The history of the first settlement of Washington township is covered in detail in the narratives of the first colony, by William Stolley, Fred Hedde, and Christian Menck. The first colony settled in Washington township and the story of the first ten years of te history of Hall County, as told by those venerable pioneers, mainly is the history of Washington township.

Out of this township grew and developed the great city of Grand Island, but nevertheless there remains many interesting stories of development in Washington townshp outside of Grand Island. The roll of early settlers in the south part of the township has been included in the roaster of those south of the Platte River. A roster of those who owned land in Washington township north of the river on or before 1890 presents many names that are more than familiar in the development of the city of Grand Island also:

Peter Wilson, Adam Windolph, Peter, Stuhr, Henry Vieregg, W. B.

Larrabee, John Wallichs, S. Scaaff, D. Sass, S. M. Roush, D. Roush, Casper Dunnerman, Hans Voss, Robert Waugh, N. P. Stahl, Adolph Baach, H. Steinmeier, Henry Joehnck, H. Rohweder, Marx Stelk, Henry Eickhoff, Fred Evans, Christian Menck, Johannes Windolph, Gustave Koehler, W. R. Watkins, John W. Lambert, Geo. Loan, Russell Wheeler, Gottfried Klinge, John Reimers, Henry Timpke, W. F. Stolley, William A. Hagge, Fred Moeller, John Fonner, J.D. Schuller, Geo. Thavenet, H. Gulzow, Fred Mathiesn, Henry Ernstmeier, Hans Schiel, Geo. H. Andrew, Nich. Reuting, Carl Scherzberg, Charles Gosda, Fred Gosda, Peter Schumann, Joachim Buenz, Henry Schimmer, Christ. Nieberger, Fred Schleichardt, Fritz Niedfelt, William Niedfelt, Carl Knefelkamp, Peter Heesch, John Reher, C. Reher, Heinrich Beoersen, Hans Vollert, Henry Wierhake, Peter Wiese, Jacob Suhr, Herman Boersen, Harry Albers, Henry Gulzow, Theo. Sievers, John Lassen, Ties Hansen, Claus Rohweder, John Neubert, Hans Stuhr, James Michelson, Mary Lambert, Ernest Blunk, Henry Giese.