Petr Pavlovich Ershov (1815-1869) – poet, author of the fairy tale “The Little Humpbacked Horse, teacher.

Born on February 22 (March 6), 1815 in the village of Bezrukova, Ishim district, Tobolsk province (now the village of Ershovo) in the family of Pavel Alekseevich and Efimia Vasilievna (descended from the Tobolsk merchant family of the Pilenkovs). Subsequently, the Ershov family lived in Petropavlovsk, Omsk, Berezov. From 1825 to 1830 P. Ershov studied at the Tobolsk district school and the Tobolsk male gymnasium. In 1830 P. Ershov entered the Faculty of Philosophy and Law of St. Petersburg University, from which he graduated in 1834. From 1836 to 1869. lived in Tobolsk. He was a teacher of literature at the Tobolsk men’s gymnasium, and then an inspector (from 1844) and director of schools in the Tobolsk province (from 1857). During his directorship, 6 schools were opened in the province, including the first women’s school in Siberia. The tale “The Little Humpbacked Horse” by P.P. Ershov wrote in 1834 in St. Petersburg. A.S. Pushkin praised the fairy tale, saying: “Now I can leave this kind of compositions.” During the life of the author, it was published 7 times, enjoying constant popularity among contemporaries.

In subsequent years, he created the following works: the play “Suvorov and the stationmaster, the poem” Suzge “, poems, libretto of operas (” The Terrible Sword “,” The Bridegroom Dead “, etc.), plays, epigrams, cycle of stories” Autumn Evenings ” …

P.P. Ershov died in Tobolsk on August 18 (30), and was buried at the Tobolsk Zavalny cemetery.