The melody of the family line in the life symphony of Prof. Elena Dergacheva-Skop

The article describes the family roots of Prof. Elena Ivanovna Dergacheva-Skop. The histories of three ecclesiastical lineages (the Dergachevy, the Dryaginy, the Dernovy) are considered as representative of the dramatic history of Ural and Russia. The author shows the important role of the clerical social class in forming the Russian intellectuals, reveals universal personality traits and professional preferences characteristic of the lineage, determines the contribution the family representatives in the development of the Russian enlightenment, science, and culture. The presented materials from archives and published sources illuminate diversified interconnections between the history of the family and the history of the homeland. Every individual manifests not just his/her personal character traits but also inherited family-line qualities that are reflected in particular life patterns.