Washington County/Germantown Area Research


If you are researching the Germantown area, the following microfilm sources may be of interest to you. If you know of other film sources that cover or identify the Germantown area and are not identified here, would appreciate knowing of them.

LDS/FHL = Church of the Latter Day Saints, Family History Library

Some general comments regarding the early 1840-1850 records.

During this period, especially the 1840s, the Washington County area was viewed as missionary territory. That is, the missionary on his trusty horse would travel through the area and minister the word and perform marriages and baptisms. From a civil standpoint, only marriage were important and these may have been recorded in the then court house. From a religious standpoint, baptisms, marriages and burials may have been recorded but the question is where? In this wilderness there were congregations but did they maintain registers and if they did, was a registration actually made?

Looking at the Catholic church for example, the first religious in Washington County was Father Michael Heiss whose home base was in Milwaukee. So in the years 1844 to 1846, all his registrations were recorded in the books of the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. But before Father Hess we have firstly Father O'Kelly who was in the area supposedly since 1838 although his registrations do not begin until 1840 and Father Kundig who arrived in 1842. So from 1840 to 1846 there was only one church in Milwaukee, first called St. Luke and after 1844 the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. During these years, if you are looking for a Catholic registration, the only place it can be is in the books of the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle.

During the years of 1838 to 1840, the missionary Father O'Kelly was operating out of the Detroit Diocese. Should there be any registration, they could only be found in the records of the Detroit Diocese.

In 1846-1847 we have Father Obermueller operating out of St. Boniface in Goldenthal and Father Meyer operating out of St. Anthony the Hermit in Fussville, ministered to the then Washington County. St. Francis Xavier in Grafton and St. Francis Borgia in Cedarburg were also recording registrations. So during this period, you might look at the books of St. Boniface, St. Francis Xavier, St. Francis Borgia, or St. Anthony.

Marriages were recorded at the Court House in Port Washington.

In 1849-1852 we have Holy Cross in Holy Cross, St. Lawrence in St. Lawrence, St. Mathias in Nabob, St. Mary of the Lake in Belgium, St. Bridget in Jackson, St. James in Mequon, St. Matthew in Neosho, Mother of Sorrows in Little Kohler, St. Mary in Port Washington, and St. Stephen in Port Washington. As this was still considered a missionary period, those elusive recordings would have to be within these parish registrations.

That leaves us with Father Caspar Rehrl who ministered in the area from 1852 to 1878. During this period he performed registrations for St. Bridget (Wayne), St. Matthew (Neosho), Holy Trinity (Newburg), St. Kilian (St. Kilian), St. John of God (Farmington), St. Michael (St. Michael), Mother of Sorrows (Little Kohler), St. Anthony (Allenton), SS Peter and Paul (Nenno), St. Peter the Apostle (Trenton), St. Lawrence (St. Lawrence), St. Theresa (Theresa), and St. Martin (Ashford). Some of his registrations were not assigned to any particular parish and were recorded under his name for Washington County 1855-1865. See LDS-FHL film 1887361.

For the Christ Evangelical and Reformed Church in Dheinsville, they report the early registrations were lost in 1861. In the latter half of the 20th century, the congregation attempted to add the lost entries back, as best they could, from memory. It would seem, from what we are now hearing, these early recording may not have been completely lost. You might check with the Germantown Historical Society.

Additional research tips can be found here.

Following are identified the microfilm records for churches located in the Township of Germantown and the surrounding neighbor parishes.

Church Records:

Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Milwaukee
Christ Evangelical and Reformed Church in Dheinsville
Holy Cross Catholic Church in Holy Cross to 1853
Our Saviour's United Church of Christ in Rockfield
St. Anthony Catholic Church in Fussville
St. Augustine Catholic Church in St. Augustine
St. Boniface Catholic Church in Goldendale
St. Hubert Catholic Church in Hubertus
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Grafton to 1860
St. John Evangelical and Reformed Church - See St. John UCC
St. John United Church of Christ in Kuhburg
St. Mary Catholic Church in Richfield
St. Paul United Church of Christ in Colgate
St. Paul United Church of Christ in Menomonee Falls
Zoar Evangelical and Reformed Church - See Our Saviour's UCC

Washington County Related:

Index to Naturalizations 1845-1980
Petitions for Naturalizations and Declarations of Intention 1845-1906


Churches:

Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Milwaukee LDS/FHL 1863295

Baptism 1840-1846
Marriages 1840-1849
Baptisms 1847-1853
Marriages 1844-1852
Deaths 1844-1853
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Christ Evangelical and Reformed Church in Dheinsville

LDS/FHL 1377867

Index to Marriages 1845-1925
Index to Baptisms 1867-1927 (alphabetical)
Index to Deaths 1867-1930 (alphabetical)
Baptisms 1867-1927
Deaths 1867-1874

LDS/FHL 1377868

Deaths 1873-1930
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Holy Cross Catholic Church in Holy Cross to 1853

