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The Creation of Kovno Guberniya in 1842
This document was provided by Vitalija Gircyte, Head Archivist, Kaunas Regional Archives.
Map of Kaunas Uyezd
(Click on picture for enlarged view)
His Majesty's Highest Edict proclaimed to the Senate, on the 18th day of December in the year of 1842, reorganized the Northwest parts of the Russian Empire, and created the Kovno Guberniya. (Russian names of the period are used.)
In order to organize the Northwest guberniyas of Our Empire in terms of population and space, I conclude that it is necessary to reorganize existing Guberniyas, and am ordering:
1. The Northern Uyezds of the current Vilno Guberniya, namely: Telshi, Shavli, Rassein, Upita, Novoaleksandrovsk, Vilkomir, and part of Kovno shall form a new guberniya which will be named Kovno Guberniya, and the City of Kovno will be its capital.
2. The boundaries of the following uyezds:
Telshi, Shavli, Upita (which will be renamed "Panevezh Uyezd" after
the major city in this uyezd), Novoaleksandrovsk, and Vilkomir will remain
without any changes.
The part of the Rassein Uyezd laying between the river
Dubissa and the edge of the Shavli Uyezd will be added to the Kovno Uyezd; also
the small piece of land near the town of Rumshishki will be added to this uyezd.
3. The Southern parts of the Vilno Guberniya, e.g. the following uyezds: Vilno, Oshmiany, and Zavileyski will remain in the Vilno Guberniya. Instead of the northern uyezds, which go to the new Kovno Guberniya, the Lida Uyezd of the Grodno Guberniya, and Disna and Vileika Uyezds of Minsk Guberniya will be added to the Vilno Guberniya.
Since Kovno leaves the Vilno Guberniya, Troki's status will be restored and this city will become the center of the Troki Uyezd, and some lands of the current Kovno Uyezd which extend to the town of Rumshishki (or the southwest edge of the newly organized Kovno Guberniya) will be added to this uyezd.
The Zavileyski Uyezd will be renamed "Sventsion Uyezd".
4. The Novogrudek Uyezd of Grodno Guberniya will be added to Minsk Guberniya.
5. The following uyezds of the current Grodno Guberniya: Grodno, Volkovysk, Slonim, Brest, Kobrin, Pruzhany and three uyezds of the Bialystok province will form the Grodno Guberniya which currently is being reorganized.
The Drogichin Uyezd will be added to the Belsk Uyezd, and Drogichin will lose its status as the uyezds administrative center. The capital of this guberniya will be Grodno.
6. The Bialystok province will be abolished."
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