The population of the city Gizhiginsk in the XIX – early XX centuries (based on the reconstruction of the genealogy of the Bragin´s family)

The development of the far northern suburbs in the XVII–XVIII centuries was associated with the activities of not only Cossacks, but also merchants. Their task was to establish trade relations with the local population in the territories annexed to Russia. The relevance of the chosen topic is due to the interest in the history of the population of the first city of the Magadan region – Gizhiginsk. Excavations there were started by the Gizhiga archaeological expedition in 2020. The purpose of this study is to reconstruct the genealogy of the most influential merchant family of the Bragins in Gizhiginsk, whose individual burials were discovered in the city cemetery. The tasks of collecting materials were solved in the State Archive of the Magadan region, in the Russian State Historical Archive of the Far East; a survey of the population was conducted. The study uses the analysis of archaeological, archival and historical sources and the genealogical method. As a result, two genealogical lines of the Bragin’s family were identified and kinship ties were revealed between family members who lived in Gizhiginsk in the late XIX – early XX centuries with their modern descendants. It is established that the main sphere of activity of the Bragins was trade; gold searches took place. The Bragins held senior positions – for many years Vasily Prokopyevich Bragin (1827–09.06.1900) was the head of Gizhiginsk; they headed the Komsomol organization, took an active part in the work of the rural revolutionary Committee during the Soviet period. The tragic events of the beginning of the XX century – epidemics and repressions took away more than 30 representatives of this family. The study of the materials showed that the Bragins helped those who found themselves in a difficult situation, adopted and raised orphans, donated money for medical and sanitary services of the city, the construction of public houses. Intelligence, energy and prudence were a feature of almost all representatives of the Bragin’s family. The obtained conclusions about the population of Gizhiginsk can contribute to the expansion of the database on the history of the development of the northern outskirts of Russia and, possibly, change the stereotypes adopted in Soviet times associated with the «predatory policy of merchants» towards the local population.