It was 375 years ago, on 5 June 1648, that Havel Kavan, an 8th great grandfather of mine, purchased a farm holding in the Bohemian village of Malovice from a man named Jan Vrbský. This holding would become known as house #17. Havel was the son of Jakub Kavan who hailed from the village of Strpí. This story will show the prevalence of the after-the-roof names in this region of Bohemia, and how varied sources are necessary to figure out who is who. Havel Kavan does not appear to have been related to Jan Vrbský. I have seen after-the-roof names come from various situations. A common occurence is when a man marries and takes on the farm formerly managed by his father-in-law. There, is also the situation with Havel Kavan who became known by the last name of a prior owner. In his case, Kavan came back into use, but that was not always the situation, as we shall see with his son-in-law. 1648 was an interesting year, as it marked the end of the destructive 30 year war which was fought in much of Central Europe.
 |
| Marriage Record Vaclav Becvar to Dorothea Kavan 2 Jul 1684. Source: Trebon Archives |
The war ended with the Treaty of Westphalia, which was signed in October. Hence, Havel Kavan purchased the property a few months before peace came into effect. A previous post talked about the destruction of the village of Hlavatce during the early years of that long war and how it was predominantly vacant for the remainder of the war. In1654 a census, known as the Berni Rula, was accomplished for the empire to obtain background information on the state of the population and communities due to the war. Havel Kavan is identified in the Berni Rula for the village of Malovice, but with an after-the-roof surname, as he is referred to as Havel Vrbský (ie as in Jan). Seigniorial Registers, at least for those examined, used the Vrbský surname for him as well. The oldest known parish record I have is from the marriage of Havel's daughter Dorothea (7th g grandmother) which states she is the daughter of the late Havel Kavan. This parish record used the original surname from when the family bought the farm, and not the after-the-roof name. The land register indicates transfer of the property to Dorothy's husband Vaclav on 15 July 1685, for 90 schock grossen, with Havel's widow (Dorothy's mother) receiving provisions for life.
Dorothy married Vaclav Becvár on 2 July 1684, so her father Havel Kavan passed away before 2 July, but after the record of the 1684 Seignorial Register, which is usually done in late December of the prior year or January of that year. Just over a year after the marriage Vaclav bought the farm holding. According to the land register the farm being was "passed to his son-in-law Vaclav according to Havel's testament." Yet, The parish record notes the marriage as being after Havel's death. Hence, Havel Kavan likely died when the couple was at least engaged to marry. I think it was about the time of Vaclav's acquisition, in 1685, that Kavan became the commonly used surname over the after-the-roof surname of Vrbský. At least by 1688 Kavan is being used in the Seigniorial Register as the Seigniorial Register is annotated with saying "the late Havel Vrbský and widow Alžběta" with the annotation that she is on the Kavan holding in the retirement annex. From 1690 to 1694 select registers have Vaclav as: "Václav Vrbský aka Kavan with wife Dorothea – holding owner." However, by 1697 there is yet another change as Kavan becomes the main surname and also Vaclav's surname. Vaclav drops his Bečvář surname and becomes Václav Kavan. This is shown in the 1697 record: "Václav Kavan aka Bečvář with wife Dorothea – holding owner." The paper trail allows a vision into how the surname of this family developed over time. It is possibly that Václav had used three, and maybe used four different surnames: Bečvář, Vrbský (original farm owner and used by his father-in-law) and Kavan (his father-in-law's original surname at the time of taking the holding) and the last would become the surname of the children. Hence, Kavan became his surname over that of Bečvář. But, Bečvář was an after the roof name as Vaclav's father was Vavrinec Fištmistr before he purchased the Bečvář holding in Libìjovice on 21 Jan 1650.
 |
| Present time air photo of Kavan House in Malovice Source: Richard D'Amelio from Czech archive mapping Above the door it reads "U Kavanu" Source: Richard D' Amelio |
I suspect it was just before 1697 that the surname Kavan overtook the Vrbský after-the-roof name. To this day the home is still known by the name Kavan, as one can see in a present time photo. The photo also seems to indicate the house was rebuilt in about the 1920's. "U Kavanu" clearly shows above the door.
