“From the Capital, Forever Donated by Him...”

The article is devoted to the problem which is insufficiently studied – the formation and spread of the practice of making endowments as a form of charitable donations based on the example of the activities carried out by Siberian merchants of the 19th – early 20th centuries. The purpose of the study is to provide a holistic overview of the activities of these merchants in the considered region. As a result of the study, about forty cases of the collective and individual endowments of Siberian merchants as well as their names and the size of their contributions have been identified based on the scientific and reference books, literature and archival sources. Moreover, the spheres, for which such donations were sent, have been analyzed. The connection between the development of the institute of endowments and the peculiarities of the credit and financial system of the region has been pinpointed. The results have also shown that the first endowments in the region appeared in the 1830s, but became more widely spread in the post-reform period. Most of such contributions were meant to support public education, the poor and medical institutions. Furthermore, one part of these target capitals was directed to support scientific research, orthodox churches and urban improvement. Special attention is paid to the history of creation and functioning of the Irkutsk orphanage house of E. M. Medvednikova. It is concluded that the practice of making endowments reflected the worldview of merchants and public moods. The article is intended both for historians as well as the widest circle of readers.