Memorable places in the area: Small Sekhnovichi

Small Sekhnovichi

Seltso Sekhnovichi knows from the middle of the 15th century as Tyshko Kiranevsky's possession. In 1458 Mr. Kazimir Yagellonchik allocated Sekhnovichami Theodor (Fedor) Kosciusko. The grand duke added to this possession still the village Lenevichi and Stunichevo. From now on Fedor's descendants began to use Sekhnovichskiye's nridomk unlike other branches of a sort on Volhynia and in the Kiev voivodeship. Fedor (Kosciusko Fedorovich) is the first famous representative of the Belarusian branch of an old shlyakhetsky family of the coat of arms of Pox III. Died till 1509. From it send Sekhnovichi to the son Konstantin. The sort originates from the first quarter of the 15th century of the grand duke Vitovt.

Kosciusko's ambrosias                                            Barbara Kosciusko

    From Maria Vislotskaya's meeting

The branched family tree of Kosciusko was made in 1894 by Tadeushem Korzonom who upon return from the reference moved in 1869 from Minsk to Warsaw. In the Belarusian literature the family tree is for the first time presented by A. Glebovich. According to it, Sekhnovichey (1509) was the first owner not Fedor, but Konstantin, Fedor Kosciusko's son, the clerk (1509), the boyar of kamenetskiya (1528), the judge and the governor of a town of kamenetskiya (died till 1561). The sort began to be called as his name. The right for a manor was confirmed priviley Sigismund I Stary, written to Vilno on parchment in 1509 signed by the Ermine. Konstantin was married to the princess Anna Olshanskaya. They had twelve daughters and two sons. Sons Ivan (1530 — 1571) and Fedor (1540 — 1622) laid the foundation to two branches of Kosciusko-Sekhnovichsky: Ivanovichey and Fedorovichey. Let's note, however, that are mentioned by Kosciusko-Fedorovichi in one of documents of the Metrics of VKL much earlier — in 1511. Stepansky Kosciusko Fedorovich was 60-yariny manors Gorodets.

       Teklya Kosciusko (from Ratomsky)                                                   Tadeush Korzon                       

In 1561 brothers after death of the father Konstantin divided Sekhnovichi. According to this section two manors with the corresponding names stood apart: Ivanovshchizna and Fedorovshchizna. In 1620 there was the second redistribution of lands that led to isolation Small and Big Sekhnovichey. Small Sekhnovichami owned Kosciusko-Fedorovichi (a younger branch). The most famous representatives of this branch were: Jan (1600 — 1647), in the sixth generation his son, Alexander Yang (1629 — 1711), a podsudok Brest, the judge (1697), the ambassador of diet, the participant of elections of the king Jan III. Alexander had six sons and three daughters. From them Augustine (1664 — about 1722), married to Sofya Volskaya, was the judge town troksky; Ambrosias (1667 — 1721), married to Barbara (from Glevsky), was a clerk territorial, Brest, podchashiy, Voight Kobrin, Gorodetsky; Faustin (1672 — 1755) married to Victoria (from Grabovsky), was an underframe, the policeman Brest, horunzhy Kiev; Frantisek (1675 — till 1722), married to Theresa Grabovskaya, was a skarbnik volkovyssky. The name Ambrosia, Tadeush Kosciusko's grandfather, is connected with events of Northern war. He was in 1706 a commissioner on a whip-round from the Beresteysky voivodeship for the maintenance of the hired army attracted from Saxony with the king Augustus II. In fight against political opposition undertook a saber. On one of seymik wounded Ludwig Patey's head, future great hetman INCL. In the eighth generation the son Ambroziya Ludwig Tadeush (1700 — 1757), the colonel of army of VKL married to Tekla Ratomskaya had popularity (? — 1768).

Small Sekhnovichi, Farmstead house. figure F. Bzhozovsky. About 1880.

From Kosciusko-Ivanovichey — Pavel Kosciusko, the grodsky clerk, lovchy, married to Tsetsiliya of Vretov, is known on fundushevy record of 1727 on church which was executed with "desire to improve and update, by the temple built in Sekhnovichakh by his ancestors for the sake of St. Nicholas The Wonderworker that in it sacred sacraments were made and on ancient custom a sacrifice was made to God". Fundush made the house, constructions with all lands, the woods and haymakings, wax and wine on church service.

