Grocholski Franciszek Ksawery h. Syrokomla (1730 – 1792), royal chamberlain, parliamentary envoy, Targowica confederate. Born on September 2 in Woronowica in the then Bracław Voivodeship, as the son of Michał, a judge and cupbearer of Bracław, regiment commander of the Ukrainian, and later Volhynian, party, and Anna Radzimińska; he was the brother of Marcin, the castellan and the last voivode of Bracław. G. was educated at the Jesuit college in Warsaw, and deepened his knowledge through foreign travels. A great lover of art, he collected valuable works and rich library collections.

G. took an active part in public life. As the subdapifer of Bracław (1761) and the municipal clerk of Krzemieniec (1764), he was a supporter of the Potocki party, the so-called “patriots,” but soon became a fervent supporter of Stanisław August. The king favored him with special privileges, as evidenced by nominations to numerous offices: deputy starost of Winnica (1766), royal chamberlain (1767), subcupbearer of Bracław (1771), standard-bearer of Winnica (1772) and Bracław (1774), crown sword-bearer (1775), counselor of the Permanent Council (1776 – 8), starost of Przyłuki, royal chamberlain, and captain of the national cavalry.

Awarded the orders of St. Stanisław (1776) and the White Eagle (1778), he hosted King Stanisław August in his residence in Tereszki, returning from Kaniów in 1787. G. was an envoy to the parliament from the Pińsk Voivodeship in 1776 and from the Bracław Voivodeship to the Four-Year Sejm. He was a parliamentary commissioner (1771) and took an active part in discussions on the constitutional bill as a staunch opponent of reforms. In 1792, he joined the Targowica Confederation and was elected its counselor. By appointment of Pope Pius VI, G. held the office of apostolic syndic of the Capuchin Fathers of the Polish province (1788). Owner of significant estates, G. possessed properties in the Krzemieniec district (Tereszki, Malinki), in the Winnica district (the town of Woronowica and several villages), significant parts of the Trościaniec estates, and a manor in the town of Dubno.

He married on October 1, 1766, Helena Justyna from the Bożeniec Lesznicki family, originating from the Ruthenian princes, who brought him significant estates in the Żytomierz, Owrucz, Włodzimierz, and Łuck districts as a dowry. Grocholski died on September 11, 1792, in Tereszki, buried in the family graves in the Dominican church in Winnica. Of his four children, the elder son Antoni was the marshal of the Bracław province, daughter Tekla, married to Franciszek Sariusz Łaźniński, became the heroine of the story “Golden Teklunia” by Józef Rolle.

“Polish Biographical Dictionary” Volume VIII National Institute of Ossoliński, PAN Publishing House Wrocław – Kraków – Warsaw, 1959-1960
auth. Jadwiga Jankowska, pp. 584-585

GROCHOLSKI Franciszek Ksawery (1730-1792) political and social activist. Born on September 2 in Woronców of the Winnica district. He was the son of → Michał and Anna from the Radzimińskis, brother of → Marcin. He studied at the Jesuit college in Warsaw. He made several foreign trips. A great art lover, he collected valuable works of art and books.

Franciszek Grocholski and his wife Helena from Bożeniec-Lesznickich. Painter Józef Pitschmann**

Bracław subdapifer (1761) and Krzemieniec municipal official (1764), G. initially belonged to the Potocki camp, the so-called “patriots,” but soon became a fervent supporter of Stanisław August. The king had a special fondness for him, as evidenced by appointments to positions: deputy starost of Winnica (1766), royal chamberlain (1767), subcupbearer of Bracław (1771), standard-bearer of Winnica (1772) and Bracław (1774), crown sword-bearer (1775), consul of the Permanent Council (1776-78), starost of Przyłuki, royal chamberlain, and captain of the national cavalry. He was honored with the orders of St. Stanisław (1776) and the White Eagle (1778). In 1787, he hosted Stanisław August in Tereszki, who was returning from Kaniów. He was an ambassador from the Pińsk Voivodeship to the parliament in 1776 and from Bracław to the Four-Year Sejm, where he became a parliamentary commissioner (1791) and actively participated in discussions around the constitution project, being a staunch opponent of reforms. In 1792, he joined the Targowica Confederation and was elected its consul. With the appointment of Pope Pius VI, he served as the apostolic syndic of the Capuchin Fathers of the Polish province (1788).

He was married (wedding on October 1, 1766) to Helena Bożeniec-Lesznicka, daughter of Wojciech and Ludwika from Nielawickis, who came from an ancient Ruthenian princely family. With her dowry, he received significant estates in the Żytomierz, Owrucz, Włodzimierz, and Łuck districts.

Palace of the Grocholski family in Woronowycia. Drawing by N. Orda, circa 1871.*

According to the conditions of the paternal inheritance division (1771), his share included Tereszki and Malinki in the Krzemieniec district, Woronowycia, Stepaniwna, Soroczyn, Komariw, Michajliwka (or Kostkopil), Komariwka, Trostianets, Fedoriwka, Tenderiw, Kalniszewka, Markiwka, and Latanci (or Zalisny Komariw) in the Winnica district, half of the lifetime possession in the Zoziwskom key there, a manor in Dubno, and also jointly with his brother a manor in Lviv. In Woronowycia, in the years 1780-90, he built a palace and founded the church of St. Michael the Archangel.

He died on September 11, 1792, in Tereszki, buried in the family crypt in the basement of the Dominican church in Winnica. He had children with Helena Bożeniec-Lesznicka: Antoni, Jan Nepomucen (→ A. Grocholski), Tekla (1772-28.1.1798), married to → Franciszek Łaźniński, and Julia (1773-1832) → to Józef Poniatowski.

Antoni (July 7, 1767, Tereszki – April 22, 1808, there) in 1789 was the captain of the national cavalry. In 1792, as a commissioner and then chairman of the Civil-Military Order Commission of the Bracław Voivodeship, he energetically gathered magnate militia, equipment, and provisions for the army → J. Poniatowski. Knight of the orders of St. Stanisław and the White Eagle, he left military service with the rank of major-general. He was appointed marshal of the newly established Bracław province from 1796, repeatedly becoming the marshal of the nobility of the Starokonstiantyniv district. In marriage with Eleonora Beżyńska, who divorced him, he had no children.

PSB (J. Jankowska); *Aftanazy, vol. 10, pp. 285, 394, 406′, 408 (wife’s image), 499-500, 506-507, vol. 11, p. 174; Boniecki, vol. VII, p. 68; Drwęca [Radzimiński Z.] Pietniczany and their heirs, Kraków, 1878, p. 6; Urbański (2), pp. 55, 68; Uruski, vol. IV, p. 379, vol. VIII, p. 375; – Труды ПЕИСК, p. 185; – ДАВО: ф. 480, oп. 1, cnp. 20, арк. 460–464 зв., cnp. 68, арк. 363-366, cnp. 69, арк. 161- 162зв., 745 745 зв.

Biogram comes from the book KNOWN POLES IN THE HISTORY OF WINNICA by Mrs. Wiktoria Kolesnyk.

Declaration
[project by J.W. [F.] Grocholski, envoy of Bracław regarding the accreditation of new envoys and parliamentary dismissals – with corrections and signature of St. Małachowski]

November 8, 1790: Speech of J.W. His Excellency Mr. [F.] Grocholski, crown sword-bearer, envoy from the Bracław Voivodeship. At the parliamentary session on October 8, 1790 [regarding “the suspension of all important matters due to too few envoys”].

Speech of His Excellency Franciszek Grocholski, Crown Sword-Bearer, Envoy of the Bracław Voivodeship, at the Parliamentary Session, May 10, 1790.