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Romasha Kanygin - The Shackled One
by
Marion Demosky
The
following is a true, first person account of the life of Roman Ivanovich
Kanygin (1799-1895), progenitor of the Kanigan family of Doukhobors. Passed
down orally from generation to generation, it was set down in writing by
Romasha's descendant, Marion Demosky, and published in ISKRA No.1616 (Grand
Forks: U.S.C.C., July 26, 1985) and ISKRA No.1713 (Grand Forks: U.S.C.C.,
June 27, 1990). It is a dramatic and inspiring example
of the tremendous faith and extraordinary spiritual endurance of our early
Doukhobor ancestors. Reproduced by permission.
Author's
Note
This
story is a dedication to the memory of my mother Polly Vasilievna Semenoff,
from whom I transcribed it. Mother, in turn, committed it firmly in her
memory when it was passed on, orally, by her grandfather, Aldokim Romanovich
Kanigan, who was gifted with an exceptional memory and who lived to a ripe
old age of 102. This particular story was her favourite of the many stories
her grandfather related to her. It is my belief this story will be of interest
to all the other members of the Kanigan clan which, after all the years
since the time of Roman Ivanovich, has branched out into the 6th and 7th
generations.
I
sincerely hope that this story will likewise be of interest to all Doukhobors
in whom the faith and the convictions of our forefathers are still alive...those
whose relatives, even though distant, probably also had traversed the martyr's
path, and had left their footprints on the pages of history.
Marion
Demosky, Grand Forks, British Columbia, 1985
Roman
Ivanovich was born in 1799 in the village of Krukova, in the province of
Tambov, Russia. His father was a Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church
and his family name was Kanygin. He had an only son, Ivanushka, whom he
brought up to be literate and whom he prepared to be a priest. When Ivan's
father became old, it was in order for Ivanushka to take over the priesthood
because in those days it was customary for the mantle of the priest's office
to pass from the father to the eldest son.
And
so, on the day of Easter, Ivan's father and the church were preparing for
the services that pertained to that particular event. On this day it was
in order for Ivanushka to receive the Eucharistic sacrament in preparation
for him to become a priest, taking over his father's position. Within the
temple stood a statue of the Holy Virgin. A golden chalice was held in
the hands of the statue and Ivanushka was supposed to dip a finger of his
right hand into it as a sign of his receiving the Communion in the blood
of Jesus ... then making the sign of the cross, three times.
The
priests were gathered together. A gown was held in readiness as they awaited
for Ivanushka to arrive. However, Ivanushka made up his mind, on that day,
to renounce the church. He sheared the long hair he wore and donned just
plain, ordinary clothes. Upon entering the church, he refused to take part
in the Communion, rather he began speaking to the people present about
the injustices committed by churches and that he was now renouncing them.
The
elder priest was so angered by these actions of his son that he began running
back and forth in the church, tearing his hair and his clothes. For the
betrayal of the church the father confined Ivanushka in a prison for a
period of three months, during which time he continued to try to persuade
Ivanusha to change his mind and to return to the church. Ivanushka, however
being of a resolute mind, turned a deaf ear to his father's pleadings,
and even asked him (the father) to forsake the priesthood. In the end,
the father's anger against the son rose to such a height that he issued
an order that he be burned on a skovoroda (heated metal plate).
And, indeed, Ivanushka was done away with in this manner upon the behest
of his own father.
Ivanushka
left behind him three children. The oldest daughter was seven, her name
was Khristusha (Khristina). The next was a male child of five, whose name
was Kondrasha (Kondraty). The youngest, Romasha (Roman) was only three.
Their grandfather, the priest, was making observations as to which one
of them he would choose to make his heir. Roman was tall, quick and sharp,
and the grandfather took him under his wing and sent him to a school to
become literate and to study the Bible. When the child became thirteen,
he already knew the Gospel by heart. However, though Romasha was doing
well in his studies, which brought joy to the old man, yet he himself,
being aware of the past and not able to forget the reason for which his
father was made to die, resolved deep within his heart to take vengeance
upon his grandfather ... but not with malice or bad deeds, but by preaching
the good.
 Romasha
began resisting his grandfather, breaking off his studies for the priesthood.
