Majós, Tolna, Settlement Contract

Signed on 28^th of September 1720

Translated by Rosina T. Schmidt

1:  It is through my generosity that a village shall be erected as per German example. Seventy farming residences are to be erected where the village stood before.

2: The settlers will have three tax-free years; no tenth nor working for the manor house, nor monetary taxes.

3: Three years are free of all taxes. No monetary taxes, no work for the landowner, no paying of the tenth part of the harvest.

4: After four years each farm in lieu of working for the manorial house has to pay to the manorial estate four Gulden. The tenth is to be delivered to the manorial house to Hidas or to Bonyhad.

5:The three free years are starting with 28^th of September 1720 and will be up on 28^th of September 1723. At that time the three free years with the landowner are up. He will however do his utmost to talk to the county seat for extension of free tax time with the government.

6: As of April 28^th of 1724 the St. Georg day, two Gulden are to be paid to the landlord from each house and then again on September 28^th, the St. Michael day. This money is to be collected by the Richter (major/judge) or the Alderman and has to be brought on those days to the landlord forever in the future.

7: The Richter and the Alderman should go out of their ways to ensure that the village does not burn down or suffers any other harm, so the landlord, as well as the county and the poor people would be preserved of such calamity.

8: The proceeds of the meat store and the pub belong from St. George’s day to St. Michael’s day to the manorial estate; the other halve of the year to the community.

9: All the proceeds of the meat store are for the good of all the community, and the meat shall always be of the best quality and offered for reasonable prices, so the poor people will be able to purchase it. At St. Michael’s day the community is to give to the landlord in exchange for that privilege three Gulden.

10: The bridges and the roads are to be tended by the settlers.

11: All the privileges and all the land given to the community by the landlord cannot ever be revoked or changed. Each householder has the right to handle to the best of his ability so it will benefit the community, the landlord and the county also.

12: The settlers can take the wood from the manor’s forest, where in emergency they can also cut the hay.

13: If the King and the Komitat (County) do not object, the settlers can have their own pastor at their own expense.

14: The settlers can sell their property only with the permission of the manor.

15: The Richter and the Alderman should assure that the vineyards are always kept in the best of conditions, so everyone benefits from it.

16: The Richter and the Alderman should remind each householder to work diligently as to prosper accordingly, so in case he should die before time, his family members would have a livelihood.

17: Sunday is the day of rest. All the settlers are to attend the church services.

18: The widows and the orphans have to be respected at all times. At the death of the householder the Richter and the Alderman should appraise the estate and report to the landlord, who will be the father of the orphans from then on and assure that the estate will not be mishandled so the poor orphans will not end a charity case, even if they have to be raised at the costs of the community.

19: If an orphan inherits assets outside of the community, he has the right to do with those assets as he pleases, provided he pays to the landlord three Kreuzer from each Gulden.

20: Should there be a war and the settlers have to flee, then they or their descendents have the right to return to their homes after the war.

21: The settlers have the right to have their pigs forage in the manorial forest. If the harvest is rich then the fee per pig is 12 Kreuzer, otherwise the fee is seven Kreuzer.

22. Each householder and each Beisitzer (tenant) is to pay by the end of the year thirty Kreuzer per person of his household in lieu of work to the landlord.

23: We declare that we will be following all those points as directed by the landlord.

24: Real-estate sale or purchase is permitted, but for each Gulden of profit, the fee is three Kreuzer.

25: We promise in the name of all of the community to uphold this agreement with signing of our names.

26: I, the landlord, promise to uphold this agreement myself, as well as all of my descendents by signing in my own hand.

Signed on 28^th of September 1720

Landowner: Franz Kuhn    

German Settler representatives:

Johann Heinrich Neun

Andreas Glits

Johan Heinrich Schneider

Austinus Deckmann

    Note: At those times a RICHTER's responsibilities were a combination of a Judge and Mayor.