Todeush Kosciusko. A portrait from nature. Artist A. Regulsky of 1817. K. Ostrovskaya's meeting.

Addressing different generations of a family of Kosciusko, it is necessary to notice that they did not hold high state positions, willingly were engaged in managing, but were not allocated with prosperity. Nobility was the advantage of a sort. According to T. S. Korzon, one of biographers Tadeush Kosciusko, none of his ancestors "betrayed, sided with the enemy, turned to him a back during fight". Material difficulties were experienced by the owner of a manor Small Sekhnovichi Ludwig Kosciusko. Obedneloye from continuous wars and sections had to sell a manor on March 18, 1729 for 23 thousand zloties and to take on the security folvark Sapeg Merechevshchina near Kossov with hope over time to return Sekhnovichi. In 1733 Mr. Ludwig becomes the swordsman Brest, in 1740 he as the deputy of Tribunal Lithuanian acquires the right to sit the judge at the highest magistracy of edge.

After Ludwig's moving to Merechevshchina began to own Sekhnovichami the native uncle - Faustin Benedict, and then — David Kosciusko, podchashy pinskiya. In 1755 Mr. Ludvig the manor at David buys and hands over it on the security. After his death Tekl's wife in 1758 returned a manor and could return with a family to Sekhnovichi which became property of lineal heirs — sons Józef and Tadeush.

Kosciusko lived in the house built by Alexander Yang in the first quarter of the 18th century. The house was externally similar to the building in Merechevshchina. It is known on the Stock of 1768 published by Zygmunt Gloger, also on drawing of 1880 in the Tygodnik illustrowany magazine. The building wooden, one-storeyed, rectangular in the plan, with a high broken straw roof. Small squared windows in a lead frame were framed with simple platbands and had an unary sun blind. On the main facade there was a porch with a dvukhskatny roof on four columns. The house consisted of an outer entrance hall, the big hall and five rooms. The description of its interiors is provided in stock. Ceilings and floors of rooms were made of Teso. They were warmed with white and green tiled furnaces with an iron fringing. In the house the archive which is carefully brought together by Kosciusko's family of different generations, taken out then by Maria Estko Vislotskaya in the husband's manor was stored in Lyshchitsy.

Kobrin. Catholic cemetery. Kosciusko's burials. Photo of 1999.

On the right side of the house there was an ofitsina roofed by gontovy. It had a big spacious outer entrance hall with kitchen which basis of walls was made by 4 columns with a wattle fence covered from two parties with clay. Near kitchen the log hut with four windows, with the green tiled furnace and two fireplaces settled down, and there were two more mosquitoes and a bakery further. To the house the long avenue at the beginning of which there was a kaplitsa constructed by Alexander Yang till 1722 Krom of scrap, ofitsina and kaplitsa the yard conducted included folvark with numerous economic constructions: a spikhler, a barn, hleva, syrnichek, brovar, malt-house, vozovnya, 2 konyuish (wattled of brushwood and wooden), a shed with current, a well, etc. The estate had a fencing from a shtaketnik, and from the back — from poles. Entrance was fixed by Bramah on three columns covered gonty with gate from Teso on runners. There was also "ogrod", rather vegetable kitchen garden as it was enclosed with poles and a wattle fence. Served as park, probably, Liski behind a kitchen garden in which there were two ponds.

In 1768 Kosciusko get Davidovshchizna, folvark and the village from 13 houses. Same year did not become Flew Kosciusko. Tadeush continued study at Knightly school (military school) in Warsaw, very prestigious institution of that time which finished in 1769 and it was left at it the officer. The young capable officer was noticed by the king Stanislav Augustus Ponyatovsky and presented as the scholar to further training abroad. Tadeush knew German also French languages, well knew antique history. For cunning and persistence, like Karl XII, discipline and almost Spartan way of life age-mates called him "Swede".

The subsequent stages of history of a manor which Tadeush and his elder brother Józef (1743 — 1789), obozny Brest continued to own were not simple. The manor included folvarka: Small Sekhnovichi, Sekhnovichi-Davidovshchizna and Sekhnovichi-Zhulkovshchizn. Given, the owner Malykh Sekhnovichey was Tadeush. According to other data, it possessed folvark Davidovshchizna who in the first quarter of the 19th century merged with Sekhnovichami. Did not get on with Józef Tadeush and lived more at relatives in Slavinke, near Lublin. Being in difficult financial position, he becomes the house art teacher at Józef Sosnovsky, the Smolensk voivode, and then since 1775 the hetman of polny VKL which made Tadeusha a patronage at receipt in 1765 in the Warsaw military school. Between the oldest daughter Lyudvigoy and the teacher who was more senior than it for twenty seven years there were deep mutual feelings, however marriage did not take place, secret wedding broke. To Ludwig which forever kept ideal love to Tadeush and later corresponded with it, took away from the monastery and violently married to the son of the Kiev voivode prince Lyubomirsky.

