My second great Hovel line grandparents and their eight children (born over a 20 year span, 1847-1867) emigrated to the United States arriving in July 1868. The family members, upon arriving in the US, would experience not only a new home and different customs, living and farming, but also see the ushering in of greater technology and the Gilded age. They would also live through downturns in the economy such as the great recession of the 1870's. What is evident is that life on the farm for them in the old country in 1867 was more like their ancestors than what my grandfather would experience as tractors and mechanized equipment made the ability to expand farm operations. The family experienced congruence with agricultural and societal trends common to where they lived. At times, there was some dissonance, or curves as thrown, but congruence was more common and more essential.
This will be the fourth and final post on agricultural congruence and the Havel family. (Other posts were published on Nov 26, Dec 3, and Dec 17.) I have generally been going back in time from most recent to long past. In the old country, as far back as I have been able to go the family were peasant serfs and until my second great grandfather, all were likely illiterate. Most of my knowledge of the family covers the time frame known as the second serfdom. Serfdom were peasants under the control of a domain and undertook work for such domain . Serfdom was known for its heavy handed manner. The second serfdom began in the mid 1500's and ran until the late 18th century, although as we have seen in prior posts many aspects of serfdom continued until the serfs were freed in 1848. This post will focus on the Havel family and congruence with certain aspects of the second serfdom, much of which involved agriculture.
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| Stabile Cadastre Map of Ratiborova Lhota, c 1826 Then known by German name Melhutka |
Some rulers of the Hapsburg Empire, of which Bohemia was apart, attempted to reform the peasant system and free the serfs from the heavy hand of the domain under which they served. Some reforms carried through others did not do as well. Of the rulers, Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II were the most active and engaged. While they had a desire to loosen the grip on the serfs, it was in part due to the circumstances of the peasant, but also due to the need for obtaining higher economic value out of their labor. This would have the other effect of increasing revenues--an important characteristic in the 16th to 19th centuries as today.
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| 1585 Urbaria Record showing payments required of Jan Wolff (aka Bolffa), my 10th Great Grandfather |
The Havel family ancestors had tenant rights to the Ratiborova Lhota farm since before 1585. An Urbaria record for that year mentions my tenth great grandfather, Jan Bolffa. (The Havel surname seems to come from Jan's son whose first name was Havel and most particularly Havel's son Jakob who was known as Jakob, son of Havel, and later Jakob Havel.) The holding likely goes back to before 1550, but names are not used in the scant records of that era. It was a bi-centennial farm as the family had rights to the holding for over 200 years. The main claim to the property, or course, was held by the domain, but the family had a tenancy right, like a long-term lease. They could lose the property, and their livelihood, for poor performance.
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| Frantisek my 3rd Great Grandfather, to Georg, my 7th Great Grandfather |
The Havel farm in Ratiborova was the seventh in area of the nine main farms in the village, but eighth in tax owed. This placed the family at what was known as between a 1/4 and 1/2 farm. With 20 arable acres, the family farm was just over what one commentator said was the minimum to support a typical family--15 tillable acres. However, they farmed, for conservation purposes in a system of three, in which one-third of the property was fallow for one year. Crops were also rotated. Hence, every year six to seven acres were out of production.
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| Georg to Jan Bolffa |
Ratiborva Lhota is in an area so rural that little change is noticed between current air photos and the Stabile Cadastre mapping of the early 19th century, circa 1826 for this village. The Stabile Cadastre maps provide a good view of the mapping of the long narrow parcels which my ancestors farmed. At times the parcels are said to be that way due to the difficulty of turning a wood plow. However, a similar parcel condition exists for meadows and wood lots. I tend to agree with the other theory that when the land was divided that method was thought to be the most equitable. For many generations, such land was prohibited from being further divided. This makes sense, as such division would only reduce the viability as a parcel for farming.