For taking such an attitude, the grandfather began to mete out severe punishment
upon Romasha by various means. He ordered his servants to combine several
ant-hills into one mound, then, removing all clothing from Romasha's body,
forced him onto these anthills, and only when the ants came close to devouring
him to death did the grandfather allow Romasha to be taken out. The torture
process was carried on for a long time. But Romasha, however, would not
submit to his grandfather's will. When Romasha reached the age of 16, the
old man began to realize that by means of physical punishment his grandson
would not be made to accept the faith of the church, so he resolved to
achieve the aim by enticements. Upon consultation with his fellow priests,
they brought a bundle of satchels filled with money, and piling them in
a corner, addressed Roman with the promise that ''all this shall be yours,
only do not abandon the church".' But Romasha threw back at them, crying
"Let the gold remain with you, but I want to remain with God!'' He turned
his back on everything and left the city environment to begin living a
life in the village.
At
the age of 17 Roman married Stenya (Stepanida) Tarasova, and from that
marriage they had two children: the older one - Trifan, the younger - Stepan.
And during all this time Roman kept on convincing people of the wrong-doings
of the church which, of course, did not please the authorities. And it
came about that when Trifan was three and Stepan was still in his mother's
arms, these children were taken away while Romasha and his wife were taken
into confinement. And in such a separated condition the family remained
for seven and a half years.
On
one occasion, while passing through the jail house, an elder priest made
a statement to the effect that "if you (the inmates) will refuse to submit,
you will be hacked to death by iron rods" while another priest walked behind
him, inquiring (of the inmates) what each one was imprisoned for. When
the turn came for Stenya to answer the question: ''What are you in here
for, my dove?'' She replied by asking the interrogator, ''And what happens
to be your name, sir?" He replied: ''By our custom I am an Enlightened
Master, but according to your simple ways, I am Arsentii Pavlovich". ''Well
then, Arsentii Pavlovich, I'm imprisoned here for the sake of the law of
Christ".' The priest then told her that ''soon you will be released to
join your dear little ones; soon you will be seeing them".'
And
so it indeed happened. Stenya, shortly after, was allowed to go home and
her children were also brought back. But Romasha was held in prison for
a while longer, but he did return later.
Upon
arriving home Romasha made the remark that he ''had spent time in some
13 different prisons. Now, perhaps, there will be some respite". However,
enjoying his stay at home no more than two days, Romasha was visited, in
the middle of the night, by a gendarme, a person who happened to be his
friend from childhood days, and who began to beseech him to submit to the
authorities and to renounce his convictions; otherwise, by daybreak, there
would be eleven Doukhobors who would be driven to the Petropavlovskaya
fortress in Petrograd. ''Roman" pleaded his friend, "We grew up together
with you. We drank and ate from the same bowl. I really feel sorry for
you. Very few people ever survive a term in this Petropavlovskaya fortress".
Romasha, however, replied that nothing would persuade him to change his
mind. ''If that's the case" the gendarme told him, "take along with yourself
an extra night shirt so that you will have something to be clothed in when
you die".
Early
in the morning, before dawn, in the midst of a winter storm, there were
indeed eleven Doukhobors driven to Petropavlovskaya fortress where they
were subjected to punishments in casements. A "casement" was a damp vault
into which were introduced defanged toads, scorpions, and a variety of
insects. Then a person was undressed to a state of complete nudity and
forced to be confined in that place for two or three twenty-four hour periods.
According to an account by Roman's son, Evdokim, this type of torture is
most awful and unbearable. The toad sinks its fangs into one's spine, the
serpent entwines itself around the arms and neck; the scorpion crawls into
the ears and eyes. From such a place no person was able to walk out on
his own. Tormented to the extreme, Romasha had to be carried out on a stretcher.
 Of
the eleven persons, after three and a half years of confinement, only four
remained alive: Roman Kanygin, a Tarasov, a Potapov, and a Zbitnev. Of
the others - some died, the rest became mentally deranged. When they emerged
from prison, they were mere skeletons; bones held together by skin. When
Roman arrived at his home, his wife Stenya was not able to recognize him.
She was living alone at the time, since her children were once again taken
away from her.
Having
rested awhile at home, Romasha went forth to locate the whereabouts of
his children. From enquiries, he learned they were living in a village
some 50 versts from his home. He came to the village and, entering a yard
of someone Iiving there, sat down by a stable which was opposite the place
where his children were staying. They happened to be playing outside. Calling
one of the boys that were there to come to him, he asked if he could bring
Triyoshka Kanygin if he knew him. "Do you recognize me?'' Roman asked.
