Neporent Isaac Matveevich. The Mystery of the Family

Neporent Isaac Matveevich. The Mystery of the Family

"To the descendants scattered around the world and who do not know the Russian language"

Статья в работе

Content
1 "Secrets" of the Baku tree of the Neporent family
1.1 the Head of the family-Isaak Matveevich Motovilikha
1.1.1 Isaac's Fateful meeting with Mitrofanov
1.1.2 Continuation of cooperation - creation of the Motovilikha society (1903)
1.1.3 about the life of a Neporent family and their neighbors in Mitrofanov's house
1.1.4 David Neporent talks about the ways of searching for the truth
1.1.5 Summing up the life of Isaac Neporent
1.2 branches of the Baku tree
1.2.1 1st son Moses Isaakovich Neporent and his branch
1.2.2 2nd son Osip (Joseph) Isaakovich Neporent
1.2.3 3rd son Samuel Isaakovich Neporent and his branch
1.2.4 1st daughter Sofia Isaakovna Neporent and her branch
1.2.5 2nd daughter Faina Isaakovna Neporent and her branch
1.2.6 4th son Pavel Isaakovich Neporent
1.2.7 3rd daughter Maria Isaakovna Neporent
1.2.8 5th son Matvey Isaakovich Neporent
1.2.9 4th daughter Vera Isaakovna Neporent and her branch
1.2.10 6th son Alexander Isaakovich Neporent and his branch
1.2.11 5th daughter Rosalia Isaakovna Neporent
1.2.12 7th son Abram Isaakovich Neporent and his branch

1.2.13 Photo Album

In the process of searching and research, the authors were presented not only a picture of the life of one – even if not an ordinary-Jewish family, but also a broad and unknown to the ordinary reader reality of those special relations with the laws of that time. Without knowledge of this reality, it would be difficult to understand much of the family history. We hope that the volume of the article itself will now be enough to answer the reader's many questions about Jewish and Baku life. without referring them to other sources.

"To find out that I could get an excellent education in

elite universitiesin Russia not leaving the circle.

of the family table was a definite shock for me!”

David Neporent

It was November 1919. It was sad these days at a huge family table on the third-floor gallery in the house number 8 on “Vodovoznaya” street, where a large family with children and household members usually gathered.
And not only because the head of a huge family, its founder and mainstay – Isaac Matveevich Neporent-had just been sent on his last journey, but also because the streets were restless, there was no confidence in the future and future well-being.
My beloved and native Baku was changing before my eyes. And although everyone had an education and, as they say," stood on their feet", it was necessary to seriously think about the future. And soon many Neporentleft the city and settled in Moscow and Leningrad, which was possible in accordance with their education and work experience.
The founder of the Baku branch of the family was Isaac Matveevich Neporent.

фото Baku. 1913 (or later)

Merchant of the 2nd Guild, oil industrialist-Director and Manager Of the company of oil production, contract drilling and mechanical plants "Motovilikha" and the firm "D. D. Mitrofanov", in the uniform of employees of the Department of institutions of the Empress Maria.
Why are we talking about the Baku branch? Yes, because the parents of Isaac-Mordechai Neporent and Gitla Rosenbaum-Rotstein - in the small town of Neporent [1]near Warsaw had 11 sons and one daughter.

фото Warsaw. The photo shows Mordechai (Matthew) Neporent, Isaac's father. His younger brother is standing next to him. Mordechai later lived with his son Isaac in Baku.

