Miscellaneous notes from 1834 census in Kiev district
Interesting note. Several of the places in Kiev district recorded in 1834 census refer to its residents in this strange manner "Kiev district's Vasilkov petty bourgeois of
There is another letter directed at these two Kagal's elders mentioned above from community members, directing them to send (completed census records) directly to Vasilkov's census committee and to receive from committee a receipt of completion. It is said the letter was delivered on April 30,1834 to Gostomelskiy and Vaysbarg. It is signed (in Hebrew) by at least ten people.
Gostomel: July 26,1834 for one missed person Yablunovskiy, community was fined one ruble. On 26, 1834 there is a receipt (kvitantsiya) which reads. "By His Imperial Majesty, this receipt is given to indicate that Committee received from a Jew Ariya Iosiovich Gostomelskiy on behalf of Jews of Gostomel kagal [community] one ruble for one missed person."
This person listed in attached revision dated on the same day was Perets Leyb Yablunovskiy (age 48, previously 30), listed with wife Freyda (40) and daughters Khava (17) and Sifra (15).
Clearly government by the time of this census began to fine Jewish communities for any missed individuals. Fines could quickly add up.
Thus probably elected officials conducting the census were interested to avoid mistakes at any cost and made sure to indicate it in their communication to authorities.
For example in April 1834 letter from Ignatovka kagal reads the following:
This letter signed by [Kagal's elders] below, is confirm that during the [term] of Vasilkov magistrat's ratman Khaim Ratman, [community] elected Jews Motka Faktorov and Peisakh Ignatovskiy to [serve] as starostas in order to create this 8th revision. Revision which they created we reviewed with the whole community and confirm there were no mistakes encountered. Thus we are being responsible in case any mistake is found. Signed: Signed: Shmul Zisel Mizrukha, Motko Shmul Godarov, Volk Mizrukha, Faivish Kaganovskiy, El'ya Kats, Yudko-Ber Zurakhov, Gershko Shpitkovskiy.
This letter is followed on May 1, 1834 by the letter from the very officials elected to serve during census, Motko Faktorov and Peisakh Kafmanovich Ignatovskiy, who indicate they are sending two copies for authorities. I suspect the reason for two copies is simple: one would be send to the country's capital - St. Petersburg while another would be preserved in local provincial center, Kiev.
In addition to adding financial burden, clearly any mistakes warranted additional explanation to authorities. Thus on July 26, 1834 the same Ariya Gostomelskiy sent letter to Kiev Financial Committee declaring that above mentioned Perets Yablonovskiy fled during the time census was conducted for which the fine was paid.