"I am your father. Tell Stepan, and then both of you go unnoticed along
the fences up to the village. Be there by sunset". The children hid in
the shrubbery, and when it got dark, the father led them to his home. They
travelled at night and hid themselves during the day in old cavities in
the ground which he noticed while on his way to seek the children. They
arrived home on the third day.
Not
long after that Romasha, along with six other Doukhobors from the province
of Tambov, were exiled to the Caucasus mountain region, to Karabakh in
the province of Bakinsk on the Russo-Persian border, in the vicinity of
the Caspian Sea. He pleaded with his wife Stenya to come along with him,
saying, ''You will be transported on wagons while we will be driven behind".
But Stenya refused to go along with him, claiming she had enough of suffering,
and so resolved to stay. She added that, allegedly, in the Caucasus the
sky was sunken and the rain there was perpetual. At this time, when Romasha
was driven away to the Caucasus, Stenya was pregnant. In a short period
of time she gave birth to a daughter, Masha (Maria).
The
distance to the place of exile in Karabakh was 700 versts. The group had
to walk the whole distance to the place of exile, with each one of them
shackled with chains, bearing cruel and torturous suffering from the irons
cutting into their limbs to the very bone and where infection had set in.
During that part of their march, when going through the Caucasus area,
they came upon some Molokan villages, residents of which were exiled to
that area earlier. While passing through these villages, the Molokans,
when seeing the condition of the exhausted Doukhobors, begged the captain
of the guards to stop at their place for a rest. They heated up their steam
baths, washed the clothes worn by the Doukhobors, and steamed out the lice
- thus alleviating their sufferings. When the lengthy journey came to an
end and the process of unshackling the chains began, the weaker ones of
the prisoners fainted from the pain. The chains were so deeply imbedded
in the flesh, to the very bone.
Upon
reaching Karabakh, the Doukhobors were released and were allowed to live
in freedom. After some time an opening appeared at a border station where
Romasha got employment, receiving a wage of one and a half kopeks an hour.
 Not
long after, he wrote to his wife asking her to come to him, explaining
that the climate at Karabakh was favourable and that everything grew well.
However, his wife still refused to come. In reply to his second letter
she wrote that she would never return to him, and that if he wished, he
was free to find himself another wife. It happened that in proximity to
where Romasha lived there was a Molokan village where he got acquainted
with a widow by the name of Marfa Harshenin, who was of the Chevildeev
family, and whose first husband had died, and she was left a widow with
a small boy, Vasya (Vasily). Roman took her for his wife and with her,
while living in Karabakh, they had two sons: the first one - Nikolai, the
second - Emeliosha (Emelian).
Marfa's
own son Vasya lived with them as part of the family. Marfa's parents, the
Chevildeevs, were of the Don Cossacks, converted into the Molokan faith.
When rumours began to seep through to them in Karabakh that the Doukhobors
at Milky Waters (Melitopol district, Tavria province) and in other areas
would be resettling in the Caucasus region, Romasha was prompted to set
out on foot to seek out his brothers and sisters. He reached the village
of Slavyanka in the Elizavetpol district, where the Doukhobors began establishing
a village and there discovered that both his brother Kondrasha and sister
Khristusha were also living in the same village. They invited him to make
his domicile with them, to which he consented. Consequently, Roman and
his comrades, along with their respective families, after living in Karabakh
for twelve years, now settled in Slavyanka.
There
in Slavyanka, Romasha and Marfa had two more sons born to them: Aldokim
and Misha (Mikhailo). Three years later, Roman's former wife Stenya came
to live in Slavyanka with her three children. Roman went ahead and built
her a house also, in the same yard, and took care of them, alternately
living with and caring for the needs of each family.
Romasha
lived in Slavyanka approximately twelve years. Becoming quite prosperous,
he constructed for himself two water driven flour mills. When the Doukhobors
settled in the Caucasus, the Elizavetpol area produced bountiful harvests
of grain, but in the region of Kholodnoye ("Wet Mountains") in Tiflis
province it was different. There the harvests were poor. So one time Romasha,
leaving only enough grain for himself to last until the next harvest, loaded
the remainder onto four wagons and transported them to Kholodnoye. Arriving
there, he observed that the Doukhobors living there were very highly attuned
spiritually. Their sobranyas were attended by great numbers, singing and
recitals were very popular, and the people were fraternizing with one another.
