German Township, with its present name and bounds, was created September 1, 1845. Upon the organization of the County and its division into civil Townships, its territory formed a part of each of the two first Townships - Pigeon and Armstrong. Subsequently the two tiers of sections on the south formed a part of Perry Township. It is now bounded on the north by Armstrong, on the east by Scott and Center, on the south by Perry Township, and on the west by Posey County, and embraces within its limits twenty-seven sections. Its surface, rolling and in parts hilly, was originally covered with a dense growth of majestic forest trees. Perhaps no part of the County produced more splendid timber, and furnished a more inviting retreat for the game that was in all these parts in great abundance. When deer and turkeys began to be scarce in some other parts of the County, here they remained plentiful, and he was a poor marksman, indeed, who, penetrating the wildernesses of German Township, could not secure venison and fowl for his larder.

          Early Settlers. — It was about the time that the few Anglo-Saxons began to occupy the wild lands of what is now Armstrong Township that German was first invaded by the hardy, dauntless pioneers. It is probable that occasional hunters and trappers crossed its territory while still in the possession of the Indians, but such persons had little influence upon its subsequent growth, and their acts form no part of its history. The first permanent settlement, which, by gathering together a few families for mutual protection from hostile red men and wild beasts, formed a nucleus about which a neighborhood was gathered, and where the woodman's ax first made a clearing and raised a cabin, which, though rude and uninviting in its aspect, was designed for more than a temporary shelter, was made in the northwest corner of the Township by the Hensons, David and Jesse, and Joseph Chapman. The date of their coming cannot be stated. The Hensons took the gifts of a bountiful providence, as they were sent, without any worry or complaint. The Chapmans, Joseph and his family, were a "fighting set," yet withal good, respectable people, honest, and always poor. William and Walter Bryant, hardy backwoodsmen, who were known as more than ordinarily skillful and successful hunters, came into the Henson settlement in verv early days.

          To the south of this settlement and within two miles of the south line of the Township in sections 5 and 6 - a few more cabins were raised in a cluster, and here others began life's rough experiences in the lonely wilds of the forests. Old Jesse Holloway, a good natured man, kindly disposed to all, and liked by every man who enjoyed the hospitality of his humble home, or met him at the "rolling" or on the hunt, was one of the earliest in this settlement, though it is impossible for any man to say whether or not he was preceded by some other equally courageous pioneer. In this "neck of the woods" John Warren became well and favorably known as an industrious man and good citizen. Very few of the early settlers in these parts took the precaution or went to the expense of possessing themselves of the lands where they erected their cabins and established their homes. It was, indeed, a difficult matter to accumulate enough money, when money was so scarce, to pay the sums required by the government for a title to the land, though the amount was but $2.00 per acre. The industry of John Warren had been productive of larger results than that of any other individual in the neighborhood where he lived, and perhaps, in the entire Township. He succeeded in clearing not less than forty-two acres on the congress land, and had it in very good condition. His cabin was a well-built, comfortable structure, such as might be expected from the hands of one so industrious and enterprising. A stable of moderate size was also on the place. These improvements were sold to John Morgan, who entered the land, and though they represented many days of toil, the purchase money was but $40.00.

          About 1820 and 1821 John and Morrison Fitzgerald, James F. Fauquhar, Nicholas Long, and the Judkins family, became a part of this settlement. They did not come together, but each family, some of them having been for some time in neighboring localities, drifted in singly, and took their places in the small and slowly increasing community. James Fauquhar was always upright, and was tolerably "well fixed" financially for his day. He was one of the very few old settlers who in this Township bought his land from the government and passed it to his children. William Fauquhar, a son of James, the pioneer, and probably the oldest native born citizen of the Township, though only sixty-four years of age, still resides on the land entered by his father. John Fauquhar, now a resident of Evansville, and Mrs. Lydia Saunders, of Union Township, are the only other surviving descendants of James Fauquhar.

          German Township was very thinly settled; there were only a few spots where a hunter encountered human habitations for many years after the dawn of civilization in south western Indiana. There were none south of the settlement last named until Perry Township was reached. To the eastward, in the wild and dense woodland, there was not a trail except those of the untamed beasts and their hunters, until the Parker neighborhood was reached, a little southwest of the site of the village of St. Joseph. Here in very early times, probably not later than 1809, the Parkers, Richard Wells, old Mr. McKinnis, the father of Alex and James, and others, formed a settlement, where lived some of the best hunters and most sterling characters of the period. In the extreme eastern part of the Township a few settlers were scattered here and there; the smoke of a cabin occasionally beckoned the weary hunter to a haven of rest, and the ax of the pioneer at times made the woodland ring with sturdy blows and resounding echoes even in these less sought, for parts. It was in this part of the Township that James Kirkpatrick and Brian Short, afterward very well known, but only as simple, rough backwoodsmen, and yet with the good traits characteristic of such men, built their cabins. Here also lived George B. Wagnon, the son of William Wagnon, one of the first associate judges of the County. Young George was rather pretentious for the times and was unpopular. His character had little in it worthy of admiration. He was rough, unscrupulous and of a low order mentally and morally.

