Once part of Shelby County, on December 1, 1836, the board of commissioners of Allen County ordered that a new township be erected by petition of the residents. The first election was held December 20, 1836.

The first white settler was Shadrack Montgomery, who settled here in 1830. He located in Sec. 24 which bordered the Indian reserve and was instrumental in the first organization of the government of the township. His son, Archibald, was born in 1818, and related that the first three years after their settlement here, his only friends were the Indian boys. Thus, he learned their language and became skillful with the bow. The majority of the settlers of the township came from the vicinity of Ladbergen, Westphalia, Germany. These early pioneers embraced a brave spirit which enabled them to face the hardships of frontier life. By 1846 they were succeeding in the arduous task of creating productive farmland from the forest, an area previously known as a portion of the Black Swamp.

The first school in the township was held in a log cabin in Section 24 by Elias Horner in the winter of 1834-35. The seats were made of basswood puncheons, the windows were greased paper, and the desks were planks attached to the wall. Rev. Kemper preached the first sermon in the township. The first log church building was built in New Knoxville by the German Reformed residents in 1838.

The village of Knoxville (later New Knoxville) was laid out in 102 lots in 1836 by James Knox Lytle, a land agent, appointed to that position by his cousin, James Knox Polk, the President of the United States. A partnership of Cummings, Mathers and Brown built the first steam saw mill and ran the first store.

In his search for settlers and laborers to help develop the town, Mr. Lytle was fortunate to find four men of sturdy German descent who were hired to clear the forest from the main streets at a rate of 50 cents a day, that amount to be applied toward their puchase of land or lots. These men were William H. Kuck (Kuckhermann), H.H. Fledderjohann, H. Lutterbeck and Herman Meckstroth, all from Ladbergen, Germany. During the year 1836 only two log homes were built in the area of New Knoxville, they being 4 miles apart.

By 1856, the village supported several places of business: Vennemann's General Store which began in 1840 outside of the village limits, Lutterbein's Dry Goods Store which began about the same time, one boot and shoe store, three shoe shops, one harness shop, three blacksmith shops, two wagon shops, one bent wood factory, two furniture manufacturers and stores, one sawmill, one sash and blind factory, one physician, one photograph gallery, two churches and one public school.

The writer of the 1917 Auglaize County Atlas commented on the neatness and cleanliness of the small town, citing the spirit of the German inhabitants as one which embraced progressive ideas in the conduct of the village and its modern improvements.

The following list is of the first settlers in Washington Township. Other lists will soon be online listing first settlers for each township. For the time being, we will limit the inclusion of settlers up until about the year 1850. Once we have finished this task, we may extend the time-span. If your ancestor doesn't appear here, check the county and other township lists. If you have information about the settlement of your ancestor, please submit it for inclusion on these lists. Your submission must include reference to a source document (i.e. deed, Bible record, legal document).

Key to Source Abbreviations:

ATL80 = 1880 Atlas of Auglaize County, compiled by H.G. Howland, published 1880 by Robert Sutton

AUH = History of Auglaize County

C = Census

D = Deed Volume/Page Number