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| Portion of Indication Sketches of Ratiborova Lhota, c 1826 |
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| Mathias Havel Yield Calculations |
We are fortunate to have yield calculations for Mathias Jr which were accomplished to figure out taxation purposes in order to decide a fair payment for the Domains as a share of taxes, in lieu of labor provided by the serfs. Simply, the crown would provide a portion of the tax to the domain to offset the loss of the free labor. The farmers, all basically illiterate, had to announce the yields in front of the neighbors and headsman and other officials. I guess the idea was to have someone squeal if they announced to low a yield. Because of the system of three, and crop rotation, the calculations were accomplished over a three year period. Accomplished in the 1780's, Mathias' yield, converted to bushels shows about 214 of rye, 23 of barley, and 216 of oats. Barley produced only 3 bu/acre, while rye was at 10.13 bu/ac and oats at 10.71 bu/ac. Yield varied by field, showing soil differences of soil, and some fields had a sow rate lower than the yield. This showed the at-edge farming in the foothills of the mountains the family had to contend with. Sometimes, the sow rate was greater than the yield, showing the difficulty of farming in the foothills of the mountains.
Table 1 Bushels reported pre acre
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| This table shows bu/ac for Mathias in 1788 Lhota, Josef in 1880 Jefferson Co and 2022 yields for the state as a whole. Josef's oats was much higher, but his rye yield was only 1.5 bu/ac greater |
Serfs had to provide their own equipment, and animals. It is said that they seldom had horses, because good horses would be appropriated by the domain, without compensation. We see from the records that oxen were the chosen beast of burden for the family. The records, over the years, only mentions a horse in two occasions. For haulage, the family hauled firewood to Netolice, about six miles, but also hauled varied products to Cesky Krumlov, mainly fish, but also barley for beer, which was a twenty mile journey one way, meaning it would have been a difficult trip to make to and home in one day.
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| Tax calculations based on tilled, meadow and wood yield |
Living on the edge, as the Havel family did, they often took on a secondary occupation to supplement income. To do this, they were required to have the approval of their domain. We know from varied records that the trade for the Havel family this trade was weaving, and some are specific as to weaving linen. Funny thing is the main fields did not grow flax, the grain commonly used to make flax from which linen was weaved. We have records noting this craft for Mathias, Jr (born in 1740) who started to learn the craft at about age 13 all the way back to his great grandfather, Georg. While we lack birth records for great grandpa Georg (or his son Simon) birth, a 1641 land record has Georg at age 3 say born 1638, although another record places his age for birth as early as 1635. (This points to the fact that time and age were not as relevant to our ancestors as to us today, their days melded into each other.) In 1656 Georg is learning the weaver trade, in 1657 is a weaver, and in 1658 is identified as a linen weaver. At the time of his marriage on 8 Jul 1703, my 6th great grandfather, Simon, is identified as a lodger and a weaver. He is at his father's house, but upon marriage and not "owning" a farm is considered a lodger. He and his wife lived on the holding with his parents, and siblings, perhaps in the accessory dwelling, which was often the retirement dwelling.
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| Rent, in-kind contributions, and robot labor Mathias (Jr) owed to the domain As if all that free labor was not enough. No wonder they approved the linen weaver trade, the family had an obligation to spin medium tow fiber yarn |
Besides the demand of free labor and control over trades, the domains also exercised control over marriage. A 1770 patent removed the ability for a domain to charge fees for a trade or for marriage. A patent in 1785 further affected some aspects of serfdom from the strong arm of the domain. Serfs could freely chose their partner, pursue careers choices and move between estates. Hence, when Frantisek married Teresia Jiral in 1796 he neither was required to obtain the approval of his domain (Krumlov) or she her domain (Netolice) and Frantisek was not required to obtain approval from the Krumlov Estate to move to Dolni Chrastany and take over the Jiral farm which was in the Netolice dominion. This patent did not affect financial dues, or the robot labor owed to the domain, which remained in effect until 1848. Seignorial Registers, which began as orphan registers and later to record all serfs (generally annually), one can see permission that have been granted.
