Ginkūnai Manor homestead

Ginkūnai, Šiaulių Apskritis, Lithuania
Est. 452m / 16 mins / Map

In the historical sources Ginkūnai is mentioned since 1690. It is stated in the Chronicle of Šiauliai Economy that Platonas Zubovas bought Ginkūnai in 1805 when it consisted of 6 peasant cottages, a tavern, a windmill and a right to use Šiauliai lake, and linked up everything to his other lands of Šiauliai Economy. In a year he established the Ginkūnai Manor Estate.

Ginkūnai Manor homestead - Cya On The Road

Ginkūnai Manor Estate soon flourished. Temporarily it became even an administrative centre of the Economy of Šiauliai while Didžvaris Manor was under construction.  

In 1890 the Manors’ Group of Ginkūnai was inherited by Vladimiras Zubovas (1862-1933) and his wife Sofija Bilevičiūtė (1861-1932). The young hosts of Ginkūnai constantly expanded and modernised their farm. In the 20th century there used to be a brick forge, a mill, a cattle-shed, a modern dairy and other buildings. In 1901 – 1902 a school building was constructed. In 1904 a new Manor House of Ginkūnai of the neoclassical style was constructed. The story goes that the palace layout was designed according to the Countess Sofija Zubovienė’s conception.   

Vladimiras Zubovas had finished studies of Science in Petersburg and Veterinary in Halle city and in history he was known as an innovative farmer. He brought some agricultural machinery from Germany into his manors, some pedigree cattle from Denmark, also he improved the fields, and carried out investigations to invent selected seeds, exported butter and so on.    

His wife Sofija helped him on the farm. She had finished the famous Bestužev’s courses – the only high school for women in the Russian Empire and she is assumed to be the first Lithuanian woman who had achieved the higher education. Sofija worked in Ginkūnai office and also took care of the schools operating in the Zubovai manors, where the subjects were secretly taught in Lithuanian.

Vladimiras and Sofija Zubovai had two children: a son Vladimiras (1887-1959) and a daughter Aleksandra, however they failed to create a happy family. The Zubovai got separated in 1911. Vladimiras Zubovas moved out to live in the Manor of Medemrodė, while Sofija stayed in Ginkūnai, which soon was already managed by her daughter Aleksandra with her husband Jonas Fledžinskas. 

After World War I Aleksandra Zubovaitė and her husband Jonas Fledžinskas, a former accountant of the Ginkūnai Manor returned from Russia and found the Manor Estate of Ginkūnai rather damaged. However, Fledžinskai managed to revive the farm.

Between wars Ginkūnai recovered due to Fledžinskai efforts made. The harvest was really good and the herd productivity was high. Every day Ginkūnai Manor Estate sold about 500 litres of milk. Cattle breeders were brought from Denmark, while the grain seed was taken from the best Swedish farms.

J. Fledžinskas was actively involved in the co-operative movement, participated in various agrarian organizations, was a founder and a participant, he used to travel a lot abroad in order to buy breeding animals or participating in the agricultural congresses.

Fledžinskai had four children: Vytautas (1919), Sofija (1920), Aleksandra (1923) and Jurgis (1924).

Vladimiras and Sofija’s son Vladimiras began managing the Group of Dabikinė Manors even before the divorce of his parents. Vladimiras had finished the Agriculture studies in Halle. He brought into Lithuania black and white cows, so, he was the initiator of growing such cows in Lithuania. He used to be an experienced stableman. Also he took part in Agricultural exhibitions.   

While living in Dabikinė Vladimiras Zubovas’ wife Ona Jakubauskaitė took care of the education and cultural matters. She was a leader of the Manor School, took care of the children studying here. As well she organised Dabikinė’s citizens for cultural and theatrical activities. She had been studying Music in the Conservatories of Petersburg and Warsaw.  

Vladimiras and Ona Zubovai had three children: a son Vladimiras and daughters: Ona and Marija.

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