Isaac Matveevich Neporent (1859, Neporent – 1919, Baku) was born in the Polish town of Neporent. When he came of age, he was engaged to Lyubov Borisovna Rodinberg (1867, Lenkoran? - 1940, Baku). She was the daughter of retired Nikolaev soldier Boris Rodinberg [2]and his wife Lyubov Danilovna Rodinberg (nee Yershova).
Lyubov Danilovna Yershova was from a family of "Gers"[3].GERS (from גֵּר, 'proselyte'; see ger). A small group of ethnic Russians who profess Judaism. exiled from Central Russia to the outskirts of the Empire, in Lenkoran. Her parents were farmers and engaged in agriculture. In life, she was called Esther Danilovna. Under this name she was buried.
Boris Rotenberg, being called up for military service, it took place in Lankaran, where he met his future wife. At that time, the Caucasian line No. 21 battalion was stationed in Lenkoran.
In 1868, this battalion was transferred to Baku and renamed the 66th Baku provincial battalion (the future Salyan regiment). By the time Boris Rotenberg was already married (the daughter of Love was born in 1867). And so, the wife, a soldier with a daughter, moved to her husband's new duty station in Baku.
In the old Salyan barracks, left over from the tsarist times, where, after their construction in 1909, the Salyan regiment was stationed. There, less than a century later, Boris's great – grandson, David Neporent, also served as a conscript! Boris Rotenberg was the so-called "Nicholas soldiers", that is, he was drafted into military service by Conscription Statute enacted during the reign of Nicholas I.
In 1867, Emperor Alexander II highly approved the "Regulations on the arrangement of retired and indefinite leave of the lower ranks", which serves to facilitate the entry into civil life of dismissed from military service. And to obtain the benefits to which they have acquired the right to serve a fixed term.
Clause 5 of the Regulation stated:
"All in General indefinitely-vacation and retired lower ranks can live, according to legalized types, everywhere they want." This provision applied to all lower ranks in General, including Jews who served under the Recruiting regulations and were dismissed on indefinite leave or retired before January 1, 1874-the adoption of the new regulations on military service.

1.2.2

Based on this provision, Boris Rodinberg, having served the established term (the term of service before retirement was at that time 20 years, while after 15 years of irreproachable service in the military, the lower ranks were dismissed on indefinite leave), settled in Baku. For this purpose, he was assigned to the Baku city society.
"He Got a job in a tailor shop. One day a General came to Boris Lvovich and ordered a uniform.
My great-grandfather refused. He is not a tailor, but a seamstress. And this is a General's uniform. It is no joke. But the General ordered it. where to go and I sewed. The General, when he saw the uniform, slapped his great-grandfather, and said: "And you say you can't make uniforms." Such is the General's gratitude. Then my great-grandfather went into business. He called himself "kipets" (merchant) – well, very "literate" was" [4]

It is not known where Rodinberg met and met Isaac Neporent and what attracted him to the young Isaac, but he suggested that the young man go with him to Baku.
In those years, a Neporent who lived in the Kingdom of Poland, which was part of the pale of settlement, i.e. in the territory where permanent residence of Jews in the Russian Empire was allowed, could not leave the pale of settlement even for marriage.
In General, outside the pale of settlement of Jews they could stay only temporarily:
1) to accept the inheritance.
2) to search for legal property rights in judicial and governmental institutions.
3) for trade cases and for bidding for contracts and deliveries – for a period of no more than 6 weeks (in exceptional cases, 2 months) [5].
The exception was the merchants of the 1st Guild, persons with higher education, master craftsmen who enjoyed the right of universal residence in the Empire.

There was, however, an opportunity to leave the pale of settlement for a longer period than 2 months – for training in craft skills. Young Jews who were under 18 years of age, even if they did not belong to the craft class, could come to areas outside the line designated for permanent settlement of Jews to learn various crafts.
And with the limitation of the time, they stay there for the duration of those contracts (no more than five years, however) that they will conclude with those who have accepted them for training in crafts. Those of them who received approval certificates from their masters at the end of their studies could remain in residence outside the pale of settlement of Jews everywhere, using legalized passports and tickets.

1.2.3

Apparently, this is how Isaac Neporent left the Kingdom of Poland and settled temporarily in Baku. Here, the young Isaac began working in the shop Boris Rotenberg. The store also had a sewing workshop, where Isaac had to learn the craft.
When he arrived in Baku, he registered with the police as a resident of Warsaw, Isaak Mordkovich Neporent.
In 1882, he registered his marriage with the Love of Borisovna Rodenberg, daughter of Boris Rotenberg.
Information about those who got married:

