FIELD NOTES FROM VLAD SOSHNIKOV

Dnepropetrovsk Region State Archive

During a visit in May to the regional archive in Dnepropetrovsk (Ekaterinoslav), South Ukraine, Vlad Soshnikov, RAGAS/Moscow, examined archival inventories and reference aids and compiled partial indexes for genealogical sources. This archive is especially important for records created by the Guardianship Committees and Offices for the regional settlement of foreign colonists in New Russia, the southern territory of Russia. (See RAGAS Newsletter, Vol. II, #1).RAGAS has worked in cooperation with the Dnepropetrovsk archivists since 1994 and this personal visit enhanced their relationship. Managed by a very capable director, this archive seems like an island of prosperity within the stringent economic conditions in Ukraine today. The modern archival building is equipped with a large air-conditioned reading room, good furniture, and rooms equipped with TV and video players for presentations of documentary video films. There are many interesting records concerning a variety of historic population groups from Novorossia (New Russia) in the southern gubernias (provinces) of Ekaterinoslav, Taurida, and Kherson. These gubemias are known today as the Dnepropetrovsk, Kirovograd, Kherson and Odessa oblasts in Ukraine. Among the records are documents for German and Jewish colonists in the early 1800s and village and town communities in the later periods of the Ekaterinoslav gubemia. These include registry books for Jewish religious communities. The main purpose of this research trip to Dnepropetrovsk was to compile an index to the German-Russian sources concerning the early years of German colonial settlement in Southern Russia, 1780s- ! 830s. Travel funds were provided by the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (AHSGR), headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, and it is only through this support that this was possible. There are many interesting sources about German settlement and the index has hundreds of items of genealogical value. This index will be published in the next AHSGR newsletter. There was time in the archives to look for other information for requesters concerning other historical ethnic groups in the Dnepropetrovsk region. The following is a partial index, prepared by Vlad Soshnikov, for materials pertaining to the Jewish colonists who settled in Novorossia, 1800-1830. There are additional un-indexed records for Jewish colonists and communities which will require further in-site detailed searches.Record Group 134, the Kontora for Foreign Settlers of Novorossia in the town of Novorossiysk and the Ekaterinoslav Kontora for Foreign Settlers of Southern Region of Russia, series 1 (total: 997 files, 1781-1857):#36. Lists of colonists of Swedish and Jewish colonies, 1799. 5 pages

.#175. List about quantity of colonists, their cattle, equipment and economy in the Jewish colony of Inguletz and other colonies, 1807. 114pages

.#238. Information about economy of Jewishcolonies and lists of Jewish colonists excluded from the rank of farmers, 1809-1810. 18 pages.

#239. Reports of Bolshoi-Buyalyk and Danzig village government, information and lists of colonists of Swedish and Jewish colonies, information about their economy, 1809-1810.189 pages.

#300. Reports of supervisors of Swedish and Jewish colonies and list of colonists, information about their economy, 1811. 64 pages.

#321. Information about economy and harvest ,lists of colonists of German and Jewish colonies,1811. 121 pages.

#336. Reports of supervisors of Swedish, Jewish and other colonies with nominal rolls of colonists, 1812. 147 pages.

#371. List about presence of colonists, their cattle and economy of the colonies of Bolshoi-Buyalyk government, Odessa settlement.1813. 167 pages.

#378. Reports of supervisors of Swedish and Jewish colonies about quantity of colonists. information about their economy, 1813. 61 pages.

#382. Extracts from applications of colonists from the Jewish colonies of Kamenka, Inguletz and others about requesting aids, 1813. 8 pages.

#387. Official orders and decrees and lists of Jewish colonists, 1814. 13 pages.

#397. Correspondence of Kherson military governor about economy of Jewish colonies, lists of Jewish colonists, 1814. 19 pages.

#407. Reports of supervisors of Jewish colonies and information about quantity of colonists and their economy, 1814. 12 pages.

#407. Reports of supervisors of Jewish colonies and information about quantity of colonists and their economy of the Jewish colonies of Kamenka and Inguletz, 1814. 17 pages.