Tadeush captured by a storm of feelings and thoughts, afflicted with the section of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth without taking place for service, in the fall of 1775 will emigrate to France, and in the summer of 1776 — to North America, having transferred possession to elder sister Anna Barbara (1741 — 1814) with whom it was in especially friendly relations; in 1762 she became Pyotr Estko (1729 — 1787) wife, a stolnik Smolensk, voivodes Brest. Their three sons became military: major Stanislav (1763 — 1820), captain-legionary Tadeush (1770 — 1812) and the most famous Sykstus (1776 — 1813), general of crew.

In 1784 Tadeush Kosciusko, the voluntary participant of war for independence of North American states (1776 — 1783) to whom the American Congress gave the rank of the general of crew awarded the order by the highest fighting Tsinniinata, an allotment and lifelong pension, returned home. In Sekhnovichakh he was joyfully met by the family and neighbors. However the army service to the forty-year-old general was not, and he had to be engaged in affairs of a manor. The brother Józef because of debts in 1779 lost Sekhnovichi-Zhulkovshchizna. It became property of the husband of the sister Katerina (1744 — 1789). Davidovshchizna thanks to Pyotr Estko, the sister Anna's husband, was in a quite good state. Pyotr not only managed to extend a manor from debts, but even satisfied part of the debts of Tadeush made before a trip to America. The come-back owner reduced corvee for men to two days a week, and absolutely exempted women from it though the income from economy made only 992 zloties, and the money paid by the States till January 1, 1789 got lost, were not debts are liquidated. It was time in his life called by "idyll" or "countrywoman" (1785 — 1789). The American general visits the next manors, supports a wide range of acquaintances: prince Chartoryysky (Big Sekhnovichi), Neselovskiye (Voroncha), Vereshchako (Tuganovichi), Sapegi, etc. In 1789 Tadeush received at last the place of the major general of crown army not without the aid of Lyudvigi Sosnovskaya who through influential acquaintances appealed to the king, and, having accepted on February 1, 1790 crew, forever left native Sekhnovichi. Transferred a manor to Anna.

In 1794 he headed the revolt which broke out in Krakow and was declared the highest and only chief of armed forces. Constantly addressed the people, trying to awaken in it conscious activity, to strengthen belief in a victory. Having apprehended the doctrine of the French philosophers and writers, and also progressive American figures, developed the independent state and legal concept of political and social development of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, standing up for liberation of peasants. As a form of government considered the republic, land tenure still landowner, but on condition of free hiring of labor.

Small Sekhnovichi. Central farmstead avenue. Photo of 1999.

Tadeush Kosciusko, according to Mikhail Kleofas Oginsky, "was highly esteemed all Europe, was a thunder-storm for enemies and a deity for the people; ennobled to position of the Chief, did not know other honor how to serve Fatherland and to fight for it, it is always modest in behavior..., went in a frock coat from simple gray cloth and ate as the ordinary officer". However it was not succeeded to carry out plans in practice. Wounded and captivated under Matiyevitsami Tadeush becomes the prisoner of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Thanks to Pavel's favor 119 December, 1796 together with Yulian Nemtsevich he leaves St. Petersburg intention to leave to America.

After 1812 at the emperor Alexander whom met personally, exchanged letters, asked it about amnesty to participants of revolt, he could return home, but, knowing its servitude, did not make it. In 1815 settled in the small Swiss town of Salyur. However Sekhnovichi remained in memory until the end of days. The manor of this time in which managed Estko is known on Stock for 1813. Shortly before death wrote the will according to which exempted peasants of a manor from a serfdom. Nephews challenged the document before the emperor Alexander I and with his permission he had not the power. In the USA (in Nevarke) in 1826 constructed school for Blacks ("Kosciusko-School") on means which it bequeathed to Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of independence of the USA and future president.

Small Sekhnovichi. Fragment of a lime arbor. Photo of 2003.

