NPA: "Robert Tonsing has returned from Chapman, Kas., where he attended the
state convention of the Kansas Luther League."
Aug 30 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing will attend a picnic at Valley Falls Friday, given by the Lutheran
church there, of which he is pastor."
Sep 11 NPA "Bob Tonsing went to Lawrence this morning to enroll in Kansas university."
Sep 19 NPA "P.G. Tonsing is having a lot of trouble with his eyes."
Sep 24 NPA "Mrs. George Mauck, of Oklahoma City, is the guest of her mother, Mrs. John
A. Martin, and her sister, Mrs. Paul Tonsing."
Oct 4 NPA: "Paul Tonsing is in Kansas City attending a Redman convention." "Mrs. John
A. Martin went to Strong City, Kas., today to spend two weeks with her daughter,
Mrs. Clayton Settle. Mrs. George Mauck, of Oklahoma City, Okla., who has been
here for a week visiting Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Paul Tonsing, left this morning for her
home."
Oct 11 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing is in Peabody, attending the Kansas Lutheran synod."
Oct 17 NPA: "Sunday Evan Tonsing accompanied by his wife, drove to Valley Falls where
he organized a Luther League."
Nov 7 NPA: "Bob Tonsing, who broke all scholarship records in the Atchison high school,
is making fine grades in the state university."
Nov 19 NPA: "It is understood Evan Tonsing will open his new house on Riverview drive
with a dance."
Nov 20 NPA "Evan Tonsing: That's a lie.'"
Nov 26 NPA "Evan Tonsing has become a concrete mixer."
Nov 29 NPA "Bob Tonsing, who attends the journalism school at Kansas university, came
to Atchison last night to spend the balance of the week."
Dec 14 NPA: "Evan Tonsing became a cliff dweller today."

1923 Apr 30 NPA: "O.C. Miller: 'I came to Atchison 30 years ago. Paul Tonsing carried papers
to me shortly after I arrived.'"
May 3 Paul's wife, Ruth Martin, is fifty years old.
May 16 Orpah and Pari have a daughter, Marjorie Louise Mellenbruch.
May 21 NPA:"... Valley Falls Lutheran church...soloist Evan Tonsing."

-18-
Jun 14 NPA: "Robert Tonsing, of Atchison was re-elected treasurer of the organization."
The organization is the Kansas Luther League. Another article, same date, says,
"Mrs. P.G. Tonsing and sons, Robert and Ernest, are flood bound at Woodbine,
Kansas, where they attended a state Luther league convention. Woodbine is five
miles from Atchison."
Jun 28 NPA: "Mrs. Luther Tonsing, of Abilene, Kas., is the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Paul
Tonsing."
Jul 25 NPA: "Mrs. John A. Martin, 315 North Terrace, and her daughter, Mrs. C.B. Hole,
of Monrovia, went to Strong City, Kas., today to visit Mrs. Clayton Settle."
Aug 1 NPA: "FIVE of the Tonsing family of Atchison enjoyed the beauties of nature as
portrayed in the Lutheran Camp at Woodbine, Kansas. They drove through in their
Hup."
Aug 6 NPA: "Rev. P.L. Mullunbruck, (sic) of Walton, Neb., is supplying the pulpit of St.
Mark's Lutheran church while Rev. W.E. Wheeler is on his vacation trip in the
Ozarks."
NPA:"There was a happy occasion at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing, 315
North Terrace, today when Mr. and Mrs. Tonsing, their children and grandchildren
assembled for a family reunion. Seated with Mr. and Mrs. Tonsing at the dinner
table were Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Mellenbruck and their daughter, Ruth Margaret, of
Walton, Neb. (before her marriage, Mrs. Mellenbruck was Miss Orpha Tonsing);
Luther M. Tonsing, his wife and their son, John Morris, of Abilene; Robert L.
Tonsing, and Ernest and Ida, the twins, and Junior, and Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing,
all of Atchison.
Aug 8 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing and daughter, Ida, and son, Ernest, who had
planned to leave today in their car25 for Cleveland, Ohio, have postponed their
departing until tomorrow on account of the rain." Note: Rain in early August in
Atchison is extremely unusual weather. The roads, often unpaved, would have
been a challenge for the narrow tires on the automobiles of that day. Provision
would also have to be made for camping out in the rain.
Aug 10 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing, who are driving to Ohio, write that the Lincoln
highway from Omaha east is in very poor condition, with long stretches of newly
worked roadway, and many bad mud holes. Farmers along the highway who have
tractors are reaping a rich harvest pulling cars out of the mud holes, they write."
NPA: "The Rev. P.L. Mellenbruch, of Walton, Neb., who is a guest at the Paul
Tonsing home, received word yesterday that he had been elected professor of
Bible history at the Hamma Divinity School, a Lutheran theological seminary...at

25 Notes from the oral interview in 1993 of Ernest F. Tonsing: "In 1923 he bought a seven-passenger Mitchell. He was going to
Springfield, Ohio, to visit friends, and Cleveland, to visit his sister. Ida, Ruth, Paul, Ernest and Luther went. They took along a big,
heavy tent, but mostly slept in the open. Bob [Robert, his brother] would not let Ernest drive the car, so Pari Mellenbruch took EFT
[Ernest F. Tonsing] out one morning to learn. He went up the Kansas side to Mission Ranch Valley, east of Omaha. On the way
up, Paul (Junior) wanted to drive [he was six]. The wheels were geared so one had to take many turns [to make a turn]. Paul
[Junior] trained and drove down into a ditch, with Ruth screaming. He refused to give up the wheel, and did the same on the next
corner. Ruth screamed to get out. EFT drove 3,500 miles. In Springfield, the friend, a color-printer, was coming out of the shop
when they drove up. Up to Cleveland along the coast, Paul Tonsing's sister was the wife of an undertaker, who dressed in black,
moody of face. They stayed the afternoon and overnight. The car had to be tuned. PT [Paul G. Tonsing] had bought Clincher WW I
tires which moved on the rim, shearing off the air nipples. They had a blowout nearly once a day. In Detroit they went to Mitchell
Company where they fixed the tires. From there they went to Sarwin, by ferry to Canada, then Toronto, then Niagara Falls, then
through the lakes and home. In Toronto the people thronged in the street since they rarely had people from the United States.
They got the big car back to Atchison."

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 Wittenburg College in Springfield, Ohio. They plan to leave week after next in their
car for Springfield."
Aug 14 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing, who are motoring to Ohio, reached Chicago
yesterday." Another article, same date, says, "Paul Martin...was one of the ten
American Legion men in the Harding funeral cortege in Washington." This refers
to President Warren Harding.
Aug 24 Newspaper article of Friday says, "Ralph Challiss passed away...Wednesday
afternoon at his home in Toledo, Ohio...tuberculosis of the bones of his right leg."
Sep 3 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Hole, of Monrovia, were married 20 years ago yesterday
at the home of her mother, Mrs. John A. Martin."
Ruth Martin Tonsing's granduncle's wife, Imogene Bennett Challiss, moved from
Atchison to San Antonio, Texas, to live with her son, Courtney Challis. She had
lived in Atchison since 1856.
Sep 7 Anniversary of Ruth and Paul Tonsing. They have been married 30 years.
Sep 11 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing and sons, Ernest and Junior, and daughter, Ida,
who were on an auto trip from Atchison to Niagara Falls and return, reached
Atchison last night, after a month on the road. They visited relatives in Ohio and
Michigan enroute."
Sep 14 NPA: "Robert Tonsing is visiting friends in Wichita." Robert is 21 years old.
(I )l
NPA: "Ernest Tonsing: 'While we were motoring back east, we had eleven
punctures in one day.'"
Sep 19 Newspaper article said that Robert Tonsing, a Freshman, was among the 45
Freshmen at the University at Lawrence to be classed as Honor Students.
Oct 2 NPA: "Paul Tonsing went to Coffeyville, Kansas yesterday to attend a Redmen
convention."
Oct 3 Newspaper article said that Robert L. Tonsing was selected as one of the bass
singers for the Men's Glee club at the University.
Oct 15 NPA: "Mrs. John A. Martin returned to Atchison last night from Strong City, Kas.,
where she spent several weeks with her daughter, Mrs. Clayton Settle."
Dec 15 Evan and Bess have a son, Evan Eugene 'Jimmy' Tonsing. It is December 28th
before she is able to leave the hospital. Evan is 29.
Dec 29 Record temperatures of 25 below zero were recorded in Atchison. Sub-zero
readings were received all during the next week.

1924 Jan 31 Ernest Tonsing performs in his highschool musical comedy as 'The Shah' and Ida
Tonsing is a member of the chorus.
Feb 4 NPA: "Mrs. Luther Tonsing and son, John, are here from Iowa, visiting at the home
of Mr. Tonsing's parents."
Feb 14 NPA: "Mrs. Grace Mauck, of Oklahoma City, Okla. is here visiting her mother...and
sister."
Feb 15 NPA: "Mrs. C.B. Hole, of Monrovia, is the guest of her mother, Mrs. John A. Martin."
Mar 13 NPA: "Mrs. Luther Tonsing, who has been here for several weeks, visiting at the
home of Mr. Tonsing's parents...will leave tonight for California where her husband
is a linotype machinist. Their son, John, who has been here, will accompany her."
John is VA years old.
Mar 16 NPA: Robert Tonsing, who sings first tenor with the glee club at Kansas University,
will be on the annual spring tour this year.