To Roman, seeing all this, it appeared that in such a highly developed
environment, people did not consider it so important if there was a shortage
of bread. He admired very much the lifestyle of the people at Kholodnoye,
saying, ''here flows a river of soul gratification''. Consequently, he
chose a suitable place, and upon returning to Slavyanka began coaxing his
families to move their place of residence to Kholodnoye. His first wife
- Stenya and children - refused outright. The second wife, Marfa, although
reluctant at first to leave Slavyanka for the reason that she was so far
away from her relatives as it was, and if she went to Kholodnoye, the distance
separating them would be even greater, did, however, consent in the end.
And so Roman, with his second wife and their children, moved to the Kholodnoye
region, settling in the village of Troitskoye.
When
leaving Slavyanka, Romasha gave away one of his flour mills to his brother
Kondrasha, and the other one to the older children born from his first
wife, Stenya.
While
living in Kholodnoye another daughter was born to Romasha and Marfa - Hanya
(Agafia).
Romasha
was not a gifted singer, nevertheless, he did constantly hum to himself,
in an ancient tune, the psalm Kto Vozliubit Pechat' Gospodniuiu ("He
Who Will Love the Mark of the Lord").
Romasha,
in the village where he resided, was not called by his name. People simply
referred to him by the nickname Kandal'nik (the "Shackled One")
in view of the fact that so many years of his life were spent in prisons,
in exile, and in chains, persecuted for the cause of the Doukhobor faith
and ideals.
 Roman
was privileged to live in Kholodnoye for more than thirty years. When a
division took place amongst the Doukhobors in the Caucasus, he remained
in the ''Large Party''. All his life he enjoyed good health. However, a
couple of days before the New Year of 1895, he felt a weakness coming over
him, upon which he spoke out and said, "I'm aware of a weakness arid it
appears the time has come for me to leave my mortal body".' He gave instructions
that when he died, no one of the Chaldeans (Small Party of Doukhobors)
was to be allowed in his home when the funeral took place, ''but when the
coffin will be placed outside the house, if it would be so desirable, then
let former friends of mine from amongst the Chaldeans come and take a look
at my mortal remains".' On his grave he ordered that a black rock be stood
upright as a marker. ''It could be" he said, "someone and at some time
may be there from across the border and will take note where your
Kandal'nik
is interred".' At that particular period of time there was talk of Doukhobors
migrating to Turkey. Romasha died exactly on New Year's Day, at the age
of 96. He was buried in the cemetery in the village of Troitskoye.
Romasha's
first wife Stenya married another man living in Slavyanka. And his children
came often to visit their relatives at Kholodnoye. All of Roman's children
(eight altogether, born of two wives) were gifted singers, and all of them
emigrated to Canada with the exception of Trifan, who died in Slavyanka
while still young. Romasha's wife Marfa came to Canada also and lived here
with her children. She died in 1905, in the village of Uspeniye in Saskatchewan.
Roman
is the progenitor of all the Kanigans in Canada. The families of his brother
Kondrasha and of his sister Khristya did not emigrate to Canada. Khristya
was married to a Kotelnikov and happened to be the blood grandmother of
Avdotia Grigoreevna Verigina, wife of Peter "Lordly" Verigin.
Romasha's
second wife Marfa was formerly married to a Molokan by the name of Vasily
Harshenin with whom they had a son, Vasya. When Vasya married, they had
no children of their own, so they adopted a small boy Mikisha (Mikita)
and a small girl Lusha (Lukeria) Shustov whose parents had died. They raised
them as their own. In Canada, Lusha married Savely Kastrukoff. Mikisha
continued to be identified by the Harshenin name until their children began
using the Shustoff family name.
Upon
arrival in Canada all the Kanigans settled in the villages of Troitskoye
and Uspeniye, some twelve miles from Arran, Saskatchewan, with the exception
of Stepan who came from Kars, Russia, to the region of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
In about 1905, Aldokim and son Vasya took a homestead and lived on a farm
for thirteen years.
