Semkov Gorodok

Semkov Gorodok before 1917

History

1161	- first evidence about Gorodok as a private possession of Dukes Solomeretskies in Polotsk Princedom.
1242 - 1569	- Gorodok was a private possession of Dukes Solomeretskies in the Great Lithuanian Princedom.
XVI century	- a castle was constructed in Gorodok. Jewish population appeared in Semkov Gorodok.
1569 - 1793	- Gorodok was a shtetle of Minsk Province of Rech Pospolitaya.
Beg. XVII century	- a wooden Orthodox church was founded in Gorodok. Dukes Solomeretsky family tomb was situated there.
1640	- Gorodok became a possession of Statkevich noble family.
1660s-1748	- Gorodok was a possession of different noble families and felt into decay.
1705	- during the war between Russian-Polish coalition against Sweden Gorodok donated 500 tynfs (1,68 kg of silver) for food for Russian army.
1735	- the old Orthodox church became a Uniatic Church St. Virgin Mary.
1748 - 1917	- Gorodok was a possession of Khmara noble family.
1754	- King of Rech Pospolitaya August III awarded Semkov Gorodok with privilege to collect "road tax" — 2 groshes per any merchant wagon to support local bridge and ferry across Vyacha river.
2nd half of XVIII century	- the Uniatic Church of St. Mary was destroyed by fire (with Solomeretsky family tomb).
1791	- Khmara built a Roman Catholic Church in Gorodok.
Since 1793	- in Russian Empire.
Since 1801	- a shtetle in Minsk District of Minsk Province.
1852	- the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas was constructed in Gorodok.
1866	- the Roman Catholic church was resanctified into Orthodoxy.
1886	- Gorodok became the center of Subdistrict and got "Semkov" (after the name of former Subdistrict center — the village of Semkovo) as specific name to differ it from other Gorodoks.

Vital Statistics

Date	Number of Jews	Number of Non-Jews			Commentaries		Specific gravity in total population number
XVI century					Jewish population appeared
1859	about 190			Total population		No info
1881	5		216	Both sexes		2,3 %
1905	430				Total population		No info

Jewish Life

By 1900 there was no any Jewish objects in Semkov Gorodok.

Economical Review.

Since early time Vyacha river was the main road for Semkov Gorodok habitants, who were busy with agriculture and chopping of wood.

Gorodok’s 1st increase of development took place in the XVIth century. That time Jewish population appeared there. Traditional activities of local Jewish population were trade with timber, grain and vodka.

In 1680 Gorodok habitants were to pay annually the following personal taxes in favour of the shtetle’s master:

- 60 groshes;

- 1 wagon of hay.

Beside it they were to:

- work on master’s fields and meadows during the harvest period;

- deliver wagons and horses for transportation;

- bring wood and other necessary materials for building master’s palace and mills.

In 1730 there was an evidence, that Gorodok was famous for fishing and beavers (in XIX century there were almost no beavers there already).

During Russian principality, vodka trade was under state hard control and became less popular among Jewish businessmen. But Russian authorities did a lot to develop the region because of military and fiscal reasons mostly. First of all, old communications were reconstructed there:

- trade road Minsk - Zaslavl;

- trade road Semkov Gorodok - Ostroshitsky Gorodok.

Since mid. XIX century there were 2 small annual fairs in Gorodok:

- on May 9;

- on September 8.

In XIX, because of development of the AllRussian Market, new types of communications appeared in the region.

Since 1871 the closest railway and telegraph stations and post office were in Minsk (14 km).

Here is the table of development of Semkov Gorodok in mid. XIX - early XX centuries:

Date of record	Number of houses
1859	22
1905	49

Here is the list of major business and state enterprises of Semkov Gorodok and the Subdistrict for 1902.

Name of owner	Type of business	Nationality
Shumsky Kazimir son of Pavel	Brick factory	Christian

General cultural information.

In 1880 century in Semkov Gorodok there were:

- 2 Orthodox Churches (206 Gorodok habitants were Orthodox and 10 Roman Catholic believers);

- post office and telegraph station;

- a public primary school (there were 50 Christian pupils there).

In beg. XX century in Semkov Gorodok there were:

- 2 Orthodox Churches (206 Gorodok habitants were Orthodox and 10 Roman Catholic believers);

- post office and telegraph station;

- a public primary school.

The closest doctor and synagogue were in Minsk (14 km).