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 May 6 Newspaper article of May 8th says, "A daughter... was born Tuesday night to Mr.
and Mrs. P.L. Mellenbruck, at a hospital in Springfield, Ohio... Mr. Mellenbruck is an
instructor in Wittenburg college at Springfield. The little girl is their second
daughter." The daughter was named Marjorie Louise Mellenbruck.
Jun 10 Luther and Mary Tonsing have a daughter, Marguerite Lucille Tonsing. Luther is 27.
Jun 15 NPA: "Paul Tonsing wants to buy a small tent."
NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing, Mrs. John A. Martin and Ernest and Ida Tonsin
will spend the month of July in Colorado."
Jul 2 NPA: "... will leave tomorrow in their car for Colorado. They plan to be gone three
weeks."
Jul 20 NPA: "Prof, and Mrs. P.L. Mellenbruck arrived yesterday from Springfield, Ohio.
They drove the entire distance and encountered the worst kind of roads through
Missouri. They will visit today at the home of her brother, Evan Tonsing, and will go
to Lincoln, Neb. tomorrow. Next week they will return to Atchison, and Prof.
Mellenbruck will supply the pulpit of St. Mark's Lutheran Church while the Rev.
William E. Wheeler is on his three week's vacation... Prof. Mellenbruck [sic] is a
teacher in the Lutheran seminary at Springfield." They returned to Atchison August
8th.
Jul 21 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing... returned to Atchison today from a motor trip to
Colorado."
Jul 30 NPA: "Bob Tonsing is laid up with two broken ribs at his home, 315 North Terrace.
Bob last night walked out of a second story window of the Tonsing home and fell
twenty feet to the ground, cracking the two ribs and wrenching one arm. Bob
returned a day ago from the Woodbine Lutheran camp near Junction City, and last
night he dreamed that several boys at the camp were trying to catch him and throw
him into the camp pond. In his haste to escape his imaginary pursuers, he ran out
of the window.
He will be laid up for a few days."

Aug 12 NPA: "The Rev. and Mrs. Pearl Mellenbruck will go to Lincoln, Neb. tomorrow where
he will complete his work for his master's degree."
Aug 15 NPA: "Bob Tonsing: 'During these beautiful moonlight nights, I see nothing wrong
with this world.'"
Aug 18 NPA: "Seen on Commercial street: Rev. Pearl Mullenbruch (sic) in overalls."
Aug 31 NPA: "Robert Tonsing is visiting friends in Wichita."
Sep 10 Newspaper article says that Robert Tonsing is on the honor roll at Kansas University
in the sophomore class .
Oct 5 Evan W. Tonsing's birthday. He is thirty years old.
Dec 29 NPA: "Bob Tonsing went to Wichita today to mend fences."

1925 Jan 20 Paul's sister, Minnie G. Tonsing Jasper (wife of Gerhardt Jasper) dies at age 69.
Jan 25 Dora Donald, first cousin of Ruth M. Tonsing, dies at age 25 in Tucson, Arizona.
She had moved to Tucson from New York City after having a nervous breakdown.
She was a graduate of the Free Hand Art Institute of New York and considered a
very accomplished artist, as was her mother, Maria "Mina" Challiss Donald.
Jan 28 NPA: "...Evan Tonsing ... in Topeka today, attending a state meeting of Lions clubs
officers."

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Feb 10 NPA: "Paul A. Martin, formerly of Atchison, is in a hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich.,
where he underwent an operation several days ago in which an abscess was
removed from his spine. His condition is favorable."
Feb 18 NPA: "Telegrams received in Atchison today state that Paul A. Martin of Battle
Creek, Mich., who underwent an operation last week at Ann Arbor... is getting along
satisfactorily and is expected to make a complete recovery... (He) is managing
editor of the Battle Creek Enquirer."
Mar 3 NPA: "Mrs. Grace Mauck, who was the guest for two weeks of her mother, Mrs.
John A. Martin, has returned to her home in Oklahoma City, Okla."
Mar 26 NPA: "Mrs. John A. Martin is sick at her home, 315 North Terrace."
Mar 28 Announcement is made in newspaper article of May 8 of Harres Martin's marriage
to Thelma Wilson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Wilson of Huron, Kansas.
Apr 15 NPA: "Mrs. C.B. Hole of Monrovia is here visiting her mother."
May 8 NPA: "Mrs. Luther Tonsing and two children of Santa Barbara, Calif, are guests at
the Evan Tonsing and Paul Tonsing homes."
May 31 A notice in the Lutheran Church bulletin said that Robert Tonsing was one of three
members of the Junior Class to make the Honor Roll at the University.
Jun 9 NPA: "Bob Tonsing will work in the composing room of the Wichita Eagle this
summer."
Jul 1 NPA: "Telegrams received from Luther Tonsing, who is employed by the Santa
Barbara (Calif.) Evening News, state that he was not injured in the earthquake
which did millions of dollars damage there Monday." He had left his home and was
enroute to work when the quake demolished the house he had just left.
Jul 17 NPA: "Paul Martin, of Battle Creek, Mich., will be here Sunday to visit his mother,
Mrs. John A. Martin."
Aug 5 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing, Jack Wert, Archie Welsh and Don Hankins will motor to the
Ozarks August 15."
Aug 23 NPA: "Evan Tonsing and his wife and their little son left Saturday morning in their
Ford runabout for a trip to Colorado and Texas. They had a camping outfit with
them."
Aug 27 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing and family are attending the Valley Falls Lutheran annual
picnic today."
NPA: "Evan Tonsing and family have arrived at Denver, after having motored
through a very severe sand storm."
Sep 6 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing and son, Eugene, returned last night from a two
week's tour of Colorado."
NPA: "Robert Tonsing, of Atchison, has been announced as a member of the
Dean's Honor Roll for juniors."
Sep 16 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing are attending the free fair in Topeka."
Sep 17 NPA: "Heard on Commercial street: P.G. Tonsing admitting that he is getting old."
Sep 22 NPA: "Bob Tonsing will again sing in the Kansas university glee club this season."
Sep 28 NPA: "New officers at St. Mark's Lutheran Sunday school were installed
yesterday...Ernest Tonsing, secretary."
Sep 29 NPA: "A daughter born last Saturday to Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Settle, at Strong City,
Kas., was dead at birth. Mrs. Settle, formerly was Miss Faith Martin of Atchison, a
daughter of Mrs. John A. Martin."

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 Oct 5 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Settle, of Strong City, Kas., have adopted a baby girl
from a Kansas City orphanage. A daughter born to them a week ago died soon
after birth."
Oct 12 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Tonsing is in Strong City, Kas., visiting her sister, Mrs. Clayton
Settle."
Oct 13 NPA: "Paul Tonsing and son, Ernest, are at Abilene attending the Kansas Lutheran
synod meeting."
Oct 14 NPA: "A baby daughter, adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Settle of Strong City, a
week ago, died Sunday. A daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Settle two weeks ago died
when it was a day old... Her sister, Mrs. Paul Tonsing, is with her at Strong City."
Oct 19 NPA: "Mrs. Luther Tonsing, who has been here visiting at the Evan Tonsing and
Paul Tonsing homes since last April, went to Salina this morning to visit her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Saindon. Her son, John, and daughter, Marguerite,
accompanied her. Their home is in Santa Barbara, Calif."
Nov 16 NPA: "The Western Chief, the Kansas Redmen's official organ, is now printed in
Winfield. For twenty years it was published in P.G. Tonsing's office in Atchison."
Dec 15 NPA: "Jimmy Tonsing is two years old today."
Dec 18 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: I was recently mistaken for a bootlegger out on the Nortonville
road."
Dec 27 NPA: "Bob Tonsing is working during the Christmas vacation in the composing room
of a Wichita newspaper. He is operating a linotype."

1926 Jan 3 Paul is 56 years old.

Jan 5 NPA: "Rev. P.G. Tonsing, pastor of a Lutheran church at Valley Falls: 'Moving
pictures have solved a great problem for our church, as far as the Sunday evening
services are concerned. Every Sunday evening we have movies of Biblical scenes
and the house is filled with people."
Jan 8 Orpah Tonsing is thirty years old.
Jan 26 Newspaper article says Ernest Tonsing was chosen as an affirmation member of
the high school debate team for the present school year.
Jan 31 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing in a confession: I haven't got any shape."
Feb 3 NPA: "The Atchison high school debating team ...defeated the Leavenworth high
school team." Ernest Tonsing was a member of the three person team for the
affirmative. The subject: Resolved, That the Proposed Child Labor Amendment to
the Constitution of the United States Should be Adopted.
Marks Lutheran Sunday school tonight at her home on Riverview drive."
Feb 11 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing are visiting relatives in Kansas City."
Feb 23 NPA: "All of Mrs. John A. Martin's children will be here tomorrow and Thursday for
a two-day family reunion at her home."
Feb 25 NPA: "An unusually enjoyable family reunion was held today at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Paul Tonsing, when Mrs. John A. Martin and all of her children were together
for the first time in more than twenty years. The dinner was served by Mrs. Tonsing,
and there were fourteen guests at the table, with Mrs. Martin, including Mrs. George
Mauck, of Oklahoma city; Mrs. Clayton Settle, of Strong, Kas., Mrs. Charles B. Hole,
of Monrovia; Paul Martin, of Battle Creek, Mich.; and Harres Martin and Mrs.
Tonsing of Atchison, all children of Mrs. Martin."