Aside
from Stepan and Aldokim all the Kanigan brothers along with their families
moved to British Columbia in 1909, settling at Ootischenia in the proximity
of a large sawmill. Their two sisters, Masha Soukeroff and Hanya Jmaeff,
also moved to British Columbia. Aldokim and his family joined his brethren
at Ootischenia in 1917. Stepan lived in the Prince Albert area, but Iater
moved, together with his son, to Oregon and then to California where he
lived until his death. All the others: Masha, Nikolasha, Emeliosha, Aldosha,
Misha, and Hanya ended their lives at Ootischenia and are buried there.
Kanigan
Family Tree
1 Ivan Kanygin
........
2 Kondraty Ivanovich Kanygin
........
2 Khristina Ivanovna Kotelnikov
...................
3 Grigorii Kotelnikov
..............................
4 Evdokia Grigorevna Kotelnikova
..................................
+Peter "Lordly" Verigin
.........................................
5 Peter "Chistiakov" Verigin
........
2 Roman Ivanovich Kanygin 1799 - 1895
............
+Stenya Tarasov (Roman's 1st Wife)
...................
3 Trifan Romanovich Kanigan
..............................
4 (daughter) Kanigan
...................
3 Stepan Romanovich Kanigan
..............................
4 Mary S. Maloff
.........................................
5 Nastia Popoff
.........................................
5 Polya Kotelnikoff
.........................................
5 Nikolai Maloff
.........................................
5 Wasil Maloff
.........................................
5 Anuta Vatkin
..............................
4 Vanya S. Kanigan
.........................................
5 Mary Kanigan
.........................................
5 Grunya Kanigan
.........................................
5 Nikolai Kanigan
.........................................
5 Peter Kanigan
.........................................
5 Tunya Kanigan
.........................................
5 Fanny Kanigan
.........................................
5 Olga Kanigan
.........................................
5 John Kanigan
.........................................
5 Walter Kanigan
..............................
4 Nikolai S. Kanigan
.........................................
5 Mary Karaloff
.........................................
5 Anna Louis
.........................................
5 John Kanigan
.........................................
5 Nick Kanigan
..............................
4 Paranya S. Bonderoff
.........................................
5 John Bonderoff
.........................................
5 Peter Bonderoff
..............................
4 Onya S. Tomilin
.........................................
5 Paranya Mahonin
.........................................
5 Masha Stushnoff
..............................
4 Nastya S. Osachoff
.........................................
5 Nick Osachoff
.........................................
5 Pauline Atamanenko
.........................................
5 Dora Atamanenko
..............................
4 Hanya S. Chutskoff
.........................................
5 Olga Chutskoff
.........................................
5 Verna Robinson
.........................................
5 William Chutskoff
.........................................
5 Gertrude Ryhorchuk
.........................................
5 Peter Chutskoff
.........................................
5 Fred Chutskoff
...................
3 Masha Romanovna Sookeroff
..............................
4 Sam Sookeroff
.........................................
5 Polly Malikoff
.........................................
5 Lucy Goolieff
.........................................
5 Nastya Bonderoff
.........................................
5 George Sookeroff
.........................................
5 William Sookeroff
.........................................
5 Mary Pozdnikoff
..............................
4 Misha Sookeroff
.........................................
5 Martha Postnikoff
.........................................
5 Andrew Sookeroff
.........................................
5 Evdokim Sookeroff
.........................................
5 John Sookeroff
.........................................
5 Anuta Berikoff
..............................
4 Hanya Kooznetsoff
.........................................
5 Nastya Shkuratoff
.........................................
5 Sam Kooznetsoff
.........................................
5 John Kooznetsoff
..............................
4 Wasil Sookeroff
.........................................
5 Misha Sookeroff
.........................................
5 Fred Sookeroff
.........................................
5 Peter Sookeroff
.........................................
5 Dora Sookeroff
..............................
4 Masha Popoff
.........................................
5 George Popoff
.........................................
5 Eli Popoff
............
+Marfa (Chevildeev) Harshenin (Roman's 2nd Wife)
...................
3 Vasily Vasilievich Harshenin (Roman's step-son)
..............................
4 Mikisha Shustoff (adopted)
..............................
4 Lusha Kastrukoff (adopted)
...................
3 Nikolai Romanovich Kanigan
..............................
