Yakov Garelin was born in 1820 in the village of Ivanovo and went on to become a successful factory owner in the textile trade. From 1877 to 1886 Garelin served as the major of Ivanovo-Voznesensk. Garelin was also known as a philanthropist who donated money to open and support hospitals, public libraries and museums. Garelin died in 1890 in Ivanovo-Voznesensk and in his will he left a large part of his fortune to help the poor in the city. This monument to him was unveiled in 2011.