1882 Isak Mordkovich Neporent, a resident of Warsaw, and Lyubov Borisovna Rodinberg, a resident of Baku [6]. Every Jew in those years had to be legally assigned to one of the established estates in the state. Isaac Neporent in the 1880s was assigned to the bourgeois class of Warsaw. We learn about this from the entry about his son Boris in the " Metric book. About the born":
1883 Parents: Warsaw Philistine Isai Matveevich Neporent, wife Lyubov, son Boris. [ 7].
But Isaac Neporent failed to be assigned to the Baku city society. From the available documents [8]it is clear that at least until 1897, Isaac Neporent continued to be listed as a Warsaw Philistine.
Then, in order not to make mandatory trips to Warsaw, to replace the passport after its expiration, and to have the right to live outside the pale of settlement, he registered with the Temir Khan-shurinsky city society. as the Temir-Khan-shurinsky tradesman. To do this, he purchased a house in Temir Khan Shur [9].
This can be seen from the available birth Certificate of his daughter Vera:
"In the Jewish metric book about those born in the city of Baku in 1901, for the number 19 female count, there is the following article: on March 22, Temir Khan-shurinsky Philistine Isaac Matveevich (aka Mordkovich) Neporent from his wife Lyubov Borisovna was born a daughter, who was named Vera."
In the "Regulations on the management of the city of Temir Khan-Shu", highly approved in 1866, it was stated:
"All persons of free status in General can be attributed to the city of Temir Khan Shura, as merchants, as burghers, artisans or shopkeepers.
Note. Jews who belong to urban and rural societies, both in the Transcaucasian region and in all other places in Russia, are not excluded from the list of persons who have the right to be included in the city of Temir Khan Shura
All persons assigned to the city of Temir Khan Shura are obligated to establish a permanent settlement there without fail within three years from the date of registration. Those who do not fulfill this duty are deprived of the right to enjoy the benefits and privileges provided to the residents of the city of Temir Khan Shura. (…)
Note. Those who are assigned to the city are considered to have a solid settlement, who will build buildings or cultivate gardens and orchards that bring them income, or by legal acquisition from other persons who previously settled, become owners of real property." The provision of benefits in the "Position" was made in order to attract migrants to Temir Khan Shura and thus increase the settled population of This city.
Allowing Jews to be assigned to the Temir Khan-shurinsky city society was a privilege for them, as an exception to the General rule to live only in certain provinces – in the Pale of Settlement[10].
Therefore, Isaac Neporent purchased a house in Temir Khan-Shur, for which he later paid taxes, both to the Treasury and to the city budget. The house was used as a summer cottage.

1.2.4

Thus, Isaac Neporent, having been assigned to the Temir Khan-Shura society and acquired real estate, received the right to live in the city of Temir Khan-Shura-outside the pale of settlement. Although the PostScript to the Temir Khan Shura did not give him the right to reside everywhere in all the cities of the Empire, including Baku.
The most possible explanation for why Isaac might have lived in Baku is his probable affiliation with artisans. Artisans, along with merchants of the 1st Guild and persons with higher education, had the right to live in Baku and other cities of the Empire, outside the pale of settlement.
To do this, you had to have a certificate of a craftsman and directly engage in the specified craft – for example, to document the work in a sewing workshop. But such was at the store Boris Rotenberg who traded in clothes. Isaac Neporent, registered at the workshop, helped Rodinberg to conduct trade, and even had a power of attorney from Boris Rodinberg. This can be seen from such an interesting document of 1890: the Baku office of the Caucasus and mercury Society announces an auction sale of goods that were not accepted by the recipients on time, among which there were 5 items sent.
Interesting information about the family of Isaac Neporent and the family of his father-in-law Boris Rodinberg can be found in reference publications of the tsarist period, in the press of those years, and other publications.
In particular, the work of Abezguz[11], who studied the composition of the Jewish population of Baku according to the Jewish metric books (since 1864), written in 1924, provides information about some events in their lives:
1876. About born son: the parents of Baku merchant Berko L. of Rodenberg, wife Esther Danilovna, son of David.
Boris Lvovich Rodinberg in 1876 is listed as a Baku merchant. However, with the introduction of the "Regulations on duties for the right to trade and other crafts" (guilds) in Baku in the same 1876, due to the insignificant volume of trade, it may have passed into the middle class.
1882. Information about the nuptials: Isaak Mordkovich Neporent, a resident of Warsaw, and Lyubov Borisovna Rodinberg, a resident of Baku.
1888. Information about witnesses at someone's wedding. Witnesses were, among others: Rodenberg, Nieporęt.
Information about births. Parents: Warsaw Philistine Isai Matveevich Neporent and his wife Lyubov:
1883. His Son Boris.
1884. Son of Moses.
1886. Son Osip.
1888. son of Samuel.
1890. Daughter Sofia.
As noted in the work of Abezguz, the name of Neporent, like many other Jews, has been transformed over the years:
Thus, a Warsaw resident Isaac Mordukhovich Neporent (record of marriages in 1882) in the records of the birth of children is listed as Isai Matveevich.
This was since " the spelling of names that was inherited from the Polish regime... it turned the name of a Jew into a pejorative nickname / Moshko, Volko/, which, however, is partly the fault of the Jews themselves.
This lack of carriers of these names tried to correct. Not only the newly born tried to give names that are more acceptable for the new time. Or give the names such an outline that would correct this flaw in their documents[12].

