Family of Adalbert Anton v. Sychowski and Anna Socha

This post is the second in a series about the family history and genealogy of the Sychowski families who came to Chicago in the late 19th century.


Adalbert Anton v. Sychowski (a.k.a. Anton Sychowski) was the son of Joseph v. Sychowski and Elisabeth Kryża. He was born on 12 April 1813 in Łebno. The next day, he was baptized at Strzepcz Catholic parish (St. Mary Magdalene).

Adalbertus Antonius Sychowski, 1813 baptism record, Strzepcz parish

Anton was one of at least six children. His parents were originally from Luzino parish, north of Strzepcz, but they had moved to the vicinity of Łebno soon after they were married. By the time Anton was about 20 years old, his family had moved to nearby Szenkowana, a small settlement in Kielno parish (later in Szemud parish).

Anna Socha was the daughter of Johann Socha and Catharina Paczocha. She was born on 1 September 1822 in Wyszecino and was baptized one week later at Luzino Catholic parish. Anna's family resided in Wyszecino and Smażyno when she was a girl and had moved to Zęblewo by the time she got married.

Anna Socha, 1822 baptism record, Luzino parish

In spite of his family's noble background, Anton v. Sychowski was a day laborer or workman. He married Anna Socha around 1842 or 1843, almost certainly in Strzepcz parish. Unfortunately, all marriage records in Strzepcz prior to 1846 are lost, so we cannot know their exact marriage date. Anton was about 30 years old and Anna was about 20. They had eight children in 19 years; all were born in Zęblewo and baptized in Strzepcz. The family remained in Zęblewo until the 1880's, when most of them emigrated.

This map shows the parishes Luzino, Strzepcz, Szemud, and Kielno (blue markers) and the villages Łebno, Szenkowana, Wyszecino, Smażyno, Zęblewo, and Tępcz (purple markers).


View map here.

Children of Anton v. Sychowski and Anna Socha:

• Anna Franciska Sychowska was born 26 October 1844.
• Johann (John) Sychowski was born on 3 November 1846.
• August Franz (Frank) Sychowski was born on 26 June 1849.
• Anton Jacob Sychowski was born on 29 March 1851 and died on 2 March 1853.
• August Sychowski was born on 6 April 1853.
• Joseph Sychowski was born on 10 January 1856.
• Augusta Sychowska was born on 19 November 1859.
• Mathilda Pauline Sychowska was born on 1 May 1862.

Anton v. Sychowski died in Zęblewo on 18 November 1867 at age 54. According to his death record, he was survived by his wife and six children. His youngest daughter was only five.

Anton Sychowski, workman, death record, Strzepcz parish, 1867 (1/2)
Died in Zęblewo on 18 November, buried at Strzepcz on 21 November

Anton Sychowski death record, Strzepcz parish, 1867 (2/2)
Survived by wife Anna Socha and 6 children; age 53

Anna (Socha) Sychowska and children in West Prussia

The widow Anna Sychowska did not remarry. Perhaps her adult children provided enough support that it was unnecessary.

Four of Anton and Anna's children were married in West Prussia. Eldest daughter Anna Sychowska married Franz Nikolaus Kowalewski in 1866 in Strzepcz. They resided in Zęblewo, where their four children were born. Franz and Anna did not emigrate and, as far as I can tell, neither did their children. Franz died in 1905 and Anna in 1910 in Głazica.

Franz Sychowski was the next to marry. He married Anna Pionke in Szemud parish in 1872. They also resided in Zęblewo at first and later moved to nearby Tępcz prior to emigration. Their first seven children were born in West Prussia.

Johann Sychowski married Franciscka Baranowska in 1874 in Strzepcz parish. They, too, lived in Zęblewo, where their first six children were born. Sadly, three of them were stillborn daughters.

Augusta Sychowska married Johann Zochoła in 1878 in Strzepcz. Johann and Augusta lived in Tępcz and their first five children were born in that village.

Emigration and life in Chicago

It seems that the widow Anna (Socha) Sychowska and her youngest daughter Mathilda were the first of their family to emigrate, in 1882. This is a bit unusual, but perhaps her unmarried son Joseph (whose immigration record I have not found) preceded her. Furthermore, Anna's sister, Albertine (Socha) Okroj had immigrated to Chicago the previous year with her husband Johann and their children. So perhaps Anna joined her sister upon her arival in the new world.

