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Yes, Germans were a very big part of Texas settlement. My great grandparents were Germans who settled in Galveston and later Houston. They had a very successful poultry and egg business which my grandfather continued on in Houston - he had the first poultry processing plant there, and always told us he had the first Houston drivers license ever given out. The sign on the back of his car, while he was courting my grandmother, read "Cream 'O Nut" - a brand of butter which he sold. He was a character and we called him "Cream 'O Nut" for other reasons.

I don't know why we Texans were told that the Germans settled in the Hill Country because it reminded them of Germany. I don't think it looks a bit like Germany. I sometimes wonder if that isn't one of a long line of Texas Tall Tales. No doubt there are lots of folks of German heritage in the Hill Country. They were damn fine at growing peaches there, too. (Altho how they were able to clear out all the rock and find fertile ground for orchards, I'll never know.)

Blow a kiss towards Kerrville for me at sunset, Lodwick. It's my favorite part of Texas.

Thanks so much for your family's story - I've always enjoyed biographies and learning about the days back when.

Texas is not the BlackForest or anything, but to folks in a wagon, hacking their way through the brush inch, by stinking inch, I'm guessing that any hill that they could find by running water would look pretty much like home to those pioneers. ;-)