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Feb 26 NPA: "Two dray loads of books were recently presented to the Atchison public
library by Mrs. John A. Martin. They represented a large part of the original library
of Governor John A. Martin."
Paul Tonsing: "I came to Kansas from Ohio forty years ago yesterday." It was
1886.
NPA: "Four high school young ladies have been organized into the high school girl
quartet, to represent the high school at the district music contest at Sabetha.Jda
Tonsing, alto."
Feb 28 NPA: "Mrs. Clayton Settle, who came here from Strong City, Kas... returned
yesterday to her home. Paul Martin returned to his work at Battle Creek, Mich.,
Friday night."
Mar 2 NPA: "Robert L. Tonsing, of Atchison, is a member of the K.U. Men's Glee club."
Mar 9 NPA: "Luther Tonsing is working in a newspaper plant at Phoenix, Arizona."
Mar 20 Newspaper article of Los Angeles, California: "Two women passengers in the car
driven by Park also were injured but they are expected to recover. The
driver...Wilbur H. Park, 60 years of age and his wife lost their lives this afternoon in
a spectacular collision between a Pacific Electric train inbound to San Bernadino
and their car. The other two victims are Mrs. Blanche Decker, 62 years of age, of
2724 Beachwood Drive, and Mrs. Amelia Decker of 827 Genessee street. They
were taken to the Hamona Hospital here." Blanche Challiss Decker and Amelia
Challiss Decker are Ruth M. Tonsing's aunts.
Mar 31 NPA: "Mrs. Amelia Dekker is at a hospital in San Bernardino, suffering with a
concussion of the brain, possible internal injuries, a cracked breast bone and severe
injuries to one of her ankles. Mrs. Blanche Dekker has been moved from the
hospital to her home in Los Angeles and is getting along nicely."
Apr 14 NPA: "A son, weighing nine pounds, was born at the Atchison hospital last night to
Mr. and Mrs. HarresC. Martin... Mrs. Martin formerly was Miss Louise (should have
said Thelma) Wilson of Huron. Harres is employed at the Blish, Mize & Silliman
Hardware Co." Handwritten note says, "Thelma named him Ralph."
Apr 22 NPA: "Mrs. John A. Martin is able to be up and about again."
" " NPA: "Paul Tonsing is feeling poorly."
May 16 Robert L. Tonsing graduated from Kansas University, school of journalism.
May 18 NPA: "A daughter was adopted this week by Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Settle, of Strong,
Kas. from a Kansas City orphans' home."
May 29 Newspaper article of June 4th says Paul Tonsing rounded the corner just east of
the Cawley farm about 10 o'clock and collided with the car of Mr. King. Both drivers
had minor injuries and his car was towed to Atchison for repairs.
May 30 Ida Tonsing and Ernest Tonsing graduate from Atchison High School.
Jun 3 Robert 'Bob' marries Helen Hornecker in Wichita, Kansas, Lutheran Church. The
wedding ceremony was read by Rev. Paul Tonsing, assisted by Rev. E. E.
Staffeur. Robert is almost 24.
Jun 7 NPA: "Five of P.G. Tonsing's children know how to operate linotype machines."
NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing are in Lawrence for the University of Kansas
commencement exercises."
Jun 8 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing visited the Tonsing home in Atchison.
Jun 16 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing left for Colorado for the summer.

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 Jun 18 NPA: "Harres Martin... has resigned to accept a position in the office of the Hixon
Lumber Co. He will take his new job Monday morning."
Jul 6 NPA: "Paul A. Martin, managing editor of the Battle Creek Mich. Enquirer News,
spent yesterday afternoon and today here visiting his mother, Mrs. John A. Martin."
Jul 7 NPA: "Bob Tonsing is working in Pueblo, Colo., operating a linotype."
Jul 15 NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing is recovering from an attack of appendicitis at the home of
her brother, Evan Tonsing, on Riverview Drive."
Jul 28 NPA: "Mrs. Evan Tonsing and son, Gene, are spending several days with her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Moyer, at Nortonville."
Aug 8 NPA: "Mrs. PaulTonsing left yesterday afternoon for Toledo, O., where she will visit
relatives for several days. From there she will go to Oak Harbor and Cleveland, O.,
to spend a week, before going to Springfield, O. to visit her daughter, Mrs. P.L.
Mellenbruck. She will return to Atchison the last week in August, with her daughter
and son-in-law in their car."
Aug 17 Luther Tonsing is thirty years old.
Sep 10 NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing will go to Fremont, Neb., Sunday to attend Midland College.
She was graduated from the high school last spring."
Sep 14 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing arrived late last night from Colorado to visit his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing. They will go to Wichita from here."
Sep 21 NPA: "A visitor in Atchison yesterday was taken on a drive along Riverview drive
and greatly admired the stone wall in front of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Evan
Tonsing. The wall is sixty feet long and Evan Tonsing built it during his vacation,
and the long summer evenings. It contains 15 tons of red stone, the variety
abounding in this section. Evan Tonsing hauled every bit of the stone in his Ford
car. The top of the wall is white concrete."
Sep 24 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing left yesterday for Wichita where they will
remain."
Nov 23 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing were married five years ago today."
Dec 15 NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing who attends Midland college at Fremont, Neb. will return
to Atchison Friday to spend the Christmas holidays."
Dec 28 NPA: "Members of Evan Tonsing's class of boys of St. Mark's Sunday school are
being entertained tonight at the Tonsing residence."
NPA: "Kansas students at Midland college, Fremont, Neb. have organized a
'Jayhawk club.'" Miss Ida Tonsing and Gene Harrison are members of the club from
Atchison.
At some time in 1926, Paul's stepbrother, Lewis Mylander, dies in Ohio at age 47.

1927 Jan 3 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing belongs to the debating team of Midland college in Fremont,
Nebr., and will be in the state debating contest."
Jan 10 NPA: "The inaugural today in Topeka is the thirty-fourth since Kansas became a
state. Ben S. Paulen will be the twenty-third governor. Atchison has furnished three
of the 23 governors: John A. Martin, George W. Glick and W.J. Bailey."
Jan 11 NPA: "Governor John A. Martin, of Atchison, long since dead, was inaugurated the
second time as governor of Kansas forty years ago yesterday."
Mar 22 NPA: "Funeral services of Mrs. Imogene Challiss will be conducted at the First
Baptist Church next Friday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock by the Rev. W.O. Shank.

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 Burial will be in Mt. Vernon cemetery." Mrs. Challiss is Ruth M. Tonsing's great aunt.
Feb 2 NPA: "Ralph Harres Martin, nine-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Harres Martin... had
both of his hands severely burned when he fell against a stove at the home of his
parents yesterday."
Feb 2 Newspaper article says William Martin, 84 years of age, a resident of Atchison
county since 1857 and a veteran of the Civil war, is in critical condition at his home
in Lancaster. He is a brother of John A. Martin.
Mar 3 Junior (Paul Martin) Tonsing is ten years old.
Apr 9 Robert and Helen have a daughter, Helen Louise Tonsing, in Wichita, Kansas.
May 5 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing went to Topeka this morning to attend the state Sunday
school convention as the delegate from the St. Mark's Lutheran Sunday school."
May 19 NPA: "The Rev. P.G. Tonsing has been invited by the Valley Falls G.A.R. to preach
the annual Memorial sermon there."
Jun 3 NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing, who attends Midland college at Fremont, Neb. Will arrive
here Saturday to spend the summer."
Jun 5 NPA: "Valley Falls Lutheran church will be seventy years old next Sunday. But the
pastor, Rev. P.G. Tonsing isn't that old." He has been pastor for six years.
Jul 1 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Settle... and their son and daughter spent yesterday in
Atchison."
Jul 12 NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing will undergo an appendix operation tomorrow...in a Kansas
City hospital."
Jul 17 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Tonsing, who has been in Kansas City with her daughter, Miss Ida
Tonsing, returned to Atchison yesterday. Miss Ida continues to improve in condition
at Trinity Lutheran hospital, where she underwent an appendix operation."
Aug 5 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing is so tall and slim that every time he drinks a bottle of pop,
he looks like a thermometer."
Aug 11 Paul Tonsing preached a funeral sermon for Alfred "Alf" Martin, brother of John A.
Martin. Burial was in the Denton, Cemetery. Alf had been manager of the Atchison
Champion for many years.
Aug 16 NPA: "Evan Tonsing of the Globe has been transferred from the reportorial
department to the advertising department."
Aug 29 NPA: "Col. John A. Martin's regiment, the Eighth Kansas Infantry, was organized
sixty-six years ago on Sunday, Aug. 28th."
Sep 4 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing left yesterday for Fremont, Nebr., where he will attend
Midland College."
NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing of Wichita are visiting their Atchison kin."
Sep 9 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing and baby of Wichita were guests at the home
of his aunt, Mrs. C.B. Hole this week."
Sep 11 NPA: "Mrs. Evan Tonsing underwent an operation for appendicitis." OP Snort said:
"A remarkable woman. Yesterday morning she underwent an operation for
appendicitis. Last evening she wanted to argue with me about how to rear children-
and won the argument."
Sep 14 Orpah and Pari have a daughter, Esther Lois Mellenbruch.
Sep 15 NPA: "Mrs. Evan Tonsing: will be taken home from the Atchison Hospital tomorrow."
Sep 23 NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing will not attend college this year, having undergone an
operation late this summer. She is helping out in her father's printing office."

-26-
 Oct 26 NPA: "Paul Martin arrived in his carfrom Battle Creek, Mich., today to spend several
days visiting with his mother."
NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. August Mylander and Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Mylanderof
Cleveland, O., who were here for a week visiting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul
Tonsing left today for Cleveland. August Mylander is a half brother of Paul
Tonsing." Actually, Lewis Mylander was the half-brother, not August. August and
Lawrence were step-brothers of Paul.
Nov 6 NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing is spending the week-end with her brother, Ernest Tonsing
at Fremont, Neb."
Dec 16 NPA: "Jimmy Tonsing was four years old yesterday. So, in effect, he will have two
Christmases, as far as candy and toys are concerned. Jim is a likely little chap-
good looking and well behaved. He has all the characteristics of his mother."
Dec 19 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing has arrived from Fremont, Nebr., where he attends college
and where he found 14 below zero weather this year."

1928 Jan 5 NPA: "Ever hear of a man having had three tonsils? Evan Tonsing is the man.
Several years ago he had his tonsils taken out. Later another tonsil grew where the
original tonsil was. And today he is laid up with tonsillitis."
Feb 7 NPA: "A son was born Sunday afternoon to Mr. and Mrs. Harres C. Martin at their
home." They named the son Paul Edward Martin.
Mar 13 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing... has become an orator of no mean ability. He attends
Midland college, .. and is on the college debate team this year." He is a freshman.
Mar 20 NPA: "Eugene Harrison and Ernest Tonsing... are members of the Midland college
Lenten chorus."
Mar 22 NPA: "The Rev. P.G. Tonsing will attend Lutheran synod in Oklahoma City next
month."
ti ii
NPA: "P.G. Tonsing will shave off his mustache, having discovered several gray
streaks in it."
u n
NPA: "P.G. Tonsing has a new Packard." This was obviously a joke since Paul
never owned a Packard.
Apr 28 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing has reached the 300 pound mark."
Apr " NPA: "P.G. Tonsing left yesterday for Oklahoma City to attend Kansas Lutheran
Synod."
May 24 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing will arrive tomorrow from Fremont, Nebr., where he attends
college. He will work in his father's print shop during the summer."
NPA: "Tomorrow Mrs. P.G. Tonsing will have for her guests, Mrs. E.J. Dekker of
Toledo and Mrs. C.B. Bennett and Mr. Bennett of Hollywood, Calif. They are
enroute to Toledo where Mr. and Mrs. Dekker will sell their home and other property
and go to California to live."
May 31 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Challiss of Lincoln, Neb., arrived in Atchison this afternoon to visit
relatives for several days."
Jun 16 NPA: "Amelia Earhart, the Atchison girl who is contemplating a trans-Atlantic flight,
can be seen at the Royal today in the International News reel. Several shots of her
are shown with her airplane."
Jun 18 Amelia Earhart, cousin of Ruth Martin, became the first woman to cross the Atlantic
ocean by air.
Jun 30 NPA: "Amelia Earhart is on the way back from Europe."

