Toensing lists his birth year as 1882. The Minnesota Journal of the Senate, April 7, 1955, p. 1436 lists 1881. Massachusetts, Birth Records, 1840-1915 lists that he was born in Ashfield (near Northampton) on September 11, 1882.
He was born near Northampton. His family moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota while he was young. He moved to Staples, Minnesota in 1907.
He was President and a founder of the Staples Rotary Club. He was also a member of the Staples Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Wadena Chapter of Royal Masons, Wadena Knights Templar, Scottish Rite Bodies of St. Paul, Zurah Temple of Shrine Minneapolis, Royal League, and Knights of Pythias.
He died in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Religion provided by his Senate Memorial.