4 Grisha N. Kanigan
.........................................
5 John Kanigan
.........................................
5 Pete Kanigan
.........................................
5 Anuta Planidin
.........................................
5 William Kanigan
..............................
4 Vanya N. Kanigan
.........................................
5 Sam Kanigan
.........................................
5 Pete Kanigan
.........................................
5 Alec Kanigan
.........................................
5 John Kanigan
.........................................
5 Nick Kanigan
.........................................
5 Anuta Moojelsky
..............................
4 Trofim N. Kanigan
.........................................
5 Grunya Vanin
.........................................
5 William Kanigan
.........................................
5 Larry Kanigan
.........................................
5 Tanya Salikin
.........................................
5 Mary Kanigan
.........................................
5 Steve Kanigan
..............................
4 Havrila N. Kanigan
.........................................
5 Fred Kanigan
.........................................
5 Pete Kanigan
.........................................
5 Nick Kanigan
.........................................
5 Gertie Konkin
..............................
4 Martha N. Swetlishoff
.........................................
5 William Swetlishoff
.........................................
5 Fred Swetlishoff
.........................................
5 George Swetlishoff
...................
3 Emelian Romanovich Kanigan
..............................
4 Nadya E. Plotnikoff
.........................................
5 Tanya Strukoff
.........................................
5 Mary Vanjoff
.........................................
5 John Plotnikoff
..............................
4 Anuta E. Lavrenchenkoff
.........................................
5 Elizabeth Kinakin
.........................................
5 Mary Labonty
..............................
4 Axuta E. Stooshnoff
.........................................
5 Helen Stooshnoff
.........................................
5 Peter Stooshnoff
.........................................
5 Nellie Harshenin
..............................
4 Martha E. Perepolkin
.........................................
5 Mary Maloff
..............................
4 Daniel E. Kanigan
.........................................
5 Luba Abrosimoff
...................
3 Aldokim Romanovich Kanigan
..............................
4 Wasil A. Kanigan
.........................................
5 Elizabeth Rilkoff
.........................................
5 George Kanigan
.........................................
5 Tom Kanigan
.........................................
5 William Kanigan
.........................................
5 Polly Semenoff
.........................................
5 Mike Kanigan
...................
3 Mikhail Romanovich Kanigan
..............................
4 Grunya M. Hadikin
.........................................
5 Philip Hadikin
.........................................
5 Anuta Sookochoff
..............................
4 Martha M. Repin
.........................................
5 Pete Repin
.........................................
5 Dasha Fominoff
.........................................
5 Hanya Fominoff
.........................................
5 Masha Stooshnoff
.........................................
5 Liza Repin
..............................
4 Fenya M. Shlakoff
.........................................
5 Nastya Voykin
.........................................
5 John Shlakoff
.........................................
5 Mary Shlakoff
.........................................
5 Florence Hughes
..............................
4 Savely M. Kanigan
.........................................
5 Walter Kanigan
.........................................
5 Nastya Voykin
.........................................
5 Cecil Kanigan
.........................................
5 Vera Voykin
..............................
4 Afanasy M. Kanigan
.........................................
5 Mary Jmieff
.........................................
5 Mike Kanigan
...................
3 Hanya Romanovna Jmieff
..............................
4 Peter Jmieff
.........................................
5 Fred Jmieff
.........................................
5 Cecil Jmieff
.........................................
5 Jim Jmieff
.........................................
5 Florence Bloodoff
.........................................
5 Lisa Jmieff
..............................
4 Arina Lactin
.........................................
5 Mike Lactin
.........................................
5 John Lactin
.........................................
5 Mary Sophonoff
.........................................
5 Nick Lactin
..............................
4 Masha Labintsoff
.........................................
5 Florence Trautman
.........................................
5 John Labintsoff
.........................................
5 Helen Labintsoff
.........................................
5 Pete Labintsoff
.........................................
5 Mike Labintsoff
.........................................
5 Mary Labintsoff
.........................................
5 Brilliant Labintsoff
..............................
4 William Jmieff
.........................................
5 Pete Jmieff
.........................................
5 Mary Demoskoff
.........................................
5 Ida Barisoff
.........................................
5 Doris Murray
.........................................
5 Pauline Brown
.........................................
5 John Jmieff
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