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Jul 2 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing now has six automobiles."
Jul 6 NPA: "Ida and Ernest Tonsing, twins, were twenty years old last Saturday. Ida is
a very pretty girl. Ernest's legs are too long." Actually, the twins will be twenty on
the next day, July 7lh.
NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Harres Martin, who have been living at Third and Division
streets, are moving today into their new home, 1416 Santa Fe Street."
Jul 11 NPA: "Amelia Earhart is to be commended for her modesty. She says in Boston in
her trans-Atlantic flight, she was just a back seat driver."
Aug 11 NPA: "The Rev. P.G. Tonsing will preach in St. Mark's Lutheran church tomorrow
morning."
NPA: "Last minute stuff: P.G. Tonsing's city directory will be delivered in a day or
two."
Aug 27 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing and their daughter Helen Marie, of Wichita are
visiting atihe home of Mr. Tonsing's parents." Her name was actually Helen Louise
Tonsing.
NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing and Miss Mable Fink and Ernest Tonsing have returned
from the Luther League camp, Woodbine."
Sep 19 Orpah and Parl's daughter, Ruth Margaret Mellenbruch, is ten years old..
Oct 5 NPA: "The Globe's proof reader: Paul Tonsing's city directory is probably the mos
accurate publication of its kind in the U.S."
Oct 20 NPA: "Evan Tonsing, advertising manager of the Globe, will have a birthday
Sunday."
NPA: "Mrs. George Mauck, of Oklahoma City, will arrive tomorrow to visit her
mother...and her sister."
Oct 25 NPA: "The Rev. Paul Tonsing... will preach next Sunday in the St. John's Lutheran
Church at Bendena."
Oct 29 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Tonsing is in charge of packing the preserves, pickles, and canned
goods so generously donated by members of the congregation of the St. Mark's
Lutheran church Sunday. They are all being shipped to the Tabitha Home the first
of this week."
NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Harres Martin and their sons, Rob and Paul, Mrs. Grace Mauch
[sic] and Mrs. John A. Martin were guests at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Hole
in Holton26 Sunday."
Oct 31 NPA: "Paul Tonsing, who is constantly fighting fat, weighs 292 pounds. He says
all his immediate ancestors were fat. That his mother died at the age of 78 and
weighed 300 pounds."
Dec 8 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: I have begun to diet again on advice of that eminent doctor,
E.W. Howe. I have been dieting 14 days and lose a pound a day. Several weeks
ago, when I told Mr. Howe271 weighed 290 pounds, he began to talk diet to me in
a positive way."
Dec 21 NPA: "If P.G. Tonsing keeps on dieting, he will become as small as a horse."
Dec 31 NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing will return to Wichita tomorrow."
NPA: "Ernest Tonsing and his guests, William Renkel and Max Gilmer, are in
Kansas City today...students of Midland college, Fremont, Neb."

The Holes may have been temporarily staying in Holton, Kansas, but they lived in Monrovia, Kansas.

Mr. Howe was a newspaper friend, not a doctor, and many of these statements were put in the Atchison Globe newspaper by him.

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1929 Jan 1 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing hopes to reduce 30 pounds in 1929."
Jan 15 NPA: "Paul Tonsing has been dieting and lost 25 pounds, 'And so now I only weigh
287 pounds,' he says proudly. He has an ambition to get down to 250 and says he
will do it. Unlike other people, who are trying to make their too, too solid flesh melt,
Paul Tonsing can eat potatoes without gaining in weight. As a rule, one potato will
undo the work of months in 'reducing.'"
Jan 19 NPA: "We are closely watching P.G. Tonsing, who is reducing. He is making
progress but we do not believe he will ever look like a fairy."
Jan 20 Gerhardt Jasper, Paul Tonsing's brother-in-law, died in Cleveland, Ohio. He was
a veteran Cleveland undertaker, about 75 years of age, said the Globe news article.
Jan 30 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: The Lutheran church at Bendena..." has a bawl room.
Jan 31 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing, the directory man, certainly knows Atchison people." He knew
all but two of a list of 500 local names submitted to him.
Feb 2 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: This is the last snow.' Sure it's the last snow."
Feb 18 NPA: "It took me five hours to drive in from Bendena last night."
Apr 22 NPA: "Evan Tonsing is driving an ok'd 1928 Chevrolet coach, purchased from the
Miller-Chevrolet Co. used car department."
May 20 Paul Tonsing of Atchison is pastor at Bendena.
Jul 10 NPA: "Last Saturday the Tonsing twins, Ida and Ernest, celebrated their twenty-first
birthday. They are ideal young people. They will attend K.U. next fall and winter."
Jul 11 Atchison is 75 years old today.
Aug 20 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing is vacationing in a Lutheran camp near Abilene."
Aug 24 NPA: "Rev. Paul Tonsing addressed the meeting of the W.C.T.U. at the Christian
church."
Aug 27 Newspaper article said Ida and Ernest Tonsing attended the annual state
convention of Luther league in Junction City last week. They will go to Lawrence
Monday to enroll at K.U. as Juniors.
Aug 29 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing and son will leave tomorrow morning for a short
vacation trip through the East."
NPA: "P.G. Tonsing says the report that he will start the pajama fad in Atchison is
a base canard."
Sep 7 NPA: "Today is the thirty-sixth wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. P.G. Tonsing.
Today they live in the house in which they were married."
NPA: "Bob Tonsing and wife and baby of Wichita will arrive Monday to visit his
parents."
NPA: "Mrs. Paul Challiss of Lincoln, Nebr., will arrive tomorrow to visit Mr. and Mrs
P.G. Tonsing and other relatives. Her son, Fred, has a splendid position in
Chicago with an electric company."
Sep 12 NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing and Ernest Tonsing, the twins, left today for K.U."
Sep 14 NPA: "Paul Tonsing is delivering a clever little directory which is titled Atchison
County's First Farmers Directory. It contains the names of all farmer taxpayers in
Atchison County and a free copy is being sent to each and every farmer. There are
2,100 names in the book."
Sep 16 NPA: "'For the first time in 20 years,' said Paul Tonsing this morning, 'I am doing
my work in my printing shop without the assistance of one or more of my children.
During the 20 years, until now, there was always a youngster or two ready to take

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 the place of those leaving to attend school.' The Tonsing twins, Miss Ida and
Ernest, left Saturday for Lawrence to attend Kansas University." The youngest
child, 'Junior' (Martin Paul Tonsing), is twelve years old.
Oct 2 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing came home from the Kansas university yesterday to spend
Sunday with his parents."
NPA: "Paul Tonsing: With the twins in the college, we have only one more
education to make, the baby's. Our baby is only 12 years old, so it looks like it will
take about the rest of our lives to educate the family."
Nov 4 NPA: "Paul A. Martin... is here visiting his mother."
NPA: "Mrs. George Mauck of Oklahoma City is the guest of her mother... She will
remain here until Thanksgiving, when Mr. Mauck and their daughter, Miss Kathleen
Mauck, a student at Oklahoma university, will come here for a short visit."
Nov 15 NPA: "Guilty of manslaughter. That was the verdict brought in against Arthur Metz
by a jury last evening at 9:30 o'clock. The trial followed the killing of Earl Wright at
the French farm. Metz was sentenced to serve eight years at the state penitentiary.
Booze as well as Mets was named for the killing of Earl Wright. A sensational turn
in the trial was the arrest of Paul Tonsing, the heavyweight bootlegger. When
evidence in the murder case showed that Tonsing had sold the booze that caused
Metz to become woozy and kill Earl Wright, Tonsing was arrested and promptly
sent to jail for one year and was fined $1,000. There is some sympathy for Arthur
Metz, because he never before was in trouble. But there is no sympathy for
Tonsing, who has been raising hell around here for forty years. Arthur Metz
collapsed when he heard the verdict. A strange pallor spread over his countenance,
then his eyes became staring, then his legs trembled, and then he fell to the floor,
unconscious. It took five bottles of soda pop to revive him. The killing of Earl
Wright and the verdict against Arthur Metz is a great temperance lesson. Earl
Wright was a fine young man, and a law student. Metz also was a fine young man,
and a clerk in a local shoe store. But one night they bought some rattlesnake
whisky from Paul Tonsing, and got drunk. During a quarrel and a struggle for
possession of the bottle of whiskey, something happened to Wright. The
prosecution maintained that Metz hit Wright and killed him. The defense claimed
that Wright fell against a post, his head striking against the post, and his neck
becoming fractured. However that may be, Wright died almost instantly, and the
bad booze sold by Tonsing caused all the trouble. That booze caused a young
man to kill his best friend, made one woman a widow, deprived a mother of her son,
sent a promising young man to the penitentiary, and disgraces that young man's
parents. Yep, that's what less than a pint of booze did. Judge C O . Wright, who
heard the case and pronounced sentence was as impressed by the great lesson of
the trial as the people were. He said that hereafter he will give every bootlegger the
maximum penalty. By the way, the judge should take reducing exercises.