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| 1755 Seignorial Register, Mathias (Jr) is an apprentice in the weaver trade with consent (of the domain)  with consent from 1769 |
At times young men were required to provide labor to the estate, which generally seemed like a thee year period of time. This took part of the able-bodied family labor pool from their own holding away from the mother and father and passed it to the domain.
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| 1652 Seignorial Register Georg is in Brzi with an important official |
The value of the farm generally remained the same. The property valuation took a hit with Havel, likely due to the farm having been vacant for a number of years, per a land register entry in 1623. Why was the farm vacant? I can think of two explanations, the Thirty Years War, or illness.
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| Valuation 1607 to 1640 |
The vacancy of the farm is congruous with the first several years of one of the major conflicts in Bohemia, and this could have affected the Havel family in Lhota. The Thirty Years War began in 1618 and ended in 1648. The domains were largely under control of Protestants, and they did not like it when a pro-Counter Reformation advocate was appointed King of the Hapsburg Empire. The King stopped construction of Protestant Chapels on Royal land holdings, which may have precipitated the revolt. The representatives asked to confer with a superior and give them an answer in a day or two, but the Protestants demanded an immediate answer and when it was not forthcoming, they threw, yes literally threw, the representatives of the King out a window.
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| Oldest known record, 1585, of the Havel line, Jan Wolff, my 10th great grandfather. Havel became the surname with his grandson Jakob, whose father's first name was Havel. The record shows ground rent, grain tithes and tax assessment. |
For the Havel family we see the following entry in a 1623 land register when Jakob is taking over the #15 Ratiborova Lhota holding from his deceased father Jakob:
Consequently, at the bequest of the governor of the dominion, the headman and his jurors have duly valued said farm which has stood vacant for some years, with arable fields, meadowland, and remaining belongings and furnishings left by the soldiers in the sum of 110ſß Meissen, and which is released in the same purchase price to Jakub, orphan of the late Havel, who is obligated to settle the noted debts and inheritance portions commencing Georgi 1624 with annual installments of 4ſß until the purchase price has been settled in full. (1623 Land Register entry)
From this we can see the two possible explanations. We see that the farm stood vacant for "some years." There is not an explanation of why. We do know that Havel made a payment in 1618, but did not make any additional payments. The next recorded payment was from his son in 1624, a year later, as he took on the farm on "St Georgi's Day" (Apr 23) and his first payment was that same day a year later. We do know that the record identifies Havel's children and the youngest is reported as two years of age. Second is "belongings and furnishings left by soldiers" who may have been quartered in the house so the family may have had to share or vacate the house for a period of time as the soldiers took over the home. We lack a specific reason, and I can only speculate that the Havel house was occupied by soldiers who left material items behind. Since it corresponded with the early part of the Thirty Years War this makes a great deal of sense.
Second, we also know Havel was "ill for some years", but we do not know for how long. Given the last payment he may made was in 1618 he may have taken ill after that, before dying sometime in 1623 or before. He did have a child identified as two years of age in 1623, so possibly born 1621, but we also know such entries are circumspect. 1618 was also the first year of the Thirty Years War. I have yet to locate a source dealing with Ratiborova Lhota, a small backwater place, and how it may have been affected by the Thirty Years War.
In a different set of circumstances, the family may well have lost the farm, but the Thirty Years war was a cataclysm for Bohemia. The war led to an estimated 40 percent reduction in the population due to famine, disease, and wide spread destruction of villages by the armies. The Krumlov domain may well have appreciated that there were still family members available to farm the holding, and also provide free labor to the domain.
For a portion of the time the family had the holding, the domain was under the Hapsburg Crown. This occurred from 1602 to 1622. In 1622 it was gifted to Hans Ulrich Von Eggenberg as a reward for services to the crown. Prior the the Crown it was under the Rosenberg family for 300 years (1302-1602). The Eggenberg line died out and the property passed to the Schwarzenberg family who had control until 1947 when Communism took over and the state control of the property set in. In 1992 Cesky Krumlov became a UNESCO World Heritage site. The village of Cesky Krumlov was founded in 1250 and was controlled by Krumlov family, Wok of Krumlov being the last head of the domain and he died in 1302 and the family line ended.
