WI Roots.org

Established: 1818
County Seat: Green Bay
Parent: Michigan Territory

Brown County is one of Wisconsin's two original counties along with Crawford County and originally spanned the entire eastern half of the state when formed by the Michigan Territorial legislature in 1818. It has since been subdivided to its present area. It was named for Major General Jacob Brown, a successful military leader during the War of 1812.

Neighboring Counties

Oconto County – north Kewaunee County – east Manitowoc County – southeast Calumet County – southwest Outagamie County – west Shawano County – northwest

From: Handbook of Wisconsin by S. Silas, 1855

BROWN.

pg. 49-50

One of the three original counties of Wisconsin, embracing all the State North of Milwaukee and East of the Wisconsin River, but now one of the smallest counties in the State. A part of the Oneida reservation is in this County. The lower Fox River flows through this county, the largest stream of water in the State, and containing the best water power. This River has been made navigable the whole of its distance by the Fox River Improvement Co., and steamboats will run during the Summer of 1856 from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay. There is some good land still unoccupied in the Eastern and Southeastern part of the County. It is well watered, undulating but not hilly, and has but little swamp or other waste land. The timber is maple, beech, and birch, interspersed with pine, and some hemlock. Duck Creek, and Big Suamico flow through the County.

Green Bay, at the month of the Fox, is one of the oldest settlements in the State, and is the centre of a heavy lumber trade, which has met with a stimulus in the high price which lumber has commanded during the past year, owing to the opening of new avenues for supplying Illinois and Wisconsin. It is supposed that more than twice the timber will be cut during the Winter of 1855 and '6 than at any season heretofore. Green Bay will also be the port of shipment of a large back country. Steamers run from this port to Buffalo.

The Green Bay, Lake Shore and Chicago Rail Road has its northern terminus at this place.

General Genealogy and History Links

This section contains links to websites that have multiple databases or webpages with genealogical information.

Vital Records

Birth, Death, & Marriage Records:
Earliest Registration Dates*:
Births 1814
Deaths 1834
Marriages 1823

Brown County Register of Deeds
305 E Walnut St
P.O. Box 23600
Green Bay, WI 54301-5027
Telephone: (920) 448-4472

Cemetery and Obituary Links

Court Records - Naturalization and Probate

Census Links

Censuses contain valuable information about families. This section contains links to transcribed censuses, census indexes or census images for the county.

Residents of the County

This section contains links to family tree websites, biographies and information about individuals that lived in the county.

Area History

This section contains links of published histories and historical information about the county, its villages, cities or towns. Sometimes within these histories is information about founders, or other people that settled in the area. It may also include ethnic or religious histories of the communities.

Maps and Atlases

Military

Societies, Libraries and Offline Resources