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

More Early Pionke and Related Families in Chicago, Wisconsin, and Michigan

This is the first post in a second series about early Pionke and related families in Chicago, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

This survey of Pionke families will expand on my original post, Early Pionke and Pionek Families in Chicago and Wisconsin. I am now including families who settled in Detroit as well as those who immigrated to Chicago or Wisconsin. In addition, I will look at families with a female Pionke ancestor—families who did not carry the Pionke surname when they came to the U.S.

Like my own Pionke ancestors, all of these families descend from our own Adam and Eve Pionk of Strzepcz parish. Some of them have a close relationship to the Pionke families from the original series. They lived in former West Prussia, now in northern Poland, in villages near the parishes of Strzepz (Strepsch) and Kielno (Kölln).

These eight Pionke and Pionke-descent families are outlined below.

This map shows the villages (Będargowo, Łebieńska Huta, Łebno, Zęblewo) and parishes (Kielno, Strzepcz, Szemud) mentioned in the outlines of families 1-5 below.

1. Descendants of Joseph Rhode and Anna Pionk

I believe that Anna Pionk or Pionke was the daughter of my ancestors Paul Pionk and Anna Bazowa*—and thus the sister of Valentin Pionke and Jacob Pionke. Anna was born in Zęblewo in 1823 and was baptized in Strzepcz parish. She married Joseph Rhode (Rohde, Roda) in Kielno parish in 1846. Their children were baptized in Strzepcz, Kielno, and Szemud.

As far as I know, only one of Joseph and Anna's children emigrated. Their daughter Antonina emigrated in 1889 with her husband Franz Labuda. They settled in Detroit's Poletown. There were many other Kashub families in their neighborhood, as well as other Poles. Frank and Antonina remained in Detroit until their deaths.

• Antonina Pionke married Franz (Frank) Labuda - 10 children.

*I will discuss the evidence for my theory that Anna Pionke was the daughter of Paul in a separate article.

2. Descendants of Franz Hennig and Marianna Pionk

Marianna Pionk or Pionke was the daughter of Johann Pionk and Marianna Małoszycka—and the sister of Franz Pionke and Joseph Pionke. Marianna was born in Będargowo in 1813 and was baptized in Strzepcz. She married first husband Johann Derla about 1835, probably in Strepcz. After his death, she married second husband Franz Hennig (Frank Henik or Hejnik) in Strzepcz in 1846. All of their children were baptized in Strzepcz.

I believe Frank and Marianna (Pionke) Hennig immigrated to Chicago in 1881, a half year after their daughter Augustina (Hennig) Pionke arrived there. Marianna probably died around 1884; Franz married second wife, the widow Augustina (Kunat) Brunke, in 1885. Marianna's family belonged to St. Stanislaus Kostka and St. Josaphat parishes in Chicago. Daughter Augustina moved to Portage County, Wisconsin, while the family of daughter Helena (Derla) Heymann remained in Chicago.

• Helena Derla married (1) Michael Lange - 6 children; (2) Franz Heymann - 4 children.
• Augustina Hennig (Henik, Hejnik) married (1) Franz Paluch - no children; (2) Valentin Pionke (Valentine or Wałenty Pionek) - 9 children; she also had one child before her first marriage.