Paul Gerhardt Tonsing

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To write an autobiography, however short presupposes that you have had a life unusual in some particular way. while I cannot alarm any except a hum-drum existence, yet there are periods of my life, which, I think, have something of special interest to my children and grand-chrildren. My days of leisure in in a hospital suggested to me, the beginning of this unimportant yet perhaps interesting narrative, interesting perhaps to only e very small circle. I am told that my birth took place at 40 Eurton street, Cleveland, Ohio, Jan, 3, 1870. I8m glad it was this year as it has always been easy to calculate from a n 0 year. My father was Ernst Tonsing who came from Hanover, Germany, 18 x He died when I was 3 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* times. The only recollection I have of him is the riding to the cemetiry* in a closed hack. This one event alone is indellibly stamped on my mindx in connection with my father. My mother was Anna Maria Walker. She also came from, Hanover, Germany. 18 x She married my father w whed 16 years of age. She bore himchrildren, boys and girls. Their names follow--

The twins died when the were but one year old with the cholera, six grew th miaturity, John who lived at 40 Burton St. until his death in 1919 from a parplytic stroke, dora (schvoeder) died aged in 19 of a paralytic stroke, Carrie boelzow who died of a paralytic stroke 19 x My mother was a widow 4 years. During this time she sint her Younger children to school while the older ones worked. Mother at first sewed vests for Stores and afterwards kept borders. She paid off the indebtedness on her home, improved and built a barn at the alley. The things I remember of those years are of course not chronologically related. I will tell of a few incidents as they occur to me x I w&nt to a parochial school 2 years, 1875-77, on Jersey street. A Mr. Arnold was teacher. He was a cousin of some kind. Hi gave me special attention, this made some of the boys jealous and got me a number of whippings . Mr. Arnold would hold my hand at the wteist, palm up and whip hard with a rjiler. My hand some times would swell and feel as if it were cracked in the middle. This man nevertheless thought so much of me that he wanted my mother to let him adopt me. I remember whin I was about 6 years old one of the boys was found with a paper of fine cut chewing tobacco in his pocket. Mr. Arnold sent me out to the toilet (out doors) with it to throw it away. Instead I hid it and after school I took it home, hid it in the barn and there is where Willie Rische i d I learned to chew like pirates. Mr. Arnold was a good instructor and I learned to read_ and write German we&l. Our school was let out at 3 to diet all get home before the free school(public school, and the catholic school closed for the day.) A series of disastrous fights proved the wisdom of this precautin tion. before this was done I remember of a broken arm, a busted head and other injuries-sustained in the fights The borders at home led me into all boinds of trouble. I remember one Sunday morning they sint me to Mr. Freese's grocery with a note. It to

give me all the beer I could drink and they would pay

for it. I was so drunk that I was away dJCf for a long time. My mother was told where I was and she ran down and found me Ibying in Freese's yard drunk, she took me home and tharshed me, not knowing that the borders should have been punished instead. I was about four when this occurred but I remember the whole incident well, one evening they taught me a very indecent prayer. I remember it will. Whin I went to bed I asked my mother if I couldn't say a neww preyer they had taubht me. she said, go ahead, when I was in the midst of it she yanked me up and spanked me good. I did not even know the meaning of the words. I could talk only German (patt dautch) until I was 5 years old and when I went to school I learned the book German(Hochdentsch). My unmarried sisters were always chasing me to kiss me. I would crawl under the bed and under the table when they had me cornered and fight them off. I remember ome occasion when I went to visit my sister Dora. I slid along the dirt street under a heavy wagon , letting my bare feet in the deep dust. A wheel ran over my right foot and I was laid up for some time. One of our borders was more kind and sympathetic than the others. His mame was Fred Buhrwiioter. He worked in some brass works and made me a fine brass top which I kipt for many years. I was about 4 years old at this time, also one of the borders gave me a triangle, which has been doing duty at chavivarees and amusing children for the last 47 years. At about 4 I wandered away from home and was lost. I was gone several days. The police of the entire city were looking for me and advertisements put in the paper. I was taken in by a saloonkeeper who kept me closely hidden in his house. He fed me all the beer and pretzels I could eat and drink. The back yard had a high board fence and so I was let out in this enclosure. A number (of) people in a wagon were making the most dismal noises with bells and sharte and I peaked through a hole in the fince. I saw Garhardt Jasper who was boarding at our house and others I knew and made my presence known. I was overjoyed to see them. I'm certain the saloonkeeper and his wife tried to kidnap me. Another incident I remember was whin Eddie Teckemeyer and I made a fire in the upstairs of our barn in some paint pots. We were playing some game.Whin the fire spreed we crawled under the new house Dresees were building near the alley and did not crawl out till .night. As far as I know my folks never knew how the fire started as this in the first time I ever told it. whin 5 I was niarly drownid. A larger boy of 17 coaxed me to fo on the ice on the mill pond in which my father was drowned. Unbeknown to him (the) ice had been cut and the water was slightly frozen over. I was sliding a little ahead of him when I plunges in. I distinctly remembero opening my eyes whin I was down in the water and seeing the sun. I came up twice and was caught by the hair by the young man who pulled me out. I lost consciousness" and remember their rolling me on the ice whin I came to. They carried me to freeses grocery and saloon where they had to thaw my clothes off before they put me to bed. They did not tell my mother till they were ready to send me home. I anticipated a glad welcome, but insteed my mother had a stout stick waiting in the corner by the door, and I sure got a good whaling, somehow I have never felt just right over the reception I received. One incident impressed me wiry distinctly, whin I was about 4 I wasnessed a strike in active operation. In the back yard of the sec second lot to the south of as was a shop. I often wint to see the men work. Once whin I went over only about half the old men, whom I knew, were at work. The rest were new. While I was. talking to

some of them a big crowd came and the doors were filled so I could not get out. The men out on strike had come back with clubs and attacked the new men. I crawled under a bench. One of the old men who knew mee pulled me out and put me through a window, and said, "run!" Did I ? I believe I did. When I was seven years and a half old a man came to visit us. My mother told me this was to be my new father and that we were to leave Cleveland in two days. The carpets were already taken up and they were boxing the dishe3, etc. I spent the two days sitting on a pile of rag carpets in the kitchen and crying my eyes out. when they wanted to start they had a time making me fo. I was promised a colt and that I could ride to and from the fields oflqthe horses, ^his mollified me somewhat. Whin we arrived at Oak Harbor my first remembrance was seeing a large bell on a high pole. I ren and rang it and the men came in 3/4 hr. toosoon for thair dinner. My mother being deaf did not hear the bell and the others were all out in the fields putting up hay I believe. After my poor mother had been in the country 3 weeks she took all the packing boxing she had brought and refilled them with her things. Whin she was about ready to leave step-dad plead so earnestly and vowed trociferansly he would quit his drinking that she again unpacked her boxes. Her widowhood had been so

This is where Paul Tonsing left off. It was writtaii after he was in the hospital for a while. It is writted in longhand with a pineal on tablet paper.

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