1.2.5

Isaak Neporent's father – in-law, Boris Rodinberg, actively participated in the life of the Jewish community in Baku. He was one of the co-owners of the house that housed the synagogue in the 1880s and 1890s.
The following information related to this synagogue is found in official announcements of officials for mandatory publication in the press:
«One thousand eight hundred ninety the bailiff of the Baku district court, Jabar Bey Khanlarov, informs that on January 21, 1891, he has appointed a public auction for the sale of a quarter of the real estate belonging undivided to Grigory Shulbevar, Solomon Shane, Berko Rodinberg and Aaron Chernomordikov. On satisfaction of the debt of the first of these, Gregory Shulaveri in 1823 RUB. 24 kopecks. » «This estate was located on the for Stadt of Baku at the corner of Krasnovodskaya and Birzhevaya streets (now S. Vurgun and U. Hajibeyov streets). And it was in a stone one-story house, where the Jewish society of Baku organized a synagogue.
As a result of these trades, the share Sholevar was bought by Lion Catlina and it is the duty of the first covered. But a year later, the bailiff of the Baku district court, Jabar Bey Khanlarov, on January 17, 1892, again appointed a new public auction for the right to three-quarters of the real estate belonging to Solomon Shein, Berko Rodinberg, Aaron Chernomordikov and Lev Zeitlin. »
To satisfy the debt of the first three on the writ of execution of the Baku district court to Martin Berne 2835 rubles with interest on the mortgage and judicial remuneration for conducting the case 179 rubles
The debtors ' right to compensation was estimated at 3000 rubles.
What ended the last auction – information has not yet been found. Apparently, the share of debtors was bought out by one of the wealthier Jews since the synagogue remained at the same address until the second half of the 1890s[13].Then the house was sold to Petros and Dzhumshud Sergeev brothers, who built a three-story mansion in its place.

1.2.6

The Jewish society was left for several years virtually without a synagogue, which huddled in various places until 1901, when a large synagogue was built on the corner of «Torgovaya» street. and "Caspian" (Nizam and L-TA Schmidt, now Beybutov). Now there is the Beibutov theater.
From the above information, we can assume that Boris Rodinberg had some joint business with Solomon Shane and Aaron Chernomordikov, since the mortgage debt was shared.

