When was Dostoevsky’s Father Born? (Critical Analysis and Source Classification)

Download:

PDF
Author: Boris N. Tikhomirov
Information about the author:

D. Litt., Deputy Research Director of F.M. Dostoevsky Literary-Memorial Museum (Saint Petersburg).

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For citation:

Tikhomirov B.N., When was Dostoevsky’s Father Born? (Critical Analysis and Source Classification). Dostoevsky and World Culture. Philological Journal, 2020, No. 3(11). Pp. 218-239.
Issue: 2020 no. 3 (11)
Department: BIOGRAPHY
Pages: 218-239
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22455/2619-0311-2020-3-218-239
UDK: 821.161.1+929
BBK: 83.3(2=411.2) https://doi.org/10.22
Keywords: M.A. Dostoevsky, official lists, accounts of the Church population, certificate from Podol’sky Seminary, student register of the Podol’sko-Shargorodsky seminar, methods for calculating the year of birth.
Abstract: The article presents a comprehensive review and critical analysis of all the documents identified to date that allow making assumptions about the year of birth of Mikhail Andreyevich Dostoevsky – the writer’s father. It identifies different methods for calculating the year of birth based on different types of documents. The systematization of the sources shows that one group of documents indicates as M.A. Dostoevsky’s year of birth 1788, while another 1787. The beginning of the two traditions can be traced to two contradictory documents, equally dating back to the records of the Podolsk Seminary in 1809. In conclusion, it is stated that the question that gives the title to the article remains open until the discovery of the metrical records about the birth and baptism of the writer's father.

References

1. Belov S.V. Entsiklopedicheskii slovar’ “F.M. Dostoevskii i ego okruzhenie”. V 2 t. [Encyclopedic Dictionary “F.M. Dostoevsky and his Circle”. In 2 vols.] St. Petersburg, Aleteia Publ., 2001. Vol.1. (In Russ.)

2. Bessonova A.S. Uvol’nenie ot sluzhby (Otstavka M.A. Dostoevskogo po arkhivnym dokymentam 1837 goda) [Dismissal from Service (the Resignation of M. A. Dostoevsky according to Archival Documents from 1837)]. Neizvestnyi Dostoevskii [Unknown Dostoevsky]. Electronic Academic Journal. 2020. No.2. Pp. 5-23. URL: https://www.unknown-dostoevsky.ru/files/ redaktor_pdf/1595606667.pdf (Last Accessed: 17.07.2020). (In Russ.)

3. Biografiia, pis’ma i zametki iz zapisnoi knizhki F.M. Dostoevskogo. S portretom F.M. Dostoevskogo i prilozheniami [Biography, letters, and notes from the notebook of F.M. Dostoevsky. With a portrait of F.M. Dostoevsky and Appendices]. St. Petersburg, Tip. Br. Panteleevykh Publ., 1883. 332, 375, 122, V p. (In Russ.)

4. Bogdanov N.N. Bojtovtsy – rodovoe gnezdo Dostoevskikh [Voytovtsy – Dostoevsky’s Family Nest]. Dostoevskii i mirovaia kul’tura. Al’manakh [Dostoevsky and World Culture. Almanac]. St. Petersburg, Serebrianyi vek Publ., 2003. No. 18. Pp. 145-157. (In Russ.)

5. Bogdanov N.N. “…Litsa neobshchim vyrazhen’em…”: rodsvennoe okruzhenie F.M. Dostoevskogo [“… Faces with a Strange Expression…”: Dostoevsky’s Family Circle]. 2nd ed., Rev., Moscow, Novyj khronograf Publ., 2014. 468 p. (In Russ.)

6. Bogdanov N.N., Rogovoj A.I. Kto vy – Andrei Dostoevskii? (K proiasneniiu biografii deda pisatelia) [Who are you, Andrey Dostoevsky? (Clarifying the Biography of the Writer’s Grandfather]. Dostoevskii i mirovaia kul’tura. Almanach [Dostoevsky and World Culture. Almanac] St. Petersburg, Moscow, Serebrianyi Vek Publ., 2004, No. 20. Pp. 277-294. (In Russ.)

7. Bodganov N.N., Rogovoj A.I. Rodislovie Dostoevskikh: v poiskakh uteriannykh zven’ev [Dostoevsky's genealogy: in search of lost links]. Moscow, Akropol’ Publ., 2008. 159 p. (In Russ.)

8. Volgin I.L. Rodit’sia v Rossii. Dostoevskii i sovremenniki: zhizn’ v dokumentakh [Born in Russia. Dostoevsky and his Contemporaries: Life in Documents]. Oktiabr’ [October], 1989, No. 3. Pp. 3-70. (In Russ.)

9. Volgin I.L. Rodit’sia v Rossii. Dostoevskii i sovremenniki: zhizn’ v dokumentakh [Born in Russia. Dostoevsky and his Contemporaries: Life in Documents]. Moscow, Kniga Publ., 1991. 605 p. (In Russ.)

10. Volgin I.L. K istorii roda Dostoevskogo [About the History of Dostoevsky’s Dynasty]. Dostoevskii F.M. Poln. Sobr. Soch. V 18 t. [Complete Works in 18 vols.]. Moscow, Voskresen’e Publ., 2005. Vol. 18: Dokumenty. Vospominania [Documents. Memories]. Pp. 155-259. (In Russ.)