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| Farming in Cesky Krumlov Region Source: HISTORY OF FARMING IN THE ČESKÝ KRUMLOVREGION |
Family lines are kept going by couples having a child. In the old country, families often had several children, but death was a constant visitor by disease, mayhem, or simply accidents. The common visitor, death, is shown in the below image where two of the five orphans of Jakob Havel are deceased. An orphan was an child who had a deceased father, or perhaps mother, and of course, both. To marry, up until 1785, a couple was required to obtain the permission of their domain. Before 1770, some domains charged a fee for a couple to marry. The approval of marriage shows up in varied records, sometimes the baptismal record, often the Seigniorial Register. Marriages were also, at times, noted in the Land Register if it was relevant. For example, a sibling receiving a payment from the new farm owner (likely brother or brother-in-law) may say the recipient married so and so and is domiciled in x place. Marriages may often be recorded in the Seigniorial Register, as noted in the image below.
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| Seignorial Registers 1655-1657 Dorothea, sister of Georg in 1655 is married with consent and discharged likely to a different domain that is unnamed. 1656 Georg is learning the linen weaver trade In 1657 Georg is identified as A weaver and age 17 Note that by 1655 two of Georg's siblings have died. The first death notation for Greger and Mathes is in the 1648 Seigniorial Register. |
The Havel family was impacted by a variety of issues during their time in the old world. The end of serfdom in 1848, the loosening of serf conditions in the late 18th century only to see many undone. Compulsory education which was slow to come to Southwest Bohemia. They were congruent with many of these items, from obtaining domain approval to learn the weaving trade, to get married leave the domain, and of course, the robot labor, which was loosened then ignored and put back in place. They may have been affected by the Thirty Years War, with soldiers quartering in their home.
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| This image shows Georg Havel's services in the region |
The family homes for my Hovel line changed, although Ratiborova Lhota was home to seven generations. Frantisek married and moved to Dolni Chrastany, and his son Josef, and Josef's married and emigrated to Jefferson, WI, which saw Martin married and moved to Manly, IA, with his father and mother following about five years later. My grandfather and father were born in Manly and then to Sun Prairie, WI. I reside in McFarland. The change in residence also follows a change in employment and specialization that has occurred with industrialization. Josef's farming in the old country was more like his 7th great grandfather than that of his grandson. From disparate long linear fields in the old country to large 80 plus acre holdings in the United States on prime agricultural was a change they likely welcomed as much as the freedom Josef experienced with the end of serfdom in 1848.
Four posts have been dedicated to agricultural congruence. What the posts show is that at times there was some dissonance with the overall socio-economic-cultural trends, but the family saw a great deal of congruence with the socio-economic-cultural occurrences over the centuries. They persevered under serfdom, and struggled with its varied, and changing, requirements for robot labor and other aspects. They emigrated from the old country for economic opportunity, with all family members at one point taking up farming in the US. In the US they have followed the trends, starting with mechanization of agriculture to the descendants being part of the specialization of labor. The Havel family was of the world, and its history would not be even a blip within the large trends of the world. The agricultural congruency of the family shows its fit within history in Bohemia and the United States.
Notes:
Translation of Varied documents for the author by Richard D' Amelio. Land Registers, Seignorial Registers, yield and tax records, and Urbarium records.
Wright, William W. 1966. Serf, Seigneur and Sovereign: Agrarian Reform in Eighteenth Century Bohemia, University of Minnesota Press
Stabile Cadastre Maps from: ags.cuzk.gov/archiv
Hovel, Thomas D. "Robot Obligations of a Peasant Farmer in Bohemia." Nase Rodina, Dec 2023. v 35, #4
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