Birth of Nikolai Dmitriyevich Gryazev, Statesman, Governor of Olonets and Kovno Governorates

Nikolai Dmitriyevich Gryazev was born on February 8 (20), 1868 in a noble family that owned estates in Vologda and Yaroslavl Governorates. Nikolai Gryazev's grandfather, Konstantin Alexandrovich Gryazev (1791-1860) was a veteran of the Patriotic War of 1812, a participant in the Battle of Borodino. Father, Dmitry Konstantinovich Gryazev (1823-1885) was a full state councilor, staff captain, leader of the nobility of Vologodsky Uezd. Mother, Maria Pavlovna, nee Dolgovo-Saburova (1835-1901) was from the family of the colonel's guards.

Nikolai Dmitriyevich Gryazev studied in St. Petersburg, at the Nikolaevsky Cavalry School, from which he graduated in 1887, and received the title of “cornet of the 38th Dragoon Vladimir Regiment”. In 1888, he was transferred to the Life Guards Ulan Regiment. From 1891 to 1892, Gryazev held the position of land captain of the 3rd section of Gryazovetsky Uezd of Vologda Governorate. Then, he was elected a noble deputy from Kadnikovsky Uezd (1893-1902), the leader of the nobility in Gryazovetsky Uezd and chairman of the Vologda Provincial Zemstvo Council (1896-1899). During the years of his activity in the administration, successes were achieved in the field of public education (6 new schools were opened) and in agriculture (in 1899, in St. Petersburg at the All-Russian Exhibition of Dairy farming, Gryazovetsky Uezd was recognized as one of the best in the entire Northern Territory).

Since 1902, with the rank of state councilor, Nikolai Dmitriyevich Gryazev held the position of the Kovno uezd leader of the nobility, since 1905 – vice-governor of Kovno Governorate. In 1908, he was awarded the court title of “chamberlain”, in 1909 – the rank of “full state councilor”. On August 23 (September 5), 1910, he was appointed Olonets Governor.

On October 1 (14), 1910, in his new position, he took part in the grand opening of the Lososinskaya HPP, the first in Karelia and one of the largest power plants in Russia. In general, the period of management of the region by Nikolai Gryazev was characterized by high rates of production growth in large-scale industry (about 10% per year on average).

Under Governor Nikolai Dmitriyevich Gryazev, on January 2 (15), 1911, a branch of the State Bank of Russia was opened in Petrozavodsk, which facilitated money turnover in Olonets Governorate and promoted the economic development of the region through short-term loans.

On October 15 (28), 1911, the Olonets Provincial Land Management Commission was organized, the first chairman of which was appointed Nikolai Gryazev. It contributed to the implementation of the Stolypin agrarian reform in the region. By the end of the same year, similar commissions were opened in all uezds of the country. For his work as chairman of the commission, he was awarded the honorary badge For the Work on Land Management (1912).

The governor paid great attention to the cultural sphere of Karelia. Nikolai Dmitriyevich Gryazev was the initiator of the publication of the weekly provincial newspaper Olonetskaya nedelya (Olonets Week) (edited by the rector of the Olonets Theological Seminary N. K. Chukov), which was published from April 1911 to 1918 with the financial support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 1911, the first cinemas opened in Petrozavodsk – Saturn and Renaissance, in 1912 – a summer theater in the city public garden, on the stage of which professional theatre troupes from St. Petersburg successfully performed.

Nikolai Dmitriyevich Gryazev served as governor of Olonets Governorate until December 31, 1912 (January 13, 1913), and was subsequently appointed governor of Kovno Governorate, which he headed until the occupation of the province by German troops in August 1915. The exact date of Nikolai Gryazev's death is unknown, most likely it happened after 1917.

Nikolai Dmitriyevich Gryazev was awarded the Orders of St. Anna and St. Stanislaus of the 2nd class, St. Vladimir of the 3rd and 4th classes, the hereditary medal For the work on the liberation of peasants, the medal In memory of the reign of Alexander II, the medal In memory of the reign of Emperor Alexander III, the medal In memory of the 300th anniversary of the reign of the House of Romanov, the medal For the work on the first general population census.

Lit.: Грязев Н. Д. // Адрес-календарь: общая роспись начальствующих и прочих должностных лиц по всем управлениям в империи и по главным управлениям в Царстве Польском и в Великом княжестве Финляндском на 1863–1864 год, Ч. 1–2. СПб., 1863. С. 41; Грязев Н. Д. Местная хроника: заседание Олоецкого губернского земского собрания (речь Н. Д. Грязева) // Олонецкие губернские ведомости. 1910. № 126; Ефимова В. В. Петрозаводское городское самоуправление (1870–1918 гг.). Петрозаводск, 2004 (Из содерж.: Н. Д. Грязев. – С. [237]); Кораблёв Н. А. Олонецкие губернаторы и генерал-губернаторы: биографический справочник / Н. А. Кораблев, Т. А. Мошина. Петрозаводск, 2012 (Из содерж.: Грязев Н. Д. С. 113–116); Мошина Т. А. Николай Дмитриевич Грязев: к 155-летию со дня рождения / библиографию подготовили:  Т. А. Мошина, Е. А. Сайконен. // Календарь знаменательных дат Карелии, 2023 год. Режим доступа: http://library.karelia.ru/kalendar2023/html/more_info/08021868.pdf; Перемещение Олонецкого Губернатора т. с. Н. В. Протасьева в Самару и назначение Олонецким Губернатором д. с. с. Н. Д. Грязева // Памятная книжка Олонецкой губернии на 1911 год / сост. секретарь комитета В. Соболев. Петрозаводск, 1911. С. 210–211; [1910–1912 гг.: хроника событий] // Петрозаводск: хроника трёх столетий, 1703–2003. Петрозаводск, 2002. С. 182–187.

Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:

Republic of Karelia: Pages of History: [digital collection];

Олонецкие губернские ведомости. Петрозаводск, 1838–1893.

Based on the article of the National Library of Republic of Karelia