Title
ROLAND HIRNING FAMILY
Creator
Mrs. Roger Hirning
Coverage
TOWNSHIP 137N RANGE 91W
Text
ROLAND HIRNING FAMILY
Roland Hirning was the son of Henry Hirning Jr. and Louisa Aisenbry Hirning, and was one of
six children. The Henry Hirnings raised their children on a farm about ten miles northeast of
Willa, which was a small town located about 18 miles northwest of Burt, N.D.
In 1939, Roland married Christina Walth, one of the eight children of Frederick and Christina
Retzer Walth. She had been raised on a farm north of Hebron and later her family moved to
another farm 25 miles south of Antelope.
Roland and Christina rented a farm in this same area south of Antelope. In 1941 they bought a
farm 15 miles south of Antelope. There were no buildings on this farm so they gathered the
many relatives who were living in the same area and proceeded to move a house and barn to the
new farm. Three teams of horses and various wagons were used to move each building the seven
miles to the new farm. (24-137-91) Here they spent the next 14 years raising their three children:
Lorine, Roger and Gerald.
The winters are remembered as especially rough ones here. Most winter mornings Roland
hitched the team to the sled, stuck the children under the heavy horse blanket, and then hauled
them off to school, 2½ miles away. Everyone in the family had to pitch in to do the work,
milking sometimes as many as 18 cows by hand. Most of the Hirning and Walth relatives lived
and farmed in this area so there was a special closeness of the families in the neighborhood.
Many times relatives and friends would gather to help each other with butchering, threshing corn
cutting or whatever needed doing.
In 1958 the Hirnings bought an adjacent farm, and combined the two farms into a larger grain
and cattle 1963 where Roland drove a school bus and worked as a mechanic at Urban Implement
until his death in 1970.
Christina then moved to Dickinson where she worked at a laundry for 2½ years and then she
started work at St. Joseph's Hospital as a cleaning lady. She enjoys her work, and even more,
enjoys all seven of the grandchildren, ages from three months to 16 years. Roland and Christina's
children are all married. The oldest, Lorine, married Alfred Diede of Richardton. They have
three children: Dale, Judy and Clint. The Diede's farm and ranch 11 miles southwest of Hebron.
Roger married Norma Zimmerman of Hebron. They have two sons, Terry and Scott. Roger's
family lives at Dickinson where Roger is owner-operator of a semi-trucking business. Gerald
married Margie Weiler of South Heart. They have two daughters, Sheila and Stacey. They live in
Glen Ullin where he is a mechanic.
By Mrs. Roger Hirning
Roland Hirning was the son of Henry Hirning Jr. and Louisa Aisenbry Hirning, and was one of
six children. The Henry Hirnings raised their children on a farm about ten miles northeast of
Willa, which was a small town located about 18 miles northwest of Burt, N.D.
In 1939, Roland married Christina Walth, one of the eight children of Frederick and Christina
Retzer Walth. She had been raised on a farm north of Hebron and later her family moved to
another farm 25 miles south of Antelope.
Roland and Christina rented a farm in this same area south of Antelope. In 1941 they bought a
farm 15 miles south of Antelope. There were no buildings on this farm so they gathered the
many relatives who were living in the same area and proceeded to move a house and barn to the
new farm. Three teams of horses and various wagons were used to move each building the seven
miles to the new farm. (24-137-91) Here they spent the next 14 years raising their three children:
Lorine, Roger and Gerald.
The winters are remembered as especially rough ones here. Most winter mornings Roland
hitched the team to the sled, stuck the children under the heavy horse blanket, and then hauled
them off to school, 2½ miles away. Everyone in the family had to pitch in to do the work,
milking sometimes as many as 18 cows by hand. Most of the Hirning and Walth relatives lived
and farmed in this area so there was a special closeness of the families in the neighborhood.
Many times relatives and friends would gather to help each other with butchering, threshing corn
cutting or whatever needed doing.
In 1958 the Hirnings bought an adjacent farm, and combined the two farms into a larger grain
and cattle 1963 where Roland drove a school bus and worked as a mechanic at Urban Implement
until his death in 1970.
Christina then moved to Dickinson where she worked at a laundry for 2½ years and then she
started work at St. Joseph's Hospital as a cleaning lady. She enjoys her work, and even more,
enjoys all seven of the grandchildren, ages from three months to 16 years. Roland and Christina's
children are all married. The oldest, Lorine, married Alfred Diede of Richardton. They have
three children: Dale, Judy and Clint. The Diede's farm and ranch 11 miles southwest of Hebron.
Roger married Norma Zimmerman of Hebron. They have two sons, Terry and Scott. Roger's
family lives at Dickinson where Roger is owner-operator of a semi-trucking business. Gerald
married Margie Weiler of South Heart. They have two daughters, Sheila and Stacey. They live in
Glen Ullin where he is a mechanic.
By Mrs. Roger Hirning