Kaspars wife unknown

Further, because most of our Latvian ancestors before 1900, in all probability were serfs (slaves) it was important to keep track of them - as they were essentially the property of the German Barons - and they were considered as valued “asset” investments. Desertion was treated with great punishment and the system was highly orchestrated to keep the serf to the rightful property owner. Conscription to war was one of the few ways to leave the manor for men, but either you came back, or were granted freedom because of a heroic act on your behalf as a war hero - or young men simply died. . Regardless, one seldom had any place to go except close to the family or the family you married in to - or one would simply disappear for good.

To understand the plight of the Latvian serf, I have decided to honor Peteri Celms site with my second daughters, Alexandra Celms' UW Senior Thesis on Serfdom which should give those who are not familiar with Latvian history, an excellent understanding of what Peter Celms, his wife and 12 children struggled so hard to eluded in their lifetime. They were a part of a Latvian and worldwide movement that took place throughout much of the world – the end of feudal societies. Serfdom did not end until the Czar’s declaration of 1863 and then, because the freed Serfs were not allowed to own property, freedom becomes an almost meaningless term in an agrarian society. They simply had no place to go. Consequently, most stayed near the Manor Home to be close to relatives and now, did the same job as before, except for minimal wages. It was not until the industrial revolution of the 80s that jobs became plentiful in factory cities of Riga and Jelgava that Latvians could begin mobility. And, some progressive German businessmen acknowledged that they needed schooling and education to create a clerical working class for their farms and factories. Also, as you will see later, some Manor owners would deed part of the land to their good workers as motivation to keep them around the Manor Home. That apparently happened to Peteris Celms, because starting around 1884, children born to Peteris were referred to as Land Owners or Seimnieki in the record books. I find this very interesting, but have not validated its legal meaning with historians. And, from everything I understand, Peter was very hard working and eventually, became a property owner of some substance, even before the declaration of Latvia’s independence in 1918.

jvc