to download the book. - William Remus

The Remus Family of West Prussia:
Volume II Part II
The period around 1700 was not a good time for West
Prussia. The Great Northern Wars taking place then led to
warfare and destruction resulting in perhaps the loss of a
third of the population. To repopulate their land (and
generate profits), the Polish nobility sold the right to
manage villages (called schultz privilege) and the right to
mill grain to Germans as discussed in the prior chapter. In
addition Remus family members of lesser means entered
West Prussia seeking land and freedom .
These Remus family members settled in different areas that
the schultz and krugers. They were largely located further
east of Kreis Schlochau, Flatow, and Wirsitz in West
Prussia. If they had a little money they could acquired
small sandy farms. If not, they would work as estate
workers, day laborers and shepherds. The last was the most
unpleasant and thus most available. Here is some
information about life on the estates which are also called
manorial farms.