Ludzie starzy na wsi podlaskiej w dobie reform agrarnych w Rosji w XIX wieku

The article analyses the role and place of elderly people in a peasant family in Podlasie, which was incorporated into Russia at the end of the 18th century, in the period of agrarian reforms taking place in that country in the 19th century. Handwritten lists of the inhabitants of the parish of Trzcianne, dated 1843 and 1882, constitute the main source. As a result, not only was the dominant family structure of all peasant households determined for the period under study, but also the structure of households headed by elderly people (60 years and older). In addition, the moment when an individual tended to resign from the position as head of the household was determined, which marked the onset of old age and a change in the previous social status within the family community and the village as a whole, as well as the degree of family and social isolation of senior citizens with respect to their gender. The aim was to find out more about the personal relationships resulting from the nature of cohabitation, considering the marital status of old people in addition to their position on the farm.