          Besides those whose names have found their way into these pages there were many other squatters and early settlers who, with what may be called the second settlement of the Township, beginning about 1830, almost fleeing before the hordes of industrious immigrants who came from across the sea to possess themselves of homes in the land of liberty, Folded their tents like the Arab, And as silently stole away.

          Soon after the year 1830, the state began to improve and to attract the attention of intelligent people in all parts of the country. The favorable location of Evansville respecting the commerce of the west, became the objective point of many who were leaving the old world and fleeing to America - that mighty oak of freedom beneath whose umbrage the oppressed of all nations were intended to come for shelter and protection. When the Germans commenced coming in the lands were rapidly taken. The first who came to settle among the old set of pioneers and to open their eyes to a new condition of things, was John Eichle, a good man and valuable citizen. His industrious and economical habits at first amused the pioneers who had been accustomed to taking life easy, but soon finding that in the struggle for existence they must compete for success with these habits, which were soon found to be common to all of the new comers, they became alarmed and one by one left the country to take up the thread of existence in some, more favorable land. It is not possible or necessary for the purposes of this work to name those who came in the great throng, before whose surge the early settlers were forced from their forest homes. They were an enterprising, pushing, prudent people, who, with wonderful celerity, cleared away the forests and brought the land into cultivation. With the exception of a few families, who cling like the last leaves upon the tree, there are no representatives of the earlier settlers, and the entire Township, as its name indicates, is peopled with Germans, who in the main are thrifty, honest, honorable, and valuable citizens.

          It was a natural and fitting thing in the material development of this country, that its lands should fall into the possession of a people who would bring out all its stored-up riches and give them to mankind for enjoyment and advancement, and yet the mind lingers with regret upon the fast-fading scenes of the early settlers.

          Towns. — There are no towns of commercial or industrial importance in this Township. The only considerable town is St. Joseph, situated in sections 21 and 28, Township 5 south, of range 11 west. Here Nicholas Long settled in early days, and by prudence and economy became quite wealthy. In the course of time he built a storehouse, and opened a general store, about which clustered the few houses which make up a country village - a postoffice, a smithy, a school building and a church. For some time the principal merchant at the place has been Joseph Hartlein. Upon his death in 1887, his sons succeeded to the business, and still conduct it.

          Kasson, situated in sections 9 and 10, Township 6 south, of range 11 west, contains a postoffice and blacksmith shop, but is without prospects of becoming important. Very near Kasson, on the southeast corner of section 9, Township 6 south, range 11 west, as early as March 20, 1838, J. W. Lilliston laid out a town and named it Germantown, but it never attained importance.

          Vienna was laid out in section 31, Township 5, range n, January 11, 1838, by John A. Morgan. It was quite pretentious, having 177 lots, but they have long since gone back to cornfield and meadow.

          Churches. — In early times there were no church buildings in this Township except one in the Henson neighborhood. This was a Liberty church, free to all denominations, and was erected more than half a century ago. It was the scene of many good meetings. Here Benoni Stinson, Jerry Cash and the Methodist circuit riders often preached. For a time religious sentiment was very strong, and meetings were frequently held at the houses of the Fauquhars, Hensons, Eichles and others. The old Liberty church was not kept in repair and has long since passed away. There is now no church in the Township where sermons are regularly preached in the English tongue.

          German Lutheran. — After the emigration of the Germans to this Township Lutheran churches were soon established. The first of these was near the old homestead of the Fauquhars, now on the Cynthiana road, in the northeast part of the Township. It was founded about the year 1838, and soon thereafter a log church was erected. This was afterward replaced by a spacious and comfortable edifice. The membership now numbers about ninety, and the church is in a very prosperous condition. About the same time St. John's church in the northwest part of the Township, near the Posey County line, was organized. Its present membership is seventy-five; its church edifice is a handsome building, erected when the congregation had outgrown the little log cabin first raised. About 1855 the Presbyterians, chiefly through the instrumentality of George Naab, a wealthy farmer, organized a class and built a church. Its membership now numbers 125. All of these churches are supplied with comfortable parsonages, and are prospering both temporally and spiritually.

          St. Joseph's Catholic Church. — The first church, a two-story log house, was built in the summer of 1841. The upper story was used for divine service, and the lower story for a school and pastoral residence. The congregation then numbered fifteen families. The Redemptorist, Father Czackart, had celebrated mass in the house of the widow Weiss, in 1836, and made a second visit in the following year. Rev. Roman Weinzopfel attended up to May, 1842, and from October of that year to the fall of 1845, Rev. Conrad Schniederjans was in charge. In April, 1846, Father Weinzopfel returned and accomplished much good by many years of active labor. The congregation soon became too large for the old church. On May 28, 1850, Bishop de St. Palais laid the corner stone for a new edifice, and on April 13, 1851, divine service was held in it for the first time. It was built of brick, 40x86 feet, ornamented with a handsome steeple, and cost exclusive of much labor and material donated, $2,200. It was dedicated April 27, 1857, since which time regular services have been held and the church has abundantly prospered.

Source:
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Brant & Fuller, c.1889
Pages 659-663