#451. Revision (census) lists of colonists of the Jewish colony of Maly Nagartal, Kherson guberniya, 1816. 14 pages.

#478. Revision (census) lists of colonists of the Jewish colony of Inguletz, Kherson guberniya,1816. 30 pages.#479. Revision (census) lists of colonists of the Jewish colony of Bolshoi Nigertal, Khersonguberniya, 1816. 23 pages.

#480. Revision (census) lists of colonists of the Jewish colony of Yefingartz, Kherson guberniya,1816. 16 pages.

#481. Revision (census) lists of colonists of the Jewish colony of Kamenka, Kherson guberniya,1816. 40 pages

.#482. Revision (census) lists of colonists of the Jewish colony of Israelovka, Kherson guberniya,1816. 13 pages.

#483. Revision (census) lists of colonists of the Jewish colony of Bobrovy Kut, Kherson guberniya, 1816. 35 pages.

#550. Reports from supervisor of Jewish colonies about quantity of craftsmen colonists, about economy of colonists, information about births, marriages and deaths for the year 1818, 13pages. Page 68: Files about individual Jewish merchants: Leish Leiba, Geolgikhes Hetzel, Liekhen Avraham.

#586. Reports from supervisors about issue of permissions to exit the colonies for personal business, 1819-1829. 94 pages.

#588. Lists of colonists and information about their economy of the Jewish colonies of Seideminukha and Bobrov Kut, 1819. 19 pages.

#590. Lists of colonists and information about their economy of the Jewish colonies of Bobrov Kut and Inguletz, 1819. 18 pages.

#595-595a. Documents about issue of passports and certificates to colonists to go out from their colonies for earnings, 1819, 212 pages; 1820, 224 pages.

#602. Statements about robbery of Khaskel Movsha and Slavin Khiavna, 1819. 29 pages.

#606. Statement about fine from Abram Yektsen,1819. 52 pages.

#635. Information about births, marriages and deaths, lists of best farmers of Jewish colonies for the year 1820, 12 pages.

#667. Lists of colonists and information about their economy in Jewish colonies, 1821. 6 pages.

#719. Reports from supervisors of Jewish colonies of Kherson gubemiya, lists of best farmers of Jewish colonies for the year 1823. 44pages.

#782. Lists of colonists and information about their economy in Jewish colonies, 1825. 40pages.

#806. Reports from supervisors of Jewish colonies and correspondence about Jewish colonists accepted Christianity, 1826. 127 pages. Also mentioned criminal incidents concerning Jewish colonists/townsmen: Mikhail Malkin, Khaim Burovich, Movsha Hertzik, Khaim Nairn Ark, Srul Zhitomirsky, Froim Palkin, Abram Helfrand, Mendel Katzov, Itzka Matskin.

#834. Correspondence about Jewish colonists accepted Christianity, 1827-1832. 195 pages.

#845. Reports from supervisors of Jewish colonies and lists about quantity of colonists and their economy, 1828. 61 pages (also information about German colonists).

#872. Reports from supervisors of Jewish colonies and lists about quantity of colonists and their economy; information about births, marriages and deaths for the years 1829-1830.56 pages.

#873. Reports from supervisors of Danzig village government and Jewish colonies and lists about quantity of colonists and their economy, 1829.110 pages.

#891. Correspondence of the Committee of Guardianship of colonists and Tavria State Expedition about excluding some Jewish colonists from the rank of farmers, 1830-1833.201 pages.

#901. Correspondence about excluding some Jewish colonists from the rank of fanners, 1830.265 pages.

#909. Reports from supervisors of Swedish and Jewish colonies and lists about quantity of colonists and their economy, 1831. 151 pages

.#920. Correspondence of the Kherson Town Magistrate about privileges to those Jewish colonist accepted Christianity, 1832-1833. 191pages.Page 116-117: also mentioned some individual worldly matters concerning the following Jews: Abram Avenbort, townsman Asenshtop, Leiba Novgorodsky of the town of Orekhov, MoshkaBlat, Srul Sel.

Note: of course, there may be more information about Jewish colonists but it requires further detailed searches in-site the archive.