B.L. Brockett, the sheriff, is tired today. When Tonsing, the bootlegger, tried to
escape, the sheriff had to chase him fourteen blocks. The sheriff is too fat for such
exertion, and is sore in muscle and limb today. Mrs. Walter Butler was the court
stenographer, and was heard complaining that it was hard to take notes of the trial
because the attorneys seemed to have mush in their mouths. Mrs. Glenn Squires
was a star witness. The above is a true account of a mock trial that occurred last

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 night in the Christian church, under the auspices of the Kansas Anti-Saloon league.
The attendance was good. The directors of the stunt are Rev. J.A. McClellan of
Topeka, and W.T. Dodd of St. Louis. Rev. McClellan is superintendent of the Anti-
Saloon League of Kansas."
" " NPA: "Sheriff B.L. Brockett had a terrible time holding down P.G. Tonsing last
night."
NPA: "The collection in the temperance meeting in the Christian church last night
totaled $75 in pledges and $75 in cash."
Nov 22 NPA: "Robert Tonsing recently became telegraph editor of the Wichita Eagle, after
having been a linotype operator on that paper for several years. He is a graduate
of Kansas university and specialized in journalism."
Nov 29 NPA: "Miss Kathleen Mauck of Oklahoma City, Okla., is spending the Thanksgiving
vacation at the home of her grandmother. Mrs. George Mauck has been here
several weeks. Miss Mauck is a student at the University of Oklahoma."
Dec 5 NPA: "Evan Tonsing talked to the St. Mark's Lutheran church men's club at the
regular meeting last night, following a fried oyster supper. His subject was
'Gettysburg.'"
Dec 27 NPA: "Ernest and Ida Tonsing, who attend K.U., are linotype operators on a
Lawrence newspaper after school hours."
NPA: "One of the Christmas gatherings in Springfield, Ohio, was an 'Atchison party
given by the Rev. and Mrs. P.L. Mellenbruck the night of December 16, at their
home in Springfield."

1930 Jan 3 Paul is sixty years old.

Jan 7 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing recently celebrated his sixtieth birthday."
Jan 22 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: 'I was surprised when I heard King George. He used the
American language. There was no English brogue.'"
Jan 24 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: 'I'm inclined to believe that the best cook in Northern Kansas
is Aunt Mollie Zimmerman who lives north and east of Bendena. She is 79 years
of age and was in Lawrence during the famous raids and she vividly recalls those
raids.'"
Jan 25 NPA: "A copy of an old handbill advertising The Ida,' the ferryboat operated by W. L.
Challiss on the Missouri river between Atchison and East Atchison in the early days
has been received by J.M. Challiss...Kansas Historical society at Topeka."
Jan 27 NPA: "Ernest and Ida Tonsing will arrive Wednesday to spend the mid-summer
vacation. They are students at K.U."
Jan 29 NPA: "John Reinhard is trying to sell his reducing machine to P.G. Tonsing.
Negotiations are slow."
Jan 30 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: 'I don't want John Reinhard's reducing machine. There's
nothing wrong with my shape. And I can outrun Jon Reinhard any day.'"
Feb 3 NPA: "Paul Tonsing: That was a good speech that Carl Brown made at the
Methodist church last night.'" Carl Brown was affectionately known as Of Snort and
related to everyone in town.
NPA: "Ernest and Ida Tonsing left today for Lawrence where they are attending
school after spending the semester vacation in Atchison."
Mar 13 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing is an early riser. Six mornings of the week he gets up around
four o'clock."

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Mar 24 NPA: "Paul Tonsing has never been sick but once. He had the flu during the big
epidemic in 1918."
Mar 28 Orpah and Pearl have a daughter, Martha Kathryn Mellenbruch.
Apr 3 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing... was elected president of the southwest region of the
American Lutheran students' association at the regional convention at Blair, Neb."
Apr 4 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing's suspenders are twisted."
May 24 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: Thursday night Mrs. Tonsing and I drove to Kansas City, and
coming home at 11 p.m., we passed only three cars on the road from Leavenworth
to Atchison."'
NPA: "Mrs. Charles Bennett and Mrs. Blanche Dekker of Los Angeles, Calif., are
expected in Atchison tomorrow to make a short visit at the P.G. Tonsing
home...enroute to their summer home in Evans Lake, Mich., which is 70 miles north
of Toledo, O."
Jun 6 NPA: "Miss Ida Tonsing, who has been attending the University of Kansas, returned
home last night to spend the summer."
Jun 9 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing of Lawrence spent yesterday with his parents... Ernest is
working in a newspaper office as linotype operator. He will go to Wichita to work in
a few weeks."
NPA: "The teachers and officers of St. Mark's Lutheran Sunday school will have a
picnic tomorrow night at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing."
Jun 10 NPA: "Harres C. Martin has resigned his position as bookkeeper at the Hixon
lumber yard."
Jun 23 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing visited his parents... yesterday. Ernest is substituting for
vacationing linotypists in different newspaper composing rooms throughout the
state. Last week he was in Baldwin, this week his job will be in Lawrence, and next
week, he will be in Wichita."
Jul 22 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Bob Tonsing of Wichita will arrive tomorrow to visit his parents.
Bob is a telegraph editor on the Wichita Eagle."
NPA: "P.G. Tonsing is able to be at his work. He was quite ill several days ago."
NPA: "P.G. Tonsing, printer, received his free straw hat yesterday. Every year a
certain hat manufacturing company gives away from 3,000 to 5,000 straw hats to
any man wearing size No. 8 hat. This is Mr. Tonsing's second hat from this
company."
Aug 4 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing who has been working in Lawrence has returned to his
home."
Aug 28 NPA: "Dr. and Mrs. G.P. Elder, who are both right-handed, are the parents of three
left-handed children. Across the alley from them are Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing,
who are also right-handed but who have three 'south-paw' children."
NPA: "Ernest Tonsing will go to Lawrence September 14 to complete his senior ye
at K. U. He is majoring in English. His twin, Mis Ida Tonsing, will not return to the
university, but will remain at home this winter."
" " NPA: "P.G. Tonsing will take charge of the Rev. Robert Gaston's Lutheran church
in Ottawa September 20 and 27."
NPA: "Ernest Tonsing, regional president of the Lutheran Students' association of
Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa, will attend the national council
of the association in Chicago September 2, 3, 4."

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 NPA: "The Rev. and Mrs. P.L. Mellenbruch and four daughters of Springfield, O.,
who have been visiting Mrs. Mellenbruch's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing, for
the last week, will leave tomorrow for Hiawatha, and from there they will go to
Topeka to visit his family. Mr. Mellenbruch is a professor in Wittenberg college in
Springfield."
Sep 8 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing was elected corresponding secretary of the National Lutheran
Students council last week."
Sep 11 NPA: "The Rev. P.G. Tonsing will substitute in the Lutheran church in Ottawa
September 21 and 28."
Sep 12 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing has returned to Lawrence to continue his studies at K. U."
Sep 14 Luther and Mary's son, John M. Tonsing, is ten years old.
Sep 20 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing drove to Ottawa yesterday where Mr. Tonsing
substituted for the Rev. Robert Gaston."
NPA: "Mrs. W. L. Gale will entertain St. Mark's Missionary society Thursday
afternoon with Mrs. Paul Tonsing in charge of the program."
Sep 24 NPA: "Edwin S. Earhart, 68, father of Amelia Earhart, first woman trans-Atlantic flier,
died yesterday morning at Los Angeles after an illness of more than eight months."
Oct 6 NPA: "Misses Ida Tonsing and Lucille Davenport spent the week-end in Lawrence."
Oct 11 Evan and Bess have a daughter, llola Virginia Tonsing. The baby's first name given
in the newspaper article was llola and the article said the name was given to honor
the baby's two aunts, Miss Ida Tonsing of Atchison and Miss Lola Moyer of
Nortonville.
Oct 27 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing and Miss Ida and Junior Tonsing, drove to
Lawrence yesterday to visit their son, Ernest, a K.U. student."
Oct 29 NPA: "When the late ex-governor, John A. Martin, was in the Civil war, he wrote of
his experiences to his sister, the late Mrs. Henry T. Smith, wife of the well known
early-day grocer in Atchison. Previous to her death, she gave 104 of the letters to
her niece, Mrs. Paul Tonsing, who in turn handed them over to her brother, Paul
Martin, of Lansing Mich., together with some tintypes and daguerrotypes, from
which cuts will be made. The letters and cuts will be printed in book form for
members of the family."
Dec 13 NPA: "Gene Tonsing, son of Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing of Riverview drive, is
practical from head to foot. The other day he asked his mother for some money to
get his six-weeks old sister a Christmas present. When told he could buy her
'anything but a gun,' Gene left his home, bound for down town and deep in
concentration. The large bundle in his arms when he returned home got the best
of Mrs. Tonsing, so she politely asked Gene what he had bought. He promised that
if she wouldn't tell Virginia, the baby, he would let his mother peek. Knots were
untied and the heavy paper was torn off, to reveal the gift - an ironing board! Not
many brothers are that thoughtful!"
Dec 17 NPA: "Dr. P. L. Mellenbruch of the faculty of Whittenberg College has written a book
of 300 pages on The Doctrines of Christianity. Dr. Mellenbruch is director of the
child study clinic at Wittenburg College and assistant professor of psychology."

