Cork, Sydney

The following data is extracted from Ida County, Iowa Biographies.

Sydney Stephan Cork was born in Hartlip County of Kent in England on July 13, 1890. He had 8 brothers and sisters but only one sister came to America. His parents were John Isaac Cork and Mary Anne Rose Cork. After he completed his 8th grade, he went to work on a farm. At the age of 22, he came to America in the spring of 1913, traveled by ship to New York, and then by train to Galva, Iowa, Ida County.
The trip from England to Iowa cost $80, and he earned $28 per month from spring to fall working on area farms. He received $.04 per bushel of corn he picked by hand. He did chores on the farm in the winter months with his pay just "room and board."
On Sundays, he would walk to church, or take a horse and buggy, to attend afternoon and evening services at the Silver Creek church southeast of Galva.
In 1914, Florence Agnes Davison came to America. Her parents were William and Martha Baker Davison. She had received her 8 grades of education and then went to work for families in the area. She was born on February 6, 1892 in Stockbury, County of Kent in England. She was the only family member to come to America. She met Sydney Cork and they were married on February 28, 1917 at the Ida County Courthouse. They went farming. During World War II, the family raised flax for the government. In the late 1930s, Syd purchased his first tractor, a F-12. They got electricity in the Spring of 1942. They had one child, Wilfred Earl, born July 6, 1920.

Source: Ida County, Iowa Biographies

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