Gilicze János: A földeáki Návay család története (Régi magyar családok 5. Debrecen, 2006)

Abstract

bian and North-Hungarian properties but without much success. Likewise, they failed at acquiring the pusztas of Csanád and the Mező Szegedi family properties. The first generation of Návays, József, János, Antal and Pál, besides managing the land, also held various positions from being jurors to chief constables. Mihály Návay, their contemporary, was elected to be the sub-prefect and parliamentary representative of Csanád County in 1790. After a short period of time, Leopold II appointed him to be a councillor for services rendered and also gave him the name "Földeáki" [of Földeák]. The Návay family broke into two with János (1768-1822) and György (1775-1829). János Návay also held the positin of sub-prefect and parliamentary representative. He also received the title of councillor in 1811. His brother, György served Csanád Coutny as a chief constable. At the time of the reform era, the members of the Návay family joined the progressive opposition. Among them László Návay stood up for these principles both in his county and at the parliament. In the 1840s the conservatives were in majority in Csanád County. In this period, László Návay came into conflict with the sub-prefect of the county on several occasions, about which records can be found in the county archives. A progressive characteristic of the Návay family was its liberalism rooted in the respect for the 1848 traditions, which was founded by Sándor Návay (1832-1864) and Tamás Návay (1815-1879). Sándor Návay served as Damjanich's adjutant in 1848-1849, then as Leiningen's adjutant he was among the first to enter the reoccupied Buda castle. The defeat found him in Komárom, and due to this he could avoid punishment but he was under surveillance until his death. Another member of the family, Mihály Návay (1789-1863) offered his hospitality to General János Damjanich's and General György Láhner's widows in his house in Makó for several years despite the on-going harassment of the authorities. Tamás Návay, who belonged to the other line of the family and became Csanád County's deputy clerk at a very young age, then its clerk and later judge of the County Court, played an even more significant role in 1848. The ideas of the reform era were welcome in Csanád County, and were supported by Tamás Návay as well. He soon became such a prominent figure that he took part in the 1839-40 parliamentary session as the county's representative. After he had returned home, he was elected to be sub-prefect. During the war of freedom as a lord lieutenant he was fighting for his beliefs in words and actions and also using his wealth. When the war of freedom was defeated, Tamás Návay shared the fate of patriots. He was arrested and sentenced to imprisonment, and his properties were also confiscated. His wife, in the name of their two underage children - with the help of Count Móric Almássy's relative - begged for the land, but until the compromise of 1867 it was not in Tamás Návay's name. After he had been released, he returned to Földeák. His home became a meeting point of patriots during the time of absolutism. After the compromise, he returned to his office as lord lieutenant, which he had been forced to give up in 1849. Although with the acceptance of the