The reference books for 1907 and 1913 indicate a store that sold sewing machines and belonged to Mikhail Borisovich Rodinberg. The store was located on the street " Torgovaya ", in the house number 11, which belonged to Gadzhiev. In this building in Soviet times was a cinema "Vatan".
Notes:
1. Neporent (Polish. Nieporęt is a rural gmina (parish) in Poland, and is an administrative division in Legionów County, Masovian Voivodeship.
2. it should be noted here that in tsarist times the surname was written as Rodinberg in all documents encountered, and in Soviet times it was written as Rodenberg. Further on, the last name will be written as it was written in life in relation to specific people. But despite the difference in spelling, it is the same family and the same last name.
3. On de read the article in"Electronic Jewish encyclopedia."
4. According to the recollections of great-grandson of Boris Rotenberg Brand Nieporęt, according to his uncle Samuel Isaakovich Nieporęt.
5. Collection of laws...1891 §52
6. Information from the work of Abezguz " Notes on the composition of the Jewish population of Baku (according to the Jewish metric books)", 1924.
7. Information from the work of Abezguz " Notes on the composition of the Jewish population of Baku (according to the Jewish metric books)", 1924. Probably, the son Boris died in infancy, because information about him is not found in the future.
8. Archive reference no. 427 of 16.12.2019 g. GIAAR. Foundation-F. 1044, op. 1, d. 591, l. 117 Ob – - extract from the Metric book of the Baku synagogue.
9. since 1866, Temir Khan Shura has been the administrative center of the Dagestan region. Now Buinaksk is a city of Republican significance in the Republic of Dagestan. It forms the municipal division of Buinaksk with the status of an urban district. The administrative center of Buinaksk district (which is not included in it).
10. In the Charter about passports mentioned province, in which Jews were permitted permanent settlement – Pale of Settlement
11. Abeshouse. Notes on the composition of the Jewish population of Baku (according to the Jewish metric books). One thousand nine hundred twenty-four
12. Abeshouse. Notes on the composition of the Jewish population of Baku (according to the Jewish metric books). 1924 13. according to some sources, before 1897.

1.2.7

1.1.1.Isaac’s fateful meeting with Mitrofanov
After this meeting, the description of Isaac's life is impossible without a description of Mitrofanov's life.
This description is interesting because it is based on primary sources and gives a vivid picture of the history of Baku.
Unfortunately, research on specific people who were at the beginning of oil production and refining in Azerbaijan is still too little. Therefore, information had to be extracted drop by drop from documents in various libraries and archives.
There was a legend in the family:
While working in a Rodinberg shop, Neporent met a Russian artisan named Mitrofanov, who invented an oil pump and went to Egypt to sell the project to the British. But the British were not interested in his invention.
Having spent a lot of money on the road, he now only thought about how to get home. Therefore, the Neporent's offer to implement the project was an unexpected joy for Mitrofanov.
To build a pump cost 150 rubles, a lot of money at that time. But Isaac Matveevich decided to take a risk and did not lose.
Almost for nothing, he bought an oil plot to test the invention on it. And now the first well produced oil, which Neporent and Mitrofanov began to pump a wonderful pump[1]
The circumstances and date of the meeting in Baku of the clerk from the sewing shop of Isaac Neporent and the son of a craftsman from the working village of Motovilikha on the Kama river near Perm, Dmitry Dmitrievich Mitrofanov, which played a huge role in the fate of both and opened their way to the top of the oil business of the Russian Empire, are unknown.
It should be noted that all legends are based on real events. Over time, these events become overgrown with new additions, modified, corrected, something is forgotten. And over the years, and even centuries, events in the legend can differ very much from the former. Let's try to figure out how real this legend is.
Let's start with the fact that Mitrofanov was really in Egypt. He worked there for two years under contract, first to an American contractor and then to the Egyptian government as a drilling foreman, searching for oil from 1885 to 1887.
Information about that expedition, according to its participant, who was engaged in drilling oil wells in Egypt with Mitrofanov, was found in old Newspapers for 1887. Here is his story.
A certain American Tvedl (it must be the same One who several years ago, in partnership with Bodisko, repeatedly sought concessions for the Baku – Batum and Baku – Poti oil pipelines). And in 1885 he entered into an agreement with the Egyptian government to conduct oil surveys in the steppes of Arabia. The choice fell on one area near the coast of the Red sea, which the Germans for some reason called "Yemets", and the Americans – Petroleum Well Driller. This was stated in the certificate of service issued to drilling masters from Baku, who worked in Egypt, by an American named Metchin – Director of works under the firm "Egyptian government".