Anna's other children soon followed. Johann and his family emigrated the next year, 1883. Franz left in 1886, followed by Augusta in 1887.

This map shows where Anna (Socha) Sychowska and her adult children lived in 1900. Their parish church, St. Josaphat's, is marked with a cross icon.


View map here

The Sychowski family joined a large network of friends and family from the old country in Lake View, which is now part of Chicago's north side. The earliest arrivals were members of Chicago's first Polish parish, St. Stanislaus Kostka. But the entire family soon became parishioners at St. Josaphat's when it opened in Lake View in 1884. St. Josaphat's was founded by Kashubian immigrants who wanted their own parish in their own neighborhood.

St. Josaphat Catholic Church, Chicago

Anton and Anna's youngest daughter Mathilda Sychowska married Joseph Samp at St. Stanislaus Kostka in 1884. Son Joseph Sychowski married Anna Patock at St. Josaphat's in 1886. All but one of Anton and Anna's Chicago-born grandchildren were baptized at St. Josphat's.

Father Leo Sychowski

This family must have been very religious. Four of Anton and Anna Sychowski's grandsons were ordained Catholic priests: Rev. Theophil Sychowski, son of John Sychowski and Frances Baranowska; Rev. Leo Sychowski, son of Frank Sychowski and Anna Pionke; Rev. Leo Zuchola and Rev. Francis Zuchola, both sons of John Zuchola and Augusta Sychowska. In addition, two of their granddaughters became nuns (Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth): Sister M. Tarcisia (Rose) Sychowski, daughter of John Sychowski and Frances Baranowska, and Sister M. Alma (Anna) Sychowski, daughter of Joseph Sychowski and Anna Patock.

Anna (Socha) Sychowski died of pneumonia at her home in Chicago on 23 July 1907. She was 84 years old. Anna was survived by six children, 38 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and her sister Albertina Okroj. In total, Anton v. Sychowski and Anna Socha had eight children, 64 grandchildren, and at least 89 great-grandchildren.

Two Sychowski mysteries

As if often the case, there are a few confusing records relating to this Sychowski family.

First, what happened to August, son of Anton Sychowski and Anna Socha, born in 1853? I can find no death or marriage record for him. In addition, his father's death record states that he left six children which, if correct, means that August must have died in or before 1867. I have searched Strzpecz parish records for this time frame and found nothing.

If you have a Sychowski tree on Ancestry.com, you have probably seen a hint pop up when you look at August Sychowski. There is a Chicago marriage record for an August Sychowski, born about 1853, to a Maria Pokrywka. But when you examine the record, you can see that the parents' names don't match at all. Indeed, even if you ignore the discrepancy and assume that this is our August, a new mystery immediately arises—there is no further record of this couple anywhere.

Our second Sychowski mystery appears on the passenger list from Anna (Socha) Sychowska's 1882 immigration record. The record shows Anna, age 60 (which is correct) traveling with her daughter Mathilda, age 20 (also correct)... and an Anton, age 35.

Passenger list, ship Leipzig, arrival at Baltimore 2 April 1882
Anna Cichowska (60), Mathilda (20), and the mysterious Anton (35)

Who is this Anton Sychowski? At first I thought it must be Anna's son Joseph, who also immigrated about 1882. But this Anton must have been born about 1847 whereas Joseph was born in 1856, which is quite a difference. And again, I can find no record of an Anton Sychowski of this age from Strzepcz or Kielno. Perhaps the ditto marks were an error and his record should have a different surname.

Hopefully, a nice and clever Sychowski descendant will solve these mysteries and tell us all the answers!

Note: This post is part of a series about Sychowski families who came to Chicago in the late 19th century. Next up: family of Franz v. Sychowski and Albertina Stefanowska.

Related posts:

• Early Sychowski Families in Chicago

© TreeQuest: An Unexpected Journey 2017.

Reference:

• FamilySearch - Illinois, Chicago, Catholic Church Records, 1833-1925 - parishes St. Josaphat and St. Stanislaus Kostka (free account and login required to view record images)
• Family History Library microfilm - Strzepcz parish, films #162398, 544878, 850293, 529478
• Family History Library microfilm - Luzino parish, film #72034
• Family History Library microfilm - Szemud parish, films #544848 and 544849
• GenBaza.com - Smażyno USC, Strzepcz USC (free account and login required)
• Pomeranian Genealogical Association - indexes of parish and civil records

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