Biographical Sketch

Heinrich A. Reimer was born on February 10, 1850 in Margenau, south Russia to Abraham Jacob Reimer (1813–1884) and Elizabeth Goerzen (1812–1964). He moved with his family in 1863 from Petershagen to Alexanderkrone where the family farmed. The beginning was difficult because the first two years the people experienced crop failure.

In 1866 Heinrich went to Alexandertal where he helped teach school with his old teacher, Heinrich Unruh. In 1867 he began attending the Zentralschule in Halbstadt until September 1868 when he began teaching at an estate in Rosenhof for Mr. Thiessen. Later he taught in Kleefeld where he met, and later married, Gertrude Warkentin on January 6, 1872. Nine children were born to this couple.

In November of 1884 he was elected preacher and ordained in the Neukircher church. In 1885 the family moved to Lichtfelde. In 1879 he bought a small farm back in Kleefeld from a family moving to America. Gertrude died on February 27, 1890. About this time Heinrich accepted a position at the Vladimir Forestry Station as manager.

Upon returning in 1892 he married Margaretha Regehr, who was born to Peter P. Regehr (1828–1913) and Katharina Schellenberg (1827–1887), on March 5, 1862. Margaretha had previously been married to a certain Wiebe. The newlyweds returned to Heinrich’s post as manager. They had six children together. In 1897 Heinrich bought a full farm in the village of Neuschoensee in Sagradovka. The family survived the Great War and ensuing Russian Revolution. Margaretha died on March 12, 1923.

Before the death of his wife, Heinrich had decided to emigrate to Canada. The tickets were obtained and on April 16, 1924 Heinrich and some of his children arrived in Rosthern, Saskatchewan. Heinrich Reimer died on September 15, 1929 in Blumenhof.