Bobruisk District Historical Economic Summaries

Provided by
The Minsk Historical Genealogy Group
Oleg Perzashkevich, Director

Village of Startsy

by Oleg Perzashkevich

Startsy before 1917

History

Before 1793 - Startsy was a private village in Rechitsa District of Minsk Province of Great Lithuanian Princedom.

1793-1917 - Startsy was a village in Russian Empire.

Since 1801 - Startsy was a private village in Bobruisk District of Minsk Empire. 1840s - after the Emperor permitted Jews to live in the rural area, Jewish population appeared in Startsy.

Vital Statistics

Jewish Life

In 1840s, after they had obtained permission to live in rural area, some Jewish families moved their business to Startsy. As far as there were no Jewish community or considerable resident Jewish population in Startsy, there were no special Jewish objects there.

Economic Review

Traditional activities of local population were agriculture and chopping and river transport of wood. Since early times small local rivers were main roads and trade ways for local habitants.

During Russian principality the authorities did a lot to develop the region because of military and fiscal reasons mostly. First of all, old roads Bobruisk - Moghilev and Lubonichi - Kacherichi - Bortniki were reconstructed there.

After abolishing of Serfdom (the law prescribing personal dependence of peasants from their landlords) in 1861 local peasants became more active in non-agricultural sphere, and local Jews (had obtained permission to live in rural area in the early 1830s-40s) moved their businesses (mainly taverns and trinket stores), mostly from Bobruisk and Lubonichi, to big villages or to the regions of maximal peasants market activity. Startsy was such a village.

In XIX, because of development of the All-Russian Market, new types of communications appeared in the area in 1873.

Construction of the railroad and highways provoked new increase of development of local settlements. Since that time the closest railway station was in Bobruisk (22 km). After in 1880s old road from Bobruisk to Moghilev was transformed into a highway, Startsy occurred on the highway. We do not know any big business enterprises in Startsy before 1917.

In 1885 there were 30 wooden houses in Startsy.

In 1909 there were 93 wooden houses in Startsy.

General cultural information