On the second testament of 1817 Tadeush bequeathed a manor to the sister Anna's grandsons — to Roman and Ludwig on condition of release and investment of peasants with the earth. According to the inventory description for 1845 — 1847, it included 551 morgues of the earth. Roman Fadey Estko (1803), Anna's grandson, one of sons Tadeusha (1770 — 1812), the provincial secretary was the owner. In the second half of the 19th century Sekhnovichi passed to a sort Bulgakov as Kazimira's dowry from Estko, Roman's daughter. In 1890 her son Alexander Bulgak owned a manor, probably. The second daughter of Roman — Maria Vislotskaya lived in Lyshchitsakh, in the husband's manor. Sekhnovichey was the last owner V. Dombrovsky. His small house stood still crossings of entrance avenues. Stanislav Kosciusko (1848 — 1889), Antonina Traugutt's brother, the representative of the senior line of a sort and its son Miroslav who died in 1914 at the age of 26 years are based upon a Catholic cemetery in Kobrin.
Despite time, wars, the fires, the ancient estate kept common features of regular planning (scheme).

It is located on an equal terrace of a small stream with the local name Kanalchik. The main composite axis which — is very extended, reminding of baroque time is expressed. It is focused approximately in the direction the South — the North. On an axis the old entrance road is located. Entrance went from Big Sekhnovichey which belonged to Kosciusko of other line, then to Chartoryysky and other owners. About this road, after turn to the estate, there was a kaplitsa mentioned already by us and known on the Stock of 1772 made by Faustin Benedict with a title:" Description of a kaplitsa sekhnovichsky, foundations of sir Alexander Jan Kosciusko Sekhnovichsky". The stock it was stored at the King Vislotsky in Lyshchitsakh, and then in 1888 was published by Zygmunt Glogsr in the Ktosy magazine. Kaplitsa was wooden, stood on a stone crypt in which were based Kosciusko of many generations. Burials were available as well about a kaplitsa. It had two altars in which there was about one icon, skillfully cut out from a tree, choruses with portraits of her founder Alexander Yang and Augustine Kosciusko, troksky judge, and also several pictures on a cloth and icons. On the place of the former shrine now the field. The location it is shown by locals.

Before the estate the road to a manor is crossed with other lateral avenue. In the place of crossing — the roundish platform with a horse-chestnut. Probably, the entrance Bramah specified in Stock of 1768 exactly here settled down. From Bramah there is the main avenue of the estate 8 m wide, trees among through 4 m. It is issued by time linden Bulgakov. Except a linden single trees of a yavor, an oak, an ash-tree and maple grow in it. The right number of the avenue comes to an end with a linden of American 'Macrophylla'. Behind it the orchestra seats began.

Say about a linden that it is put by Tadeush Kosciusko after return from America. Actually this tree of the end of XIX — the beginning of the 20th century, put along with other trees of the avenue. Perhaps, the old kostyushkovsky linden was a pereprivita at the end of the 19th century. Discrepancy of a stock and scion is well expressed (diameter of a trunk is respectively equal to 45 and 88 cm). It is known that T. Kosciusko in the years of stay in the estate with love was engaged in garden affairs. One of lindens put by Tadeush carefully remained owners of the estate. Before war the burst trunk was pulled together with iron hoops. Now a tree the house stands still.

Behind the small herbalist there was a house Bulgakov. Its place is traced on a cellar. A row located a decayed construction of cheese dairy with luchkovy window openings, with the deep cellar (serves as housing). On the place of orchestra seats the private house is built. Allegedly in this place there was also a kostyushkovsky house which burned down at the end of the 18th century. The fire captured all estate. At this time the kaplitsa burned down. Remains of burials, according to locals, were transported before 1939 to Poland.

Behind the house on the main axis the lime avenue was located. It came to the end with composition from the lindens landed in the form of an envelope (30x30 m) with a podbivka ornamental shrubs. Between lindens flat boulders lay. The left part of "envelope" was occupied by the platform of an oval form among a lawn. Usually in regular parks round arbors were formed of a linden (on an axis of composition or lonely aside). One of them, for example, is well presented in park of Podduby of Shchuchinsky district. The age of lindens in composition testifies to Tadeush's time (18th century) . Trees not just old — two lindens already without tops; one — with a big hollow; from the fourth there was only a stub in the diameter of 2 m. Majestically the linden branching at the height of 9 m looks. The lawn with the oval platform under trees did not remain. Snezhnoyagodnik, elder black, spireya formed thickets under which bed curtains the colourful cover from the blossoming goose onions develops in the early spring. In the past it was the vacation spot, a privacy, reception of guests.