1.2.8

In Balakhani, one time worked several Americans. Among them was a certain Benger, who also had in 1887, in company with a certain Galagan, an oil field in Balakhany. So, this same Benger, either in company with Tvedl, or as a contractor for the latter, contracted ten Russian drilling masters in Baku: Nikolaev, Ilchenko, Dunin, Africawide, Pozega, Douala, Idle, Mitrofanov and Neumann. With a salary of 12 pounds or 120 rubles per month, with ready-made premises and other amenities. Moreover, he assured them that life there is good and free, and the cost of food does not exceed 25-30 rubles per month. They agreed and went.

The area where the drillers had to work was completely deserted. They arrived there from Suez, first by canal to the Red sea, and then by sea by steamer for another day and a half.

After this party, a few months later, Benger sent another, from the Americans: Louis, Bruce, Marfin, Darwin, Filens, Jogge, and Berkins – also from the Balakhans.

All the rigs were delivered, one after the other, five pieces, of which the Americans put three rigs under Nos. 3, 4 and 5. But all the wells in the course of drilling turned out to be curved, one after the other, and the drilling tools were damaged and left in the wells. That is, the Americans worked there completely fruitlessly for 7 months. Therefore, the Egyptian government considered itself entitled, after 7 months, to remove all Americans from there: Twedl, Benger and all their masters.
And on tower 2, which was worked on by Russian masters, the work was going well. But the contract they have with Mr. Benger has already ended. Then the Egyptian government itself had already contracted them for a new year's term, and after working for some time, they reached in tower 2 to 1816 feet. There they reached the gypsum layer, but not a drop of oil appeared, and there was no sign of it anywhere along the drilling route. Therefore, the government decided to stop all work as useless. The employees and all the workers, who, by the way, were all Bedouin Arabs, were dismissed, and all were paid in the most honest manner.

So Mitrofanov was in Egypt, but not to sell a pump there, but to earn money. Probably a little more than he would have earned in Balakhani, doing the same thing as in Egypt – drilling oil wells.

1.2.9

The family legend always raised questions about the likelihood of a meeting between them. Where in Baku did Mitrofanov have to go to find a small shop? Now, when the above data on Rodenberg, I have this question came a possible answer. This meeting could be in store for Rodenberg on the street "Torgovaya ". However, provided that the store never changed its address, from the time of the historical meeting until 1907, when it was listed in the directory.

The next part of the legend said that Mitrofanov at that time invented a pump for oil production, which could not be sold in Baku. Then he decided to take part in the acquisition of oil sites and attracted Isaac. According to legend, Isaac invested 150 rubles in the joint venture, risking all the family's stock for a rainy day.

At the same time, on February 1, 1872, Emperor Alexander II implemented radical changes in the oil industry by signing the "Rules on oil production" for the Caucasus and Transcaucasia.
All state-owned oil-bearing lands on the Absheron Peninsula were divided into plots of 10 tithes, called groups, and were leased exclusively from auctions.

So, at the auction that took place in December 1872, the oil-bearing plots of the group were leased for 24 years (at the auction, the right to lease a specific site was sold), at a rental cost of 10 rubles per tithe of land per year, for amounts hundreds or thousands of times higher than the initial cost of the plot put up for auction.
For example, Mirzoev acquired the right to lease only one, although the most expensive section of group III for 925 thousand rubles. Before the auction, Mirzoev was a monopoly buyer of oil fields. The cheapest of the VI group, at Balakhani the country [2]were acquired for 13.743 RUB. Kokorev and Gubonin.

1.3

Therefore, it is more than frivolous to say that 150 rubles could be "introductory capital" for starting activities in the oil industry and purchasing a plot of oil – bearing land. They would not even be enough for a pledge to participate in auctions for government plots. And plots owned by private individuals were sold (or leased) for similar amounts, the price was determined by the market.

Most likely, Mitrofanov did not invent a pump, but a drilling machine, which he began to use, organizing a company for contract drilling.
Mitrofanov was first mentioned in reference books in the mid-1890s as the owner of a mechanical plant with five drilling machines. The mechanical plant itself was in the Balakhano-sabunchinskaya dacha on a site intended only for surface use, which cost significantly less than the site for oil production. Only a few years later, in 1897, Mitrofanov became the owner of the first section of oil-bearing land.

We can only assume that this money went, as the missing amount, to the first drilling machine. As in the initial authorized capital of the future mechanical workshop-Mitrofanov's contract drilling enterprise, in which Isaac Neporent could "invest".