LDS/FHL 1862869:

Item 14, Vol 1 - Baptisms 1846-1877

LDS/FHL 1862870:

Item 1, Vol 1 - Marriages 1848-1878; Deaths 1847-1878
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Our Saviour's United Church of Christ in Rockfield Available at Washington County Historical Society
Information begins in 1895
Originally known as Zoar Evangelical and Reformed Church
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St. Anthony Catholic Church in Fussville

LDS/FHL 1863208

Baptisms 1846-1869
Marriages 1847-1920
Deaths 1848-1920
Baptisms 1869-1920
Index of Baptisms
Confirmations 1885-1918
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St. Augustine Catholic Church in St. Augustine

LDS/FHL 1862870:

Item 6, Vol 1 - Baptisms 1856-1899;
    Marriages 1856-1899;
    Deaths 1857-1899;
    Communion 1892-1897
Item 7, Vol 2 - Baptisms 1900-1920;
    Marriages 1900-1920;
    Communions 1904-1920;
    Confirmations 1905-1920
Item 8, Vol 3 - Baptisms 1911-1920;
    Marriages 1914-1920;
    Deaths 1916
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St. Boniface Catholic Church in Goldendale/Germantown

LDS/FHL 1862868:

Item 5, Vol 1 - Baptism 1846-1853
Item 6, Vol 2 - Baptism 1891-1920
Item 7, Vol 3 - Marriage 1854-1908
Item 8, Vol 4 - Death 1891-1920
Item 9, Vol 5 - Death 1854-1891; Baptism 1854-1891; Communion/Confirmation 1861-1895
Item 10, Vol 6 - Confirmation 1905-1920; Communion 1915-1920
Item 11, Vol 7 - Marriage 1909-1920.
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St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Grafton to 1860

LDS/FHL 1862868

Item 20, Vol 6 - Marriage 1846-1915; Deaths 1846-1920; Baptisms 1844-1920.
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St. Hubert Catholic Church in Hubertus

LDS/FHL 1862870:

Item 10, Vol 1 - Baptisms/Marriages/Deaths 1854-1872
Item 11, Vol 2 - Baptisms 1854-1899;
      Priest Register 1854-1952;
      Marriages 1856-1899;
      Deaths 1854-1899;
      Confirmations 1861-1898
Item 12, Vol 3 - Baptisms 1900-1920;
      Marriages 1900-1920;
      Deaths 1900-1920;
      Communions 1900-1920;
      Confirmations 1901-1920.
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St. John United Church of Christ in Kuhburg

LDS/FHL 1377867

Baptisms, Deaths, Burials, Confirmations, Marriages 1851-1964

Originally known as St. John Evangelical and Reformed Church
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St. Mary Catholic Church in Richfield

LDS/FHL 1871468:

Item 13, Vol 1 - Baptism 1859-1897; Marriage 1860-1890; Death 1860-1896
Item 14, Vol 2 - Baptism 1916-1920;
      Marriage 1916-1920;
      Death 1917-1920;
      Communions 1916-1920;
      Confirmations 1916-1919
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St. Paul United Church of Christ in Colgate

LDS/FHL 1392596

Cemetery Register 1878-1885
Births 1806-1885
Marriages 1850, 1869-1975
Deaths
Confirmations 1861-1975
Communicants 1852-1853, 1886-1887
Number of Communicants 1888-1937
Baptisms
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St. Paul United Church of Christ in Menomonee Falls

LDS/FHL 1392604

Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths 1868-1927
Communicants 1896-1908
Number of Communicants

Originally known as St. Paul's Gemeinde
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Washington County Related:

Index to Naturalizations 1845-1980

A-Schmucki 1845 1980 - LDS/FHL US/CAN Film [ 1379305 ]
Schmucki-z 1845-1980 - LDS/FHL US/CAN Film [ 1379305 ]
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Petitions for Naturalization and Declarations of Intention 1845-1906

Index: Aa-Al - Br-Bt (A-B) 1855-1979 - LDS/FHL US/CAN Film [ 1379320 ]
Index: Br-Bt (A-B) - Ga-Gg (J-K) 1855-1979 - LDS/FHL US/CAN Film [ 1379321 ]
Index: Ga-Gg (J-K) - Kh-Kn (A-B) 1855-1979 - LDS/FHL US/CAN Film [ 1379322 ]
Index: Kh-Kn (A-B) - Mu-Mz (J-K) 1855-1979 - LDS/FHL US/CAN Film [ 1379323 ]
Index: Mu-Mz (J-K) - Sc-Sd (L-M) 1855-1979 - LDS/FHL US/CAN Film [ 1379324 ]
Index: Sc-Sd (L-M) - XYZ (J-K) 1855-1979 - LDS/FHL US/CAN Film [ 1379325 ]
Index: XYZ (J-K) - end of file 1855-1979 - LDS/FHL US/CAN Film [ 1379326 ]
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