Heinrich R. Reimer Autobiography

Mennonite Genealogy with Michael Penner

Heinrich R. Reimer autobiography

The following autobiography is taken from pages 5-8 of “Love God And Your Neighbor Too: A Brief Selection of Writings by Heinrich R. and Helena Reimer, Prairie Rose, Manitoba” edited by Dr. Lawrence Klippenstein. The inside title page of the booklet reads “Prepared for The H.R. Reimer Family Reunion held at Landmark, Manitoba on August 20-22, 1976”.

I, H. R. Reimer, was born in a semlin at Blumenort on July 26, 1876. Father had just left for the fields to mow barley. I also grew up here in the village, and received my schooling here from the beloved teacher Cor. Friesen. My father died when I was fourteen, leaving our dear mother with seven brothers and sisters who were younger than I. Brothers John and Jacob were older (than I), but both became sick soon after that, leaving me to take over the heavy work.

Though I was unconverted, my concern was not to make the difficult circumstances of my mother harder yet. So I tried to do the work in a manner that Mother could depend upon. Often I travelled to town with produce and grain, always holding it to be my responsibility to give Mother an accurate account of both the income and expenses. Quite likely things were not always done with as much careful consideration as I thought they were.

Mother was often ill, which contributed toward giving us a Christian training. I gave my heart to the Lord in my twentieth year, something which I was ashamed to make known at first. But the good Spirit triumphed. On July 12, 1896, I was baptized along with several others, including our neighbor’s daughter, Helena Dueck, whom I had come to love. We were married on October 18, 1896, by our uncle and Aeltester Abram Dueck. I worked for my mother for two years, until the younger brothers were somewhat older.

When I look back now, I see that we loved our Mother, but I also see that Mother prayed much for us, and that her love was much deeper. God bless her!

In 1900 we moved to a farm which we had bought two miles from Blumenort. Courageous though we were, we were to be tested. Because it was so dry, all the soil seemed to turn into worms, as in Egypt the mosquitoes, devouring everything, that is, the grain. And thus the Lord let me to the classroom, where I became a teacher. It was something that had not occurred to me earlier, even though I planned to study, and Father had even said when I was a young school boy that I would be a good teacher some day.

Man proposes, God disposes. That I see clearly today. My teaching years were: four years in Neuanlage, where I obtained my In. certificate through Mr. Heinrich Ewert during the first year, and I had written exams for two to three hours in Gretna; fifteen years in Blumenort and six years in Prairie Rose. In 1910 I as appointed by the church as song leader, in 1916 as deacon, and in 1918 as minister (Lehrer, Diener).

My dear wife, Mama, and our children have been home alone a great deal. And they didn’t simply keep the home; they often helped out in the barn and with other outside work, even though we often had a hired man. We could have celebrated our silver wedding in 1921 on October 18, but that simply was not done in those days. On October 18, 1946 we did celebrate our golden wedding anniversary, an occasion when many guests came.

It was an important day for us. The question came to us again and again: Will we be able to experience it? Thank God, we are still alive and well. Nearly four years have passed since then. May they have been years of blessing.

Our dear Mama is not with us in this miserable world any more. God has received her into his eternal kingdom of joy, where she awaits us. On the night of Sept. 12 to the 13 at 1:30 a.m. she departed from us at the Concordia Hospital, after 2½ days of extreme suffering. The obituary follows here (not included in this transcription)…

But God who as said, It is not good that a person remain alone sent me a helpmate to me in the person of Sister Widow Johann F. Dueck, Morris. We celebrated our engagement on July 25, 1953, and were married on Aug. 2, 1953, in the Rosenort church. Bro. Dav. P. Reimer officiated and gave the blessing. We are very thankful to God for His leading, since she has been a faithful and willing companion, who is always ready to help. May God reward this!

H.R. and Ag. Reimer

We wish that when we shall be carried to our rest there, if God so leads, that everything will be done simply. God, direct this according to your will! ■

Back to the Reimer page.