1931 Jan 8 Robert and Helen have a son, Robert Lowe Tonsing, in Wichita, Kansas. Little
Helen is three.

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Jan 10 Evan Tonsing, member of the Atchison male quartet sang Sunday night at the
Methodist church.
Jan 30 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: 'Adam may have been an Indian. Anyway, Adam as a word
means red dirt.'"
NPA: "Ernest Tonsing is here from K. U. He eventually will study for the ministry."
Feb 2 Ida Tonsing marries Paul Benjamin Denton of Denton, Kansas. Ida is 22 and Paul,
the youngest of six children, is 20. Rev. Paul Tonsing performs the ceremony in
Atchison. Paul Denton's father, Robert Edward Denton of Denton, Kansas, died
Jan. 5 of this year.
Feb 7 NPA: "Marries: Amelia Earhart. Native of Atchison, Miss Earhart later attained
fame as an ocean flier.28 She was married today to G. P. Putnam, New York
Publisher."
Feb 8 NPA: Wedding. "Last Monday at noon, Miss Ida Tonsing and Mr. Paul Denton of
Denton. .Only immediate families were present at the church where Rev. Paul
Tonsing, father of the bride officiated at the ceremony. Immediately after a dinner
for the Wedding party at the Byram, the happy couple left for their apartment, 1323
Ky., at Lawrence, where both are students. Congratulations and sincerest well
wishes."
Feb 12 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: 'I have five married children and ten grandchildren. And yet
I'm just a young feller.'"
Feb 26 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing has gone to Manhattan to preside at the convention of the
Missouri Valley Association of the Lutheran students' council of which he is
president. The convention will be held tomorrow and Saturday. He will be
accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton."
Mar 11 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: 'I believe I started the first community church in Kansas. In
1897 when I was pastor of a Lutheran church at Beloit, Scottsville, 14 miles from
there , had no church services for a year. The only church building was owned
jointly by the Baptists and Methodists. A number of young men had been creating
disturbances at the meetings, but after a public showdown, they quietly left the
church. The boys had the habit of tying the girls' long braids to the backs of the
girls' chairs. The tormenters (sic) were seated behind the girls. I preached for them
for two and one-half years and was never treated finer in my life. All the different
denominations participated in the services.' The Rev. Paul Tonsing will supply at
two Lutheran churches Easter Sunday: One church in Greenleaf and one six miles
from Greenleaf. He will preach at one church at 9:30 a.m. and the other at 11
o'clock a.m."
Apr 16 NPA: "We are sorry to say that a minister handed in this spring poem: 'Here's to the
memory of Johnny McGuire, who ran through town with his trousers on fire; he went
to the doctor and fainted with fright when the doctor told him his end was in sight.'"
May 16 NPA: "One of Atchison's finest women, Mrs. John A. Martin, North Terrace, will
celebrate her 80th birthday May 25. Two sisters of Mrs. Martin will be here for the
event. Mrs. Dora Bennett and Mrs. H.C. Liepsner, both of Los Angeles, Calif., plan
to arrive. Mrs. Clayton Steele of Strong City, Kas., and Mrs. George Mauck of
Oklahoma City, Okla., daughters of Mrs. Martin, will also be among the guests."

Amelia Earhart was declared lost at sea. Her date of death is entered as July 1, 1937.

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 May 18 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton and Mrs. Denton's twin brother, Ernest Tonsing,
drove up from Lawrence yesterday to spend the day with relatives."
May 25 NPA: "Mrs. Ida Challiss Martin, widow of John A. Martin, who was governor of
Kansas from 1884 to 1889, and was commanding officer of the Eighth Kansas
Infantry during the Civil war, celebrated her eightieth birthday in the big, brick house
on North Terrace, where her husband took her for a bride 61 years ago, and where
she lives with her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing." She has
lived in the state 73 years.
Jun 8 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton of Atchison spent a few days last week with his
mother, Mr. R. E. Denton, and family. They left Saturday for Lawrence."
Aug 12 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton have finished their summer course at Kansas
university and will come to Atchison Friday. They will return to the university in
September."
Sep 7 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing left this morning for Chicago, where he will enter the
Maywood Lutheran seminary. He will be the third young man from St. Mark's to
enter the Lutheran ministry."
Sep 8 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. P. G. Tonsing were married 38 years ago yesterday. They
have reared a large family of children; and all of those children are well behaved
and industrious. P. G. Tonsing has done this remarkable thing: He taught all of his
children how to operate the linotype machine, and as a result they were able to pay
for their education. Several of them are college graduates and earned their way
through college by operating linotype machines."
NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing were hosts to a picnic dinner on Guerrier hill las
night in honor of the 38th wedding anniversary of Mr. Tonsing's parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Paul Tonsing. Other guests were Jimmy and llola Virginia Tonsing, children
of Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing and two children of
Wichita, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton of Lawrence and Junior Tonsing." Junior
Tonsing is fourteen.
Oct. 26 Ruth M. Tonsing is overseeing the packing of gifts of canned goods, fruits,
vegetables and other provisions for Tabitha Home.
Nov 2 NPA: "....Mrs. P. L. Mellenbruch, had undergone a major operation in a Springfield
hospital. Today word was received that she was making a splendid recovery."
NPA: "Evan Tonsing's little daughter, Virginia, is walking."
Dec 19 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing and Gene Harrison, students at a theological seminary in
Chicago, came home this morning to spend Christmas in Atchison."
NPA: "Mrs. Paul Denton... and Mr. Denton from Lawrence are here to spend the
holidays with the Tonsings."
Dec 30 NPA: "Miss Dorothy Peterson of Salina is a guest at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Evan
Tonsing."

1932 Jan 30 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing is another man who sobs at moving picture shows."
Mar 3 Junior (Paul Martin)Tonsing is 15 years old.
Mar 21 NPA: "No truth in the report that P.G. Tonsing will take up tap dancing."
Mar 22 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton of Lawrence will be here for Easter vacation."
Apr 18 NPA: "The Brotherhood has postponed its meeting with the men of the First church
at St. Joe scheduled for Monday evening because of the illness of Evan Tonsing,
director of the chorus."

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 NPA: "Abe Tonsing is able to be downtown." Abe is Evan.
May 18 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bennett and Mrs. H. P. Liepsner of Los Angeles will be
guests of Mrs. John A. Martin next Wednesday...sisters of Mrs. Martin. The party
will be enroute to Evans Lake, Mich., for the summer."
May 21 NPA: "Amelia Earhart Putnam in a telephone conversation from Londonderry,
Ireland, with her husband late today said she flew most of the way across the
Atlantic 'right on top of the water.' She had engine trouble, she told him and
decided she would 'rather drown than burn.'"
May 24 NPA: "Mrs. Grace Mauck of Oklahoma City is here visiting her mother... and sister.
Several of Mrs. Martin's sisters from California will be here for the event tomorrow."
May 25 NPA: "Today is Mrs. John A. Martin's 81 st birthday and a mighty fine woman she is.
Early this morning friends began paying their respects and have continued doing so
through the day."
May 28 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing went to Salina today to attend commencement exercises at
Kansas Wesleyan college."
Jun 8 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Denton... was graduated Monday night from Kansas university.
The next day after her graduation she began a special course of study at the
university. Her husband is taking a law course at the university and will attend the
summer school there. Mrs. Denton's brother, Ernest Tonsing, who attended the
Lutheran Seminary in Chicago this year, will take a special course at the university
this summer."
Jun 11 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. P.G. Tonsing are visiting their son, Bob, in Wichita."
Jun 15 NPA: "A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Harres Martin yesterday... A name has
not yet been chosen. Harres is a son of Mrs. John A. Martin and has a position with
the Commerce Trust Co."
Jul 4 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton and Ernest Tonsing spent Sunday and the Fourth
with ...Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing...she and Ernest are the Tonsing twins their
father used to haul around on his bicycle."
Jul 6 NPA: "Dorothy Peterson has returned to Salina, where she attends summer school
after a visit over Sunday and the Fourth with Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing."
Aug 6 NPA: "Rev. Paul (sic) L. Mellenbruch... was called to the pastorate of the Third
Lutheran Church of Springfield." He has a manuscript ready for a book, An
Introduction of Clinical Psychology.
A terrific hailstorm hits Atchison and all the window panes in the south side of the
home are broken.
Aug 12 NPA: "Jimmy Tonsing takes his dad, Evan Tonsing, at his word. The Tonsing family
are vacationing at Estes Park and enroute, Mr. Tonsing complained of the great
number of road hogs. Jimmy was silent for a while, then asked his father to stop at
the next town and get a small wooden box. When asked 'why,' Jimmy answered,
T o catch one of those road hogs and take it home to show the kids.'"
Aug 25 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing of Wichita will arrive next week to visit his
parents."
NPA: "Ernest Tonsing is attending to heart interests at Falun, Kansas."
Aug 29 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing, who attends the Maywood Lutheran Seminary at Chicago,
will preach at the morning service next Sunday. He returned to Atchison yesterday
after a vacation spent in Colorado and western Kansas."
NPA: "Jimmy Tonsing will part with his tonsils and adenoids tomorrow."

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 Aug 30 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: 'For years I have taken my sons to the Kansas City slums to
show them how the other half of the world lives. Recently I visited those slums -
from 7 to 9 o'clock in the evening - and didn't see as many as one drunk man.'"
Aug 31 NPA: "Gene Tonsing, whose tonsils and adenoids were removed yesterday morning
in a local doctor's office, is getting along nicely. He is at home."
Sep 5 NPA: "Miss Dorothy Peterson of Salina is a guest at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Evan
Tonsing."
NPA: "Mrs. John A. Martin was wheeled down town in her wheel chair yesterday b
Paul Tonsing, and was amazed at the changes on Commercial street. This was
her first trip down in three years. She thinks the arrangement of the city market
perfect and says Atchison looks its very best now."
NPA: "Ernest Tonsing, who is studying for the Lutheran ministry at the Maywood
seminary at Chicago, preached yesterday morning at St. Mark's and delivered a
very interesting sermon. He will go to Chicago next week, to resume his studies."
Sep 7 NPA: "This is the 39th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. P.G. Tonsing... Mr.
Tonsing told this reporter that the 39 years seemed like nine to him."
Sep 17 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton, who have been spending part of the summer at
the home of Mrs. Denton's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing, returned yesterday
to Lawrence, where they are students at the Kansas university. Mr. Denton has two
more years in the law school, and Mrs. Denton is striving for an M. A. degree."
Sep 20 Robert L. Tonsing is thirty years old.
Oct 25 NPA: "Paul A. Martin... is here for a few days visiting his mother."
Oct 29 NPA: "Mrs. John A. Martin became suddenly ill early this afternoon at her home...
she is unable to see visitors."
Nov 2 Ida Challiss Martin, Ruth Tonsing's mother, dies in Atchison, Kansas, four days afte
a stroke, says an article in the Atchison Globe.
Nov 5 NPA: "Bob Tonsing returned to Wichita last night."
Dec 2 NPA: "Helen Louise, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing of Wichita, is in the
St. Francis hospital at Wichita, in a critical condition with pneumonia."
Dec 15 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing recently lost his pants twice within two hours."
Dec 16 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing: 'Old Snort is constantly referring to my pants. Well, they are
man-sized and won't fit him."'
Dec 24 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton of Lawrence will spend Christmas with her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing."
Maria 'Mina' Challiss Donald, sister of Ida C. Martin, dies in Los Angeles, California

1933 Jan 2 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing returned today to Chicago, where he attends the Maywood
Lutheran seminary."
Jan 11 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing is still on a diet, has lost 25 pounds and still weighs 293
pounds."
Jan 18 Paul's elder brother, William Henry Tonsing dies at age 69 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga
County, Ohio. He would have been 70 in March, had he survived. He left his widow
Caroline 'Lena' Brecht Tonsing, and three daughters, Julia Tonsing, Dorothy
Tonsing Lineker and Clara Tonsing Luthier. He had lived at 654 East 125th Street.
Jan 20 NpA: "This is hard to believe, but we knew P.G. Tonsing when he played a pretty
good game of tennis."