Fragment of the estate of the 18th century is the avenue conducting from orchestra seats to the floodplain of a stream. In it the linden with a diameter of trunk of 124 cm, with half the broken trunk lives. Nearby single large stubs. These are lindens of time of laying of the estate. On the other side of orchestra seats of their coevals did not become long ago (private building now).

Small Sekhnovichi. Fragment of a forest stand of park. Photo of 2003.

The escaped lindens and the general logic of a planning solution show that the main element of the kostyushkovsky baroque estate was big boskt which surface smoothly went down to a meadow. It served as a garden, a kitchen garden recently as it was most often in small estates. From a meadow it is surrounded with a protective obsadka, generally from an ash-tree, and the ditch dewatering in a stream. Place around the house was taken by usual landscape registration. From it there were white acacias here, successfully renew offsprings. In a northern corner of a garden the fragment of a natural forest stand from an oak and a hornbeam including single larches and a linden large-leaved remained. From the central lime arbor the lime avenue conducted here it (is completely lost). Perhaps, it is also the place of that "scaffold" which is mentioned in stock. It is the angular raised northern part of park which, as guards, hold five powerful oaks (diameter of a trunk of 54 — 91 cm). The oldest, more than tercentenary, failed in 1997. This part of park, the most remote from the house, was allocated with attention. Here the flower bed with a larch in the center settled down. Even before war there was an original composition around an old oak in the form of the narrow labyrinth path which is poured out by sand. From here the view of the floodplain of a stream revealed. It was deepened before the 2nd world war and took a form of the channel with the coast fixed by a wattle fence. This lowered inundated part was boggy, had a reservoir which a ditch along the estate connected to other reservoir located on an opposite corner of the estate. With drainage of the floodplain of reservoirs did not become.

Perhaps, it "scaffold" was also adjoined still by the wood massif in which Tadeush Kosciusko upon return in 1784 formed a labyrinth among filbert thickets of the USA. Idea of its park called by a garden gives the description made by the servant Soroka. The garden behind the house consisted of several fruit-trees, included the hill overgrown with a filbert, the small pond which grew with an acorus where wild ducks, and the wide avenue were found.

The labyrinth in thickets of a filbert represented a network of the coiling paths, but which could be followed minutes ten, without seeing anything because of a dense wall of greens around. Leaving last time (in 1789) from a manor in a rank of the major general, Kosciusko after the journey sent an assignment: "Put small birches in the boulevard, behind the building, about a hollow at once. Plant also, please, the saplings presented by Laskovsky to those places where earlier did not get accustomed". Tadeush was on friendly terms with owners of the next manors and borrowed experience of registration of the estate. Its friendly relations with Zalesskimi, tenants Big Sekhnovichey are known.

Two bosket along the entrance avenue served as a garden (left), in right, besides, on the suburb there were economic constructions. Till 2003 the building of the beginning of the 20th century from a red brick with luchkovy window openings remained. The entrance to the economic yard is conveniently planned. It goes along east avenue (from a bolshak). The avenue is well expressed. It wide (10 m), difficult structure (a maple, an ash-tree, a birch, trees of a poplar of the Canadian ׳Robusta odinochno planted recently ׳). In the avenue the hollow hornbeam, the witness of its old age lives. The beginning of the avenue goes from three horse-chestnuts put by a triangle among which there was a cross.

The estate has memorial value. Belonged to one of the most glorified Belarusians. The respect for Tadeush among local population was so big that there was to take off a tradition a cap, passing about Sekhnovichey and to dress it, passing the estate. About it in 1889 Felix Nemoyevsky with near Rokitnitsa wrote to the Tygodnik illustrowany magazine. Now it is the school estate. It is built partially up. It is started. Collapses. Before the schoolhouse in 1988 Tadeush Kosciusko's bust of work of the architect A. Vidatskaya (1930) is established. The hill filled by hands of people on St. Bronislava's eminence according to the conclusion of the city Senate of 1820 in which it was noted became a monument to "the great athlete" in Krakow; "Tadeush... fought for our earth which let will become it a monument". In 1821 the hill Matiyevits accepted a marble ballot box with the earth from Belarusian.

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