Witold von Zychlinski, a man of Polish nobility, filed a plat of Pear Land (the plat shows two words) on Sept. 24, 1894 at the Brazoria County Courthouse. Old time Pearlanders wrote of Zychlinski traveling the dirt streets of Pearland in a fancy surrey pulled by a pair of shiny black high stepping horses.
Although the old time Pearlanders spoke of Zychlinski as being of Polish nobility, it was not until 2005 when his great grandson, retired Major General William Willoughby, was found in Chicago, Illinois, that there was any actual confirmation of his nobility.
Although General Willoughby's genealogical research did offer proof that Witold von Zychinski was of Polish nobility, there has been no trace of him since he left Pearland in the 1890's.
He remains a man of mystery.