1906 NY Times Article regarding small farms given to New York City residents to cultivate.
William F. Syska , who had farming experience in the 'Far West' and Europe provided expert advice to the farmers. William, his wife and six children resided in the only house, on the 'old Burke Farm' near White Plains Rd. in the Bronx.
Article Citations:
...W.F. Syska, who has had farming experience in the Far West and in Europe, was engaged to reduce the wild to a tillable farm....
Mr. Syska cleared and plowed the land....
Expert instruction also is free, and Mr. Syska is consulted at all times about conditions and requirements. He, with his wife and six little children, lives in the only house on the place- a house that looks to be a hundred years old.
William's wife was Elizabeth (Zimmermann) Syska and their six children at the time were 14 y.o. Erna, 12 y.o. William Jr., 8 y.o. Chester, 6 y.o. Herbert, 3 y.o. Clara and 1 y.o. Stanley. The Family had previously resided in Chicago with Lizzie's parents until at least 1903 when Clara was born. Lizzie's family owned farms in Sheboygan, WI which could have been the 'far west' farming experience referred to in the article.
William and Lizzie's 6th child, Stanley, was born in Missouri in 1905. Thus, they probably moved to NY about 1906, just prior to this article. Their second child, William Jr, was born in NY in 1896- perhaps on a visit as William's parents (Adolph & Caroline Szyszka) had settled in the New York city area after coming to America along with several of William's siblings.
William and Lizzie had two more daughters, Adele and Gladys born in 1907 and 1909 in New York. The family moved to Wilton, Connecticut before 1920 and then to Daytona Beach Florida in about 1932, by that time the children were grown and many stayed up North. In addition to farming, William was a butcher and operated a meat market in Westchester County, NY, as well as owning property in Connecticut and Florida. In Florida he also owned a Gas station, grocer and orange grove.
Children: Erna J. (Syska) Braun (1892-), William F. Syska Jr. (1896-1981), Chester E. Syska (1898-1983), Herbert P Syska (1900-1974), Clara E (Syska) Vogt Keller (1903-2001), Stanley E. Syska (1905-1971), Adele (Syska) Pinkham (1907-1992), Gladys L. (Syska) Ellis Allard (1909-2002)
