Peasant land purchase, which began in Estonia in the second half of the 19th century, led to the establishment of an independent stratum of agrarian small producers. The change of generations and passing of material and non-material resources from one generation to another became important in peasant family land ownership and land use. Family stability and security in guaranteeing a livelihood depended on these resources, as did also the structure of the entire agrarian population. Inheritance of household resources from one generation to another was a part of the family’s entrepreneurial strategy. Succession is the transfer of the property to successors following the owner’s death, a part of the complex process of capital transfer. Passing property to a succeeding generation could take place even before the death of the testator, especially in the form of a dowry or a gift. It was a tradition in Estonia to leave the farm to the older son. Succession was a usual practice in economically more progressive and prosperous South Estonia, where it was considered important to preserve the integrity of the farmstead, while it was not so important in regions where farming did not yield the household’s entire livelihood and maintaining the integrity of the farmstead was not as imperative. Jarva county, on the other hand, belonged to the agrarian region, where the integrity of the farm was essential, and this had influence also on succession practice. Succession took place either according to the deceased’s will or the law. Comparison of these two approaches bears out the essential unity of both succession practices. In both cases farmstead possession went to the male head of the new household, and co-successors received compensation for their portions. The law also gave preference to the male successor, as his portion of inherited immovables was twice as large as that of the female successor; this greatly facilitated the paying out of compensation to co-successors for their inherited portions. When a will existed, co-successors’ inheritances were already determined. The testator in this instance may have estimated better the economic potential of the farmstead and also the chances of keeping it in the hands of the family. In case of statutory succession, however, a part of farmsteads passed into the possession of several successors, which in practice proved to be quite complicated and resulted in the sale of the farmstead, severing the family’s tradition of farmsteading. The difference between men’s and women’s role in succession is apparent. The passing of one generation of farmsteaders to the next was marked primarily along the male line, which reproduced patriarchal traditions. As the head of a family, a man had the dominant position. Women filled this role only in extraordinary circumstances when there were no male successors. Widows could be in possession of a farmstead usually only until her children reached adulthood. Men did what they could to secure their wives’ future by means of wills. Children bore responsibility to take care of their elderly parents until their death, but often farmstead owners thought it necessary to devise special guidelines in this matter. The heritage of a peasant consisted primarily of the immovable property, consisting of the farm buildings, together with arable land. Valuation of livestock was important in case of the movable property, as they were one of the most vital preconditions for economic activity. The inventory of the farmstead listed grain, working tools, means of transport, harness, clothes and household furniture. The rise in the importance of commercial and financial relations is evident from the wider spread of cash, bonds and savings funds. Unlike some other regions in Estonia, in Jarva county little attention was paid to household furniture, clothes and other personal items, and usually they are left out of lists of inherited property. Family farming became both the norm and the ideal in agriculture, containing cultural strategies for generation change and for passing on and developing property. The transfer of farmsteads’ material as well as non-material resources (in the form of customs, skills, positions and connections) both proved to be very important for the further development of Estonian society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]