About the year 1808, a group of people assembled at a point near Philadelphia; and with their posessions safely loaded onto Conestoga wagons, they headed west on the old Philadelphia Wagon Road, which was approximate but not identical to the present Route 30. The Philadephia area had not been the home of all these people; it was the gateway to the West at that time.

The little group made the tedious, wearisom journey through the valley and across the mountains to the Wheeling, West Virgnia, vicinity. Now they were near to the "promised land," the rolling state of Ohio. Traveling was easier now, and it did not take many days to reach the city of Columbus, a prospering town but not yet the state capitol. A very short distance south of columbus lay a tiny strip of congress land. Although the territory was surrounded on all sides by military grants, Hamilton Township in Franklin County, Ohio, was settled and land was homesteaded a few years later. George, William, and Jesse Jarman (later German, Jerman, and Garman) with their families, were amoung that group. Zebulon and Francis Gray, lifelong friends and neighbors, were there also. A few years later, a marriage connected the two families.

George was evidently the oldest of the three Germans. He and his wife, Anne had three daughters and two sons. George died in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, in 1839. Apparently Anne died there also or possibly enroute. She executed the Ohio land conveyances in 1832 and was not mentioned in George's estate records. Jessee German and his wife, Frances, brought with them a small son, James. Their other children included another son, John, and two daughters, Nancy and Frances. Jesse remained a resident of Franklin County until his death in 1836, and some of his children and grandchildren lived there until many years later. An unanticipated death may have terminated his plans to join George in Indiana. His heirs sold some land which he had purchased a short time before his death. Frances Gray died in Ohio. Zebulon and their children accompanied George German to Indiana, and died there. William, who is believed the second of the three Germans, died ar Columbus, Ohio, December 24, 1824. His survivors included a wife, Sarah (Sally), and two sons, Joshua and Hillery (Riley). Margaret German, who is mentioned in the estate records, apparently was one of the three daughters shown on the 1800 census. Matilda German, who was married in Franklin County, Ohio, in 1817, probably was a second daughter; but this has not been documented. No clue has been found as to the name of the third daughter. It was here in Ohio that Josua who had come as a lad of about fourteen, began his working career. From the elegible girls in the neighborhood he chose Catherine Thomas, and they were married in 1821. Three of their children, Christianna, William, and David, were born in Ohio.

David German and Elizabeth Briggs were married in Fountain County, Indiana, in 1850. Their first child died in 1851; and Elizabeth and the other daughter died within a short time of each other, in 1853, thus terminating David's first family. In 1855 he married Mary Isler, youngest daughter of George and Susan White Isler. The Islers were from Virginia; and Susan was borne on a plantation in Maryland, Although her father disowned her for her marriage, it appears to have been a happy and lasting one. David, and his two brothers all farmed and did other work in Fountain County, Indiana. William and Jacob were also coopers. In 1855 the three brothers having disposed of their Indiana land, moved to Iriquois County, Illinois. Here they lived and farmed until the "migration bug' hit again. In 1868 David moved to Neosho County Kansas. The climate along the neosho River was oppresive; and by 1885 he and Mary had lost five of their twelve children from malaria and typhoid, and they then moved to a farm southwest of Sterling Kansas. William sold his Illinois land and moved Elsworth County, Kansas. In 1884 Jacob and Catherine moved from Illinois to Geneseo, Kansas. David died in 1908 and Mary died in 1889 both are burried in Peace Valley Cemetary on north Lerado rd between 82 st and 95th st in north west Reno County Kansas.

Born to David and Mary Isler German were twelve children, five daughters and seven sons.

1. Elizabeth was born July 5th, 1856, in Iriquois County, Illinois she died in September 1857.

2. Nancy Angeline was born February 28, 1858, Iriquois County, Illinois. Died July 28, 1940. Married Samual Anderson, September 28, 1876.

3. Alice Emmeratta was born in Iriquois County, Illinois. March 22 1860. Died April 24, 1889. Married to an Marion Anderson.

4. George William was born September 21, 1862 in Iriqois County, Illinois. Died March 25, 1942 in Quinlin, Oklahoma. Married Sophia Muller Adams.

5. Amy Arbelle was born December 1,1864, Iriquois County, Illinois. Died September 21, 1869 in Neosho County, Kansas.

6. Mary Frances was born January 11, 1867, Iriquois County, Illinois. Died July 1, 1906. Married a Samual Jones

7. Jacob Kinny was born March 11, 1869, Neosho County, Kansas. Died April 27, 1884.

8. Basil David Lee born September 12, 1872, Neosho County, Kansas. Died January 16, 1947, Little River, Kansas. His First wife was Emma Haltom they were married on September 12, 1884. His second wife was Jeannie Coupar they were married October 20, 1910.

9. Joseph Charles was born January 8, 1874, Neosho County, Kansas. Died June 3, 1950, Waynoka, Oklahoma and was married to a Elvira Crommett.

10. Josie Marian born February 3, 1876, Neosho County, Kansas. Died December 25, 1883.

11. Clarence Albert was born April 27, 1878, Neosho County, Kansas. Died March 9, 1937, pratt County, Kansas. He is buried in the friendship Cemetary near Preston, Kansas. He married Bertha L. Allmon, February 27, 1900, Pratt County, Kansas.

12. Alfred Elbert was born march 16, 1880, Neosho County, Kansas. Died June 13, 1961, Morton County, Kansas Married to a Pearl Keesling.