Genealogy Records in Brown County

Brown County genealogy records are available through the county health department, the clerk's office, and the Brown County Historical Society in Nashville, Indiana. Birth and death records go back to 1882, and the clerk's office records and files court records including marriage licenses and vital records. This guide walks through what each office holds and how to access genealogy records in Brown County.

Brown County Health Department Vital Records

The Brown County Health Department in Nashville handles certified birth and death records for genealogy and legal purposes. The office is at 200 Hawthorne Drive, Nashville, IN 47448, with a mailing address of PO Box 281, Nashville, IN 47448. Their phone is 812-988-2255 and fax is 812-988-5601. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Vital records in Brown County go back to 1882, which is when Indiana counties began formal registration of births and deaths. Certified copies of both birth and death records are available from this office. Death certificates cost $12 a copy. The health department is a small office, so calling ahead before visiting is a good idea for genealogy researchers, especially if you need records from many years ago or are not sure which county an event occurred in.

For state-level records, the Indiana Department of Health at 2 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis holds statewide birth records from 1907 and death records from 1900. Call (317) 233-2700 or the toll-free line at (866) 601-0891. Online orders go through VitalChek. For genealogy requests at the state level, the person named on the certificate must be over 75 years old and deceased. The local health department map confirms contact details for the Brown County office in Nashville.

Brown County Clerk and Recorder Offices

The Brown County Clerk's Office at 201 Locust Lane, Nashville, IN 47448 records and files court records, maintains marriage license records, vital records, and child support payments. For genealogy researchers, the clerk's office is the go-to source for marriage records and court filings. Marriage records are a key genealogy resource, as they establish family connections that other records do not. The Brown County Clerk holds these for events that took place in Brown County going back many years.

The Brown County Recorder's Office, also at 201 Locust Lane, 1st Floor, Nashville, IN 47448, is managed by Recorder Mary E. Smith. The recorder holds property-related documents including deeds and land records that can be useful for genealogy research, especially when tracing families through land transfers, estate settlements, and inheritance patterns. Land records can show where an ancestor lived and worked in Brown County and who their neighbors were, which often reveals extended family relationships.

Under Indiana Code 5-14-3, court and property records in Indiana are generally open to public inspection. The provision at IC 5-14-3-4 makes confidential records available 75 years after creation, which means older Brown County records are generally accessible for genealogy research now. If you need a certified copy of a marriage record or court document, the clerk's office is the right place to start.

Note: Marriage records in Indiana before 1958 are held only at the county clerk level. The statewide IDOH marriage index begins in 1958, so for older Brown County marriages you must go directly to the clerk in Nashville.

Brown County Historical Society

The Brown County Historical Society, Inc. is at 90 E. Gould Street, Nashville, IN 47448, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 668. Their phone is 812-988-2899. The society's History Center is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on Monday. Research archives are open Tuesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The research archives are particularly useful for genealogy work in Brown County.

The historical society holds local newspapers, photographs, family files, cemetery records, and county histories. For Brown County genealogy researchers, the archives can bridge the gap between formal government records and the informal family history materials that government offices do not keep. If your Brown County ancestor does not appear clearly in vital records, the historical society's research archives may have newspaper mentions, church records, or local directory listings that help confirm dates and relationships.

Brown County was founded in 1836 and is named for General Jacob Brown, hero of the War of 1812. Records from the county's earliest period, before Indiana began statewide vital registration, are more likely to be held by the historical society than by any government office. Early settlers' records, original land entry documents, and early township records sometimes survive in society collections when they have not been preserved elsewhere.

State Resources for Brown County Genealogy

The Indiana State Library Genealogy Division at 315 W Ohio St, Indianapolis is a strong starting point for Brown County family history research. Their reference desk is at 317-232-3689. The library holds more than 40,000 print items covering family histories, cemetery transcriptions, and records indexes. Their Indiana County Research Guides include a Brown County-specific guide that identifies available records and their locations. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Indiana Archives and Records Administration at 6440 E 30th St, Indianapolis, phone (317) 591-5220, may hold older Brown County court records that were transferred from local offices. IARA is especially worth checking for naturalization records, early civil cases, and other historical documents. The Indiana Historical Society at (317) 232-1882 holds photographs, diaries, and manuscripts from across Indiana including Brown County material.

The Indiana State Library genealogy page is shown below, where county guides and statewide family history resources are found:

Visit the Indiana State Library Genealogy Division for county research guides and one of the Midwest's largest family history collections, including materials relevant to Brown County.

The library's collection emphasizes Indiana and bordering states, with strong holdings for south-central Indiana counties like Brown County.

For free online starting points, the FamilySearch Indiana Genealogy wiki has county-by-county guidance and links to digitized records. The Indiana Genealogical Society provides research guides and volunteer assistance for Indiana county research. Both can help you identify which Brown County records exist online before you contact local offices directly.

Remote Ordering for Brown County Records

For genealogy researchers who live outside the Brown County area, remote record ordering is available. VitalChek handles online orders for Indiana vital records with credit card payment. The state's mail order option uses Form 49607 for births and Form 49606 for deaths, sent to the Indiana Department of Health at 2 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis. Pay by check or money order for mail orders.

For court records and marriage licenses, you must contact the Brown County Clerk at 201 Locust Lane, Nashville, IN 47448 directly. These records cannot be ordered through VitalChek or the state IDOH. The clerk can provide copies of records by mail if you submit a written request with enough detail to locate the document. For genealogy archive searches at the Brown County Historical Society, contact them at 812-988-2899 to discuss what is available and arrange an in-person visit during their archive hours on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The Indiana Archives screenshot below shows the state repository where older Brown County records may have been transferred:

The Indiana Archives and Records Administration is the state repository for historical court records and government documents, including material transferred from Brown County over the years.

Contact IARA at (317) 591-5220 before visiting to confirm what Brown County records are held there and how to access them for genealogy research.

Cities in Brown County

Brown County is a small, rural county in south-central Indiana. No city in the county meets the 25,000 population threshold for a dedicated city page. Nashville is the county seat where all genealogy records and vital documents are filed for the entire county.

Nearby Counties

Brown County is bordered by several south-central Indiana counties. Ancestors who lived near county borders may have records in a neighboring county's offices. Check these pages for related genealogy resources.