Dorothy and Vaclav were married in Malovice, and Vaclav's family was from Libìjovice, as the marriage record indicates he is the "son of the late Vavøinec Beøváø of Libìjovice." Vavrinec died in about 1657 and in 1659 his widow, Julianna, with five young children in her care, remarried a man named Jirí the son of Andreas Sládek of Cerneves. Vaclav was the youngest of the five children and according to the Seigniorial Register may have been born about 1657. Here we have both sides of the ancestral line having had for a time after-the-roof surnames. Vaclav would Dorothy's father was associated by an after-the-roof name, as did her husband. In the end her families original surname, Kavan, was adopted by her husband. This became (at least) Vaclav's second after-the-roof name.
 |
| 19th Century Cadastre Survey House #17 is what is shown as parcel 12 (black) Source: Czech Archive mapping |
During and at the end of the 30 Years war records are sparse. Knowledge of changing surnames is helpful with the 1654 Berni Rula. Havel Kavan is known as Havel Vrbský in that census. That census shows the farm is recorded as being 48 strich in size (arable acres), which is equivalent to about 33.6 acres. However, the Berni Rula used sow rates over one hundred years old. However, a late 18th century calcuation of arable land area was provided from when the property was divided. This 1793 (illegally divided with manor, but not governmental approval) calculation would indicate the arable land was much larger, at 55.3 acres. This made it a good size farm at the time. This is over twice the arable land of the Havel family holding in Ratiborova Lhota. It is also interesting that even in 1654 farmers were using a conservation practice of only tilling about 2/3 of the arable land every year, with the other 1/3 lying fallow.
Reviewed records also show how the number and types of farm animals changed from the 1654 Berni Rula to when Vaclav took over the holding in 1685. We are fortunate that the land register provided a record of livestock, and equipment included with the sale price when Vaclav took over the holding. Please bear in mind that the 30 year war, as are all wars, was devasting to the local residents and the economy. One only needs to look at all the vacancy of Hlavatce, caused by burning, to know the effect. The purpose of the Berni Rula was to provide the Crown with a status report on the population and farms. The following chart provides some vital information on farm animals for the #17 holding:
Animal # in 1654 # in 1685
Cows 4 2
Heifers 4 2
Sheep -- 10
Swine 4 3
Mares -- 3
Foal -- 1
In the 34 year time span, there was less emphasis on cows and oxen with more emphasis on sheep. We actually find horses also being owned. Past research has showed that oxen were often the beast of burden for many lines of the family. The Havel family, as an example, into the 1800's had no horses mentioned, but oxen were commonly mentioned. Vaclav (Becvár) Kavan died about 1721 and the farm passed to his son-in-law Jacob Schileney, who had married Vaclav's daughter Marianna. While Vaclav paid 90 Shock grossen for the holding, the purchase price was increased by 110 schock grossen to 200 when Jacob purchased the holding. Generally, increase for inflation did not occur. It is with some pride that Vaclav's descendants can see he was a hard worker as the land register records, (img 192) as translated: "However, the purchase price of the holding is raised by 110ſß from 90ſß to 200ſß “because the late Václav Kavan had in each and every way greatly improved the holding...." Vaclav's hard work had not only increased the value of the holding, but he also had paid off his full debt of 90 schock grossen, meaning his widow and six children split the 200 purchase price that was paid annually in 4 schock grossen. Havel Kavan made a wise choice in having the farm sold to Vaclav.
 |
| Last entry, Havel Vrbasky in 1654 Berni Rula Source: Berni Rula |
This is part of the story of holding #17 in Malovice, and which to this day, even though it began as the Vrbský holding, the purchase by Havel Kavan in 1648 is still recognized by the Kavan name being attached to the dwelling associated with that holding. We also see the commonality of after-the-roof names. While the change in surnames adds to difficulty in research, we are also fortunate that varied sources exist to help clairfy the matter. Holding #17 is the story of one part of the Jodl (Anna Jodl married Josef Havel) line of the family.
No comments:
Post a Comment