In this work, the analysis of private possessions of large-scale patrimonial estate holders in the cities of the South of Russia in the mid-seventeenth century is presented. The author involves a variety of archival and record keeping material. Much attention is paid to the possessions of the Romanov boyars, which were the largest in the region. The article shows the role and the place of private property in the social and economic life of the cities of the South of Russia.