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 William Tonsing was buried in South Euclid, Ohio, in St. John's Cemetery. He had
been a steel plant foreman and was still serving as an inspector.
Jan 30 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton of Lawrence will be here the latter part of the week
to visit at the P.G. Tonsing home."
Feb 23 NPA: "Forty-seven years ago this coming Saturday, P.G. Tonsing, printer, came to
Atchison from Cleveland, O."
May 1 NPA: "Mrs. P.G. Tonsing is visiting her son, Robert, in Wichita."
NPA: "Mrs. Paul Tonsing is in Wichita visiting her son, Robert, and family, but the
St. Mark's church Women's Foreign Missionary society yesterday received her
report as a delegate to the state W.F.M. convention at Topeka. The report was sent
to Mr. Tonsing, who printed it in an attractive pamphlet, which was distributed to the
members of the society at the meeting yesterday."
NPA: "P.G. Tonsing has gained six pounds since Mrs. Tonsing has been visiting
in Wichita."
May 3 Paul's wife, Ruth Martin, is sixty years old.
May 6 Orpah and Pad's daughter, Marjorie, is ten years old.
May 16 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Tonsing of Atchison will return to her home today after spending
three weeks with her son...at 1005 Hendryx" in Wichita, Kansas.
May 17 Gov. John A. Martin was elected to the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame at the
University of Kansas.
May 24 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing was sitting in the kitchen of his home yesterday, when a big
snake stuck its head up through a hole in the floor. Mr. Tonsing didn't move but
calmly asked his wife to get the hoe. Armed with the hoe, Mr. Tonsing killed the
snake. Tarzan isn't the only brave man in a crisis." This story, of course, is one
fabricated by 'Ol Snort.
Jun 13 NPA: "Among the thousand persons who were graduated from Kansas university
last night were Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton and Ernest Tonsing...Paul Denton will
study law in the university this summer, preparatory to taking up law. Mrs. Denton
will study music in the university. Ernest Tonsing is a 'theolog.' The last year he
studied in Mayhood seminary in Chicago but continued his studies in Kansas
university by mail. He will resume his studies in Mayhood seminary next fall. He will
eventually become a Lutheran minister."
Jun 26 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Denton sprained her ankle in a fall yesterday."
Jul 3 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing is here from Chapman, Kas., visiting his parents."
NPA: "Miss Dorothy Peterson of Falun, Kas., is a guest at the home of Mr. and Mrs
Evan Tonsing."
Jul 5 NPA: "The bicycle was a familiar sight in Atchison during the nineties and was a
glorified feature in one of the Atchison Corn Carnival flower parades. It belonged
to Paul Tonsing and the Tonsing twins, looking adorable, rode in a floral box
fastened to the bicycle. The twins, Ernest and Ida, now Mrs. Paul Denton, were two
or three years old at the time. There were eight children in the Tonsing family.
Ernest and Ida were the babies and in order to get them out of the way of their
mother when she was getting the others off to Sunday school, their father fixed a
box on his bicycle and every Sunday morning put the twins in the box and took them
up and down the streets and through the parks."
Jul 6 NPA: "Another big crowd last night heard the free band concert at the stand on the
city's downtown lots... quartet composed of Evan Tonsing" and others, and

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 "sponsored by the Atchison Chamber of Commerce and there will be three more of
them on successive Wednesday evenings."
Jul 15 NPA: "The first store opened in Atchison was 45x100 feet in size and carried a
complete line of groceries, meats, notions, dry goods, etc. and advertised as
carrying 'such an assortment as was never offered for sale in the upper country.'
It was opened by Luther C. Challiss in 1853."
Jul 17 NPA: "Rev. Paul Tonsing will supply Rev. Wheeler's pulpit during his absence."
Jul 22 NPA: "Paul Tonsing was buying a carp. He said his wife could cook a carp in a
way that would make a bass envious."
Aug 1 NPA: "The Rev. and Mrs. Pearl Mellenbruck of Springfield, O., will arrive this month
to spend two weeks with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing."
Aug 4 NPA: "A.B. Zimmerman: 'When he wears a clerical robe, P.G. Tonsing looks
exactly like the pictures of Martin Luther."
Aug 13 Caroline and Henry Voelzow's son, Rudolph 'Ralph,' dies at age 44 in Ohio. He
leaves a widow, Anna Hutflies Voelzow, a daughter and two sons (no documented
information about the children).
Aug 15 NPA: "The Rev. and Mrs. P.L. Mellenbruck of Springfield, O., and four daughters,
who are visiting her parents...will leave tomorrow morning for Lawrence to visit her
sister, Mrs. Paul Denton; then go to Topeka to spend several days with Mr.
Mellenbruck's parents, and then go to Wichita to visit at the Robert Tonsing home
before returning to Springfield, where he is pastor of the large First Lutheran
church."
Aug 26 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton of Lawrence are spending two weeks with her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing."
NPA: "Ernest Tonsing will return next week from Chapman, Kas., where he
substituted in the Lutheran Church. Ernie will be graduated from the Maywood
seminary, Chicago, next June."
Aug 28 NPA: "The Rev. Paul Tonsing preached at St. Mark's yesterday, in the absence of
Mr. Wheeler."
NPA: "Paul Denton has been employed as a new butcher in the United Stores."
Sep 8 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tonsing celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary
yesterday. The Tonsings are fine people and have a splendid family."
NPA: 'Abe' Tonsing left this evening for C. to see the w.f. W.F. means the World's
Fair; 'C meant the city of Chicago, Illinois, and Abe was Evan Tonsing.
Sep 11 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing will return Wednesday from Chicago."
NPA:"... Ernest Tonsing...conducted the service yesterday morning, Mr. Tonsing'
preaching a splendidly practical sermon from the Gospel lesson on The Good
Samaritan.' He left later in the day for Chicago where he will complete next spring
his studies for the ministry at the Maywood seminary."
Sep 13 NPA: "Little Virginia Tonsing, two-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing
of Atchison, is staying here at the home of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence
Moyer, while her parents and brother are in Chicago."
Sep 14 NPA: "Abe Tonsing: The most marvelous thing I saw at the World's fair was the
television demonstration."'
Oct 1 Virginia Ann Martin was born to Harres and Thelma Wilson Martin in Atchison.
They now have two sons and two daughters. Harres also has a son, John
Alexander Martin, born Apr. 16, 1917 to him and his first wife, Louise Dodd.

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 Oct 17 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tonsing of Wichita are guests of his parents. They have
been touring the east." They left for their home on Oct. 19th.
Dec 15 Evan and Bess' son, Evan (Jimmy) is ten years old.
Dec 26 NPA: "Miss Dorothy Peterson of Falun, Kas., is visiting Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing."
NPA: "Ernest Tonsing's legs are getting longer and longer."
Dec 29 NPA: "Members of the St. Mark's Lutheran church chorus choir were guests at a
Christmas party last night at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing."

1934 Feb 20 Ida and Paul Denton have a son, Paul Ernest 'Skeets' Denton, born in Lawrence,
Kansas.
Ernest Tonsing graduates from Maywood Lutheran seminary in Chicago.
Feb 21 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Tonsing has gone to Lawrence to spend two weeks with her
daughter, Mrs. Paul Denton."
Mar 9 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Tonsing returned last night from Lawrence where she visited her
daughter, Mrs. Paul Denton."
NPA: "Do you remember when P.G. Tonsing was editor of 'The Church Visitor?'
Them was the days!"
Mar 16 NPA: "Paul Tonsing: The Globe wants to know if there is anyone in Atchison who
once wore homespun clothing. I not only wore them, but spun the wool to make
them. I also used to wear wooden shoes.'"
Apr 2 NPA: "Paul Ernest, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton of Lawrence, was one
of the 25 babies baptized at special services yesterday afternoon at the Lutheran
church at Lawrence, by the Rev. Charles Puis, pastor."
Apr 6 NPA: "The missionary society of St. Mark's Lutheran church met at the home of
Mrs. Evan Tonsing.. yesterday afternoon... Mrs. Tonsing was assisted in serving by
her daughter, Virginia, and by her mother, Mrs. Paul Tonsing."
Apr 11 NPA: St. Joe Gazette: "Ernest Tonsing, whose home town is Atchison, Kas., was
in Chicago Friday night, where he attends Maywood Lutheran Seminary. It was
imperative that he be in St. Joseph yesterday, for he was to be licensed as a
preacher at the Lutheran synod meeting at the First English Lutheran church. His
funds were scarce, a situation not unusual for a theological student who is working
his way through seminary. But the lack of funds failed to daunt him. He got here,
and in plenty of time. He left Chicago Saturday morning and traveled continuously -
when he wasn't waiting for a ride - and he got in St. Joseph Monday night. For the
most part, he said, persons who gave him lifts were nice to him, although several
times he was asked if he was carrying a gun. Two men in a car became rather
insistent that he have a drink with them but offered him no more when he explained
he was a ministerial student. Tonsing is a son of the Rev. Paul G. Tonsing, retired
minister, and Mrs. Tonsing of Atchison, and is a grandson of John A. Martin, who
was governor of Kansas from 1884-88. He is a former student of St. Benedict's
college at Atchison and was graduated from the University of Kansas in 1930.
While in high school in Atchison, he was a member of the Kansas state
championship debating team. He and Max Gilmer of Wilber, Neb., a student of
Western Theological seminary at Fremont, Neb., were licensed at services last night
at the First English Lutheran church. Relatives who came to St. Joseph for the
services included his father and mother, and three brothers, Evan and Junior
Tonsing of Atchison and Robert of Wichita."