Details of the meeting on which the family legend is based will remain unknown. But one thing is certain-the meeting marked the beginning of friendly relations between Neporent and Mitrofanov for many years, and even after their death, the families remained friendly. This is evident from the condolences on their demise, printed in the press.

1.3.1 извещения о смерти

фото One thousand nine hundred sixteen Isaac Matveevich and Lyubov Borisovna Neporent with their children inform about the untimely death of their owner and friend Dmitry Dmitrievich Mitrofanov.

фото One thousand nine hundred nineteen Moses Mikhailovich Mikhailov (after the death of D. D. Mitrofanov, who took his place in the management of the company), the husband of D. D. Mitrofanov's niece and at the same time his brother-in-law, with the family informs about the death of the unforgettable friend Isaac Matveevich Neporent.

All the work of Isaac Neporent, until his death, was associated with the enterprises of Mitrofanov.
Here is a little chronological information from Mitrofanov's industrial activities, available from statistical reports of oil producers and various reference books, both in Baku and throughout Russia.
In 1896, Mitrofanov bought a small kerosene plant from Mamed-Yarov in the Black city and began to process oil into kerosene. In the same year, Mitrofanov is listed [3]as the owner of a mechanical plant in Sabunchy. E
that plant is engaged in, in addition to various mechanical works – foundry, repair and contract drilling.
In 1897, Mitrofanov bought his first oil plot 56 in Sabunchinskaya dacha with a size of 1,400 sq. sash., for the operation of which he established the “Kama partnership”. Subsequently, the “Kama partnership” will be transformed into the “Motovilikha” joint-stock company. It was not possible to find out how much this plot, purchased from the previous private owner, cost. The other section 191 was located nearby, measuring only 433 square meters. was taken by Mitrofanov on lease from the Treasury in 1902 for an annual fee of 3.067 rubles. 10 kopecks. [4]
Then in 1899, Mitrofanov, together with S. I. Salomon and the Jew L. P. Zilberman, established the joint-stock company "Sabunchinsky oil industry and trade commission.”
The company's oil field was located on plot 145, about 1 tithe in size, in the dacha of the village of Balakhany. It was on public-state land, given by the Treasury for grazing livestock, breeding gardens, orchards, for arable land for the peasants of the village of Balakhany.
According to the verdict of the peasant rural society of Balakhany, this site was leased for oil production in the 1880s to the company " Gornich and Co."
In 1891, Musa Nagiyev purchased the plot from the " Gornich and Co." There were no active wells on the site. He tried to fix one well on the site, but it was not productive. Then he started drilling a new well.
In 1897 Nagiyev gave the land to a new tenant – Kerbalay Sultan Ali.
Since 1892, the site has not had productive wells and oil production has not been conducted. All this time, the well was being drilled, but the oil-bearing layers were never reached. Therefore, in 1898, the owner of the site again cedes it to a new owner – the Russian oil industry Association[5].
Members of the partnership were Tarusov, Pavlov and Mitrofanov[6].
In 1898, the company completed the drilling of the well that Nagiev had started, which lasted 69 months, drilled 3 more new wells, and started producing oil.
1902. The Charter of the “Rus oil Industry and trade company” was approved by Emperor Nicholas II on October 30, 1901. In 1902, the partnership ceased operations and transferred the site to the Rus society.

фото The fixed capital was 600,000 rubles, divided into 2,400 shares of 250 rubles each.

1.3.3

On May 30, 1902, the money received for the shares was deposited by the founders to the account of the Baku branch of the State Bank. And after submitting the certificate of receipt of the initial payment for shares to The State Bank to the Minister of Finance, the Company opened its operations.
At the first General meeting of shareholders, the conditions for transferring the property of founders Mitrofanov, Tarusov and Pavlov to the company's ownership were determined.
The Board (Director) of the Company was elected at the same meeting. The Directors of the management Board are Dmitry Dmitrievich Mitrofanov (aka managing Director), Gerasim Ivanovich Tarusov, Stepan Mikhailovich Pavlov and Isai Matveevich Neporent.