ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

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Brown County

Established
February 1, 1839 (Laws, 1839, p. 52)

Origin of the name of the county
Named for Jacob Brown, Major General during the War of 1812, who won distinction at Sackett's Harbor, Chippewa and Niagara.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
1825–1839 — Schuyler 1821–1825 — Pike 1812–1821 — Madison 1795–1812 — St. Clair

County Seats
1839–  — Mount Sterling

History of county governing board
1839–1849 — County Commissioners’ Court 1849–1854 — County Court 1854–  — County Board of Supervisors

Documented Record Losses
March 8, 1939 — Fire. Some records lost or damaged.

Township Government
Adopted — November 8, 1853

Township Names
Buckhorn
Cooperstown
Elkhorn
Lee
Missouri
Mt. Sterling
Pea Ridge
Ripley
Versailles

Township Map

Pertinent Databases
Brown County Almshouse Register Index (1882–1963)
Federal Township Plats of Illinois
Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950
Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
Local Governmental Records Database
Name Index to Illinois Local Governments