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May 7 NPA: "Sickness in Harres Martin home: The two boys have measles, and the two
girls have chicken pox."
May 8 NPA: "The Rev. Ernest Tonsing will speak before the Fellowship club this evening.
His subject will be relative to the wild bird life of this vicinity."
" " NPA: "The Rev. Ernest Tonsing: 'I have no job.'"
May 9 NPA: "The Rev. Ernest Tonsing proved to the Fellowship club last evening in a very
interesting address, that he knows his wild birds... Studying bird life is a hobby with
'Ernie.' In his talk he touched on the more important habits, the songs, the colorings
and peculiarities of the birds of this vicinity. He showed colored pictures of each
bird to make his explanation as clear as possible and also played a phonograph
record of wild bird songs."
May 28 NPA: "The Rev. Dr. Paul L. Mellenbruch, pastor of the Third Lutheran church, has
been invited to lecture before missionary groups in central China during July and
August by the Central China Missionary Convention. He has been granted a four-
month leave of absence by his church and will leave Springfield with his wife, June
4, for San Francisco, sailing from there for Shanghai June 25."
Jun 7 NPA: "The Rev. Pearl Mellenbruch, Springfield, O., and Mrs. Mellenbruch and their
four daughters are here visiting at the home of her parents and Mrs. Paul Tonsing.
The children will remain here and with relatives in Topeka while Mr. and Mrs.
Mellenbruch go to China."
Jun 25 NPA: "The Rev. and Mrs. P.L. Mellenbruck... sailed today from San Francisco for
China."
Jul 16 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing preached at the First English Lutheran church in St. Joe
yesterday."
Jul 18 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Tonsing received a letter from her daughter, Mrs. P.L. Mellenbruch
yesterday telling her of her safe arrival in Honolulu."
Jul 30 NPA: "Marjorie and Esther Mellenbruch of Springfield, 0., who have been spending
the past two months with relatives in Topeka, came to Atchison yesterday to spend
the rest of the summer at the home of their uncle, Evan Tonsing."
Aug 6 NPA: "The Rev. Ernest Tonsing preaches a good sermon - and short."
Aug 7 NPA: "Paul Denton is reading law in the Waggener law office. He will resume his
law studies at K.U. next fall."
Aug 24 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Paul Denton will live at the home of Mrs. Denton's brother, Evan
Tonsing, while the Tonsing family is vacationing in the north. They will leave
Saturday morning for Chicago to attend the fair."
Aug 30 NPA: "P.G. Tonsing's new city directory is being distributed today. It is a very
creditable directory. It is well printed, and the contents are complete."
NPA: "P.G. Tonsing's new city directory is a dandy."
Sep 3 NPA: "The Rev. and Mrs. Pearl Mellenbruch's four children will enter the Atchison
schools tomorrow. They are staying with their grandparents... while their parents are
in China."
Sep 4 NPA: "The Rev. Ernest Tonsing: 'Birds have a great variety of eye coloring,
including black, brown, gray, blue, green, red, orange and white."
NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Evan Tonsing have returned from Chicago."
NPA: "Abe Tonsing will get back into harness next Monday."
Sep 8 NPA: "Yesterday was the forty-first wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. P.G.
Tonsing. They live in the house in which they were married and in which Mrs.

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 Tonsing was born. They have eleven grandchildren, and nine of the grandchildren
were their guests yesterday."
Oct 5 NPA: "The Rev. P.L. Mellenbruch of Springfield, O., who has been in China this
summer speaking at Protestant missions, will give an address at St. Mark's
Lutheran church Sunday night, concerning his trip."
Oct 21 Evan W. Tonsing is forty years old.
Oct 26 NPA: "The Rev. Ernest Tonsing...will preach Sundays at the Valley Falls Lutheran
church."
Nov 19 Valley Falls Lutheran church had a sacred concert presented by the 24 voice chorus
choir of St. Mark's Lutheran church of Atchison. Evan Tonsing was one of the
tenors.
Nov 23 NPA: "The Rev. Paul Tonsing, former local Lutheran pastor, wife and sons, Junior
and Rev. Ernest Tonsing, pastor of the Lutheran church, were entertained at dinner
Sunday."*
Nov 30 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing was in Salina eating turkey yesterday."
Dec 7 The Women's Missionary Society elected Mrs. Paul Tonsing vice president. She
gave the lesson, Oriental Students in America.
Dec 15 NPA: "Paul Tonsing and Bill Eiche are matched for the next walking contest."

1935 Jan 8 NPA: "Virginia Tonsing is able to be out after eight weeks of whooping cough."
Jan 12 NPA: "Amelia Earhart Putnam, ocean conquering flier, flashed into Oakland late
today to complete the first solo flight ever made between Hawaii and California."
Feb 20 Ida and Paul Denton's son, Paul Ernest, is one year old.
Mar 3 Paul Martin Tonsing is nineteen years old.
Mar 28 Martha K., daughter of Orpah and Pari Mellenbruch, is five years old.
Apr 4 NPA: "Paul Denton has entered the insurance business here."
Apr 9 Helen Louise Tonsing, daughter of Robert and Helen, is eight years old.
Apr 30 NPA: "Mrs. Paul Tonsing, who is attending a Lutheran meeting at Tulsa, will visit
Strong City and Wichita for three weeks."
May 3 Ruth, Paul's wife, is 62 years old.
May 6 Marjorie Mellenbruch, Orpah and Parl's daughter, is twelve years old.
May 13 NPA: "Ernest Tonsing... received a call to become resident pastor of that church,
the call to become effective later in the summer."
May 15 NPA: "Mr. and Mrs. Fred Peterson of Falun, Kas., have announced the engagement
of their daughter, Miss Dorothy Peterson, to the Rev. Ernest Tonsing of Atchison."
Jun 1 Ernest marries Dorothy Louise Peterson in Falun, Kansas, near Salina. The
ceremony is read by Rev. Ernest Pihiblad, president of Bethany college, and Rev.
Paul Tonsing, father of the groom. The groom will soon become pastor of St. Paul
Lutheran church at Valley Falls, Kansas. 'Junior' (Paul M. Tonsing) spoke of
remembering his nephew, Paul E. Denton "Skeets", taking his first steps while he
was taking care of him during the wedding.
Jun 4 NPA: "The Rev. and Mrs. Ernest Tonsing are now in Estes Park, Colo."
Jun 10 Marguerite Tonsing, daughter of Luther and Mary, is eleven years old.
Jul 7 The twins, Ida Tonsing Denton and Ernest Tonsing, are twenty-seven years old.
Aug 17 Lgther Tonsing is 38 years old.
Sep 20 Robert L. Tonsing is 33 years old.
Oct 11 Virginia Tonsing, daughter of Evan and Bess, is five years old.

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 Oct 21 Evan Tonsing is 41 years old.
Sep 7 It is the forty-second wedding anniversary of Paul and Ruth Tonsing..
Sep 14 Esther Mellenbruch, Orpah and Pad's daughter, is eight years old.
it ii
John M. Tonsing, Luther and Mary's son, is fifteen years old.
Sep 19 Ruth M. Mellenbruch, Orpah and Pad's daughter, is seventeen years old.
Dec 15 Evan E. 'Jimmy' Tonsing, Bess and Evan's son, is twelve years old.

1936 Jan 3 Paul Tonsing is 66 years old.

Jan 8 Orpah Tonsing, Ruth and Paul's first child, is forty years old.
it ii
Robert Tonsing, Jr., son of Robert and Helen, is five years old.
Feb 27 Last day Paul G. Tonsing worked in his office.
Mar 1 Paul Tonsing, age 66, dies at his home in Atchison, Kansas, from complications
following an abscessed ear. All of his siblings have predeceased him, although two,
born earlier than he was, lived to age 68 and age 69.
Mar 3 Paul Tonsing is buried in Mt. Vernon Cemetery in Atchison, Kansas. This day is
also his youngest son's birthday (Paul M. Tonsing). He is nineteen years old.

This chronology was gathered from family knowledge, family genealogical data, newspaper clippings in scrapbooks, oral
history statements, Internet data and information from other sources such as:
William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, taken from the Internet;
Zornow's KANSAS, A History of the Jayhawk State, University of Oklahoma Press in 1954;
Kansas - A Land of Contrasts by Robert W. Richmond (Kansas State Historical Society), 2nd ed., published in 1980
by the Forum Press, Inc. in Arlington Heights, Illinois;
Story of the Midwest Synod; U.L.C.A; 1890-1950. Privately printed by the Midwest Synod through their Committee
of History after authorization in 1948;
Letters from Ruth Martin Tonsing to various family members.

When the source is NPA (newspaper article), I have either the original piece of paper that has been pasted into a scrapbook
or a legible copy. The name or date of the source newspaper or item may not have been included with the information and
in that case, had to be deduced from surrounding articles. I have used quotation marks when entering the exact wording
of the article and only bracketed comments are not part of the original data. Spelling of family names may vary, according
to the printed material, but I have left each word as it was printed unless the name could not be recognized.

When family genealogical materials are the source, I have the book in which the data was printed or enough supporting data
to be confident the information is probably correct. Naturally, at times the printed information was known by me to be
incorrect and was changed. Oral history statements are always subject to errors. This Time Line is an on-going work that
I began September 27, 2001, and of course, every effort has been made to ensure accuracy. I'll be happy to correct any
errors. Dorothy J. Linn

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