11. Volgin I.L. Sem’ia Dostoevskikh kak sotsial’nyi organizm [Dostoevsky’s Family as a Social Organism]. Dostoevskii i sovremennost’: Materialy XXII Mezhdunarodnykh Starorusskikh Chtenij 2007 goda [Dostoevsky and Modern Age: Materials XXII International Readings in Staraya Russa 2007]. Velikii Novgorod, 2008. Pp. 277-290. (In Russ.)

12. Volotskoj M.V. Khronika roda Dostoevskogo 1506–1933 [Chronicle of the Dostoevsky Dynasty 1506–1933]. Moscow, Sever Publ., 1933. 442 p. (In Russ.)

13. Grossman L.P. Zhizn’ i trudy F.M. Dostoevskogo: Biografiia v datakh i dokumentakh [Life and Works of F.M. Dostoevsky: Biography in Dates and Documents]. Moscow, Leningrad, Academia Publ., 1935. 382 p. (In Russ.)

14. Dolinin A.S. Primechaniia [Notes]. Dostoevskii F.M. Pis’ma: v 4 t. [Letters: in 4 Vols.]. Moscow, Leningrad, Gosudarstvennoe Izdatel’stvo Publ., 1928. Vol. 1. Pp. 461-590. (In Russ.)

15. Dostoevskaia A.G. Vospominaniia. 1846-1917 [Memories. 1846-1917]. Moscow, OOO “Boslen” Publ., 2015. 768 p. (In Russ.)

16. Dostoevskii A.M. Vospominaniia [Memories]. St. Petersburg, Andreev i synov’ia Publ., 1992. 397 p. (In Russ.)

17. Dostoevskii F.M. Poln. Sobr. Soch.: v 30 t. [Complete Works: in 30 vols]. Leningrad, Nauka Publ., 1972-1990. (In Russ.) 18. Ispovednaya rospis’ [Account of the Church population]. Wikipedia. URL: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Исповедная_роспись (Last Accessed 9.07.2020). (In Russ.)

19. Letopis’ zhizni i tvorchestva F.M. Dostoevskogo: v 3 t. [Chronicle of the Life and Work of F.M. Dostoevsky: in 3 Vols.] St. Petersburg, Akademicheskii proekt, 1993. Vol. 1. (In Russ.)

20. Lyubimov S.V. F.M. Dostoevskii (K voprosu o ego proiskhozhdenii). Literaturnaia mysl’: Almanakh [Literary Thinking: Almanac]. Pg., 1922, Issue 1. Pp. 208-210. (In Russ.)

21. Moskovskaia Mariinskaia bol’nitsa dlia bednykh. 1806-1906 [Moscow Marinsky Hospital for Poors. 1806-1906]. Moscow, Pechatnaya S.P. Yakovleva Publ., 1906. 160 p. (In Russ.)

22. Nechaeva V.S. V sem’e i usad’be Dostoevskikh (Pis’ma M.A. i M.F. Dostoevskikh) [In the Family and in the Manor of the Dostoevskys (Letters by M.A. and M.F. Dostoevsky]. Moscow, Sotsekgiz Publ., 1939. 160 p. (In Russ.)

23. Nechaeva V.S. Rannii Dostoevskii: 1821-1849 [Early Dostoevsky: 1821-1849]. Moscow, Nauka, 1979. 288 p. (In Russ.)

24. Rogovyi O. Legenda pro Dostoevskogo [The Legend about Dostoevsky]. Lipovetski Visti [Lipovets Bulletin]. 2002, No. 87. (In Ukrainan)

25. Rogovoi A.I. Razyskaniia o sestrakh Mikhaila Dostoevskogo, ottsa pisatel’ia [Researches about the Sisters of Mikhail Dostoevsky, the Writer’s Father]. Dostoevskii i mirovaia kul’tura. Almanakh [Dostoevsky and World Culture. Almanac]. St. Petersburg, Serebrianyi vek Publ., 2018. No.36. Pp. 245-251. (In Russ.)

26. Tikhomirov B.N. Materialy k rodoslovnoi Dostoevskikh (Materials for Dostoevsky’s Family Tree). Dostoevskii i mirovaia kul’tura. Almanakh [Dostoevsky and World Culture. Almanac]. St. Petersburg, Serebrianyi vek Publ., 1998. No.11. Pp. 188-198. (In Russ.)

27. Fedorenko B.V. O neyasnom v zhizneopisanii M.A. Dostoevskogo [Unclear Moments in M.A. Dostoevsky’s Biography]. Dostoevskii i mirovaia kul’tura. Almanakh [Dostoevsky and World Culture. Almanac]. Moscow, 1994. No. 3. Pp. 7-26. (In Russ.)

28. Fedorov G.A. Byl li ubit otets Dostoevskogo? [Was Dostoevsky’s Father Killed?]. Literaturnaia gazeta [Literary Journal], 1975, 16th July. No. 25. P.7 (In Russ.)

29. Fedorov G.A. “Pomeshchik. Ottsa ubili…” ili Istoriia odnoi sud’by [“Landlord. They Killed Father…”, or Story of a Destiny]. Novyi mir [New World], 1988. No. 19. Pp. С. 219-238. (In Russ.)

30. Khronika roda Dostoevskikh [Chronicle of Dostoevsky’s Dynasty], Volgina I.L. (Ed.), Volgin I.L. Rodnyie i blizkie: Istoriko-biograficheskie ocherki [Family and Friends: Historical and Biographical Essays]. Moscow, Fond Dostoevskogo Publ., 2012 (2013). 1222 p. (In Russ.)