The inhabitants lived on fishing , hunting , wood cutting by marshes and military service. Residens of Kovilj were good soldiers who kept watch at the "Koviljski šančevi" (Kovilj Moat) and prevented incursions by the Turks in Austria-Hungary. From that time remained a habit that people from the Lower Kovilja called "Šančani". Upper Kovilj arises settling of Serbs from Subotica in 1746. These Serbs were the only soldiers who belonged to the "Šajkaška battalion" as crews scurry wooden boats who fought on the Danube, Sava and Tisa preventing attacks against the Turks. Since 1870, when construction of embankments on the Danube and deforestation are changing and the interest of residents for jobs. Begins dealing with agriculture and production of bricks. Kovilj in 1900 numbered about 5,200 inhabitants and had a steam mill , a brickyard and electricity in homes.