Clay County History and Information

Clay County was created on April 1, 1825 and was formed from Owen, Putnam, Vigo and Sullivan Counties. The County was named for Kentucky Congressman and U.S. Speaker of the House Henry Clay.

The County Seat is Brazil. Brazil has not always been the County Seat. Bowling Green, which was laid out in 1825, was selected as the first County Seat and held that distinction for fifty years until November 30, 1851, when the Courthouse and all the records were burned and a fight was begun to select a new location for the County Seat, Bellaire being the chief contender. On February 23, 1853, the advocates of relocation got an act through the Legislature providing commissioners to select and locate a new seat of justice, and for the second time Bowling Green was selected. In 1872, the County Seat was ordered removed to Brazil, as a result of a petition on the part of those favoring that place, and the formal transfer was made January 26, 1877.

Five buildings have served as Courthouse: first at Bowling Green, 20 x 30 hewn log, 1827; second at Bowling Green, 40 x 50 brick, 1839, burned 1851; third at Bowling Green, completed 1853; fourth, records were moved to a brick building in Brazil, 1877; present building in Brazil, built 1912-14, the Corner Stone being laid by the Grand Lodge F & A M of the State of Indiana. In 1849 Bowling Green contained a brick Courthouse, a County Seminary, two hotels, four stores, 100 houses and 300 inhabitants while Brazil was just a small village fortuitously located on the National Road. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Clay County are Parke County (north), Putnam County (northeast), Owen County (southeast), Greene County (south), Sullivan County (southwest), Vigo County (west).

Clay County is divided into 11 Civil Townships as follows: Brazil, Cass, Dick Johnson, Harrison, Jackson, Lewis, Perry, Posey, Sugar Ridge, Van Buren and Washington.

Cities, Towns and Communities include Asherville, Bee Ridge, Billtown, Bowling Green, Brazil, Carbon, Cardonia, Centerpoint, Clay City, Clovrland, Coalmont, Cory, Eel River, Harmony, Hickory Island, Hoffman Crossing, Lancaster, Martz, Old Hill, Perth, Poland, Pontiac, Purdy Hill, Saline City, Six Points, Staunton and Turner.

• The Clay County Official Government Website
• Clay County Township Map
• Indiana Newspaper Holdings for Clay County: The county newspaper holdings are under regular revision, as new microfilm holdings are added. These files are not up to date; there are continuous updates and corrections.
• Official County Historians
• Clay County, Indiana History Books at Amazon.com
• Search Historical Newspapers from Indiana (1817 - 1930) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
• Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
• Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.

County Courthouse

See Also Indiana Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

NOTE: The date listed for each category of record is the earliest record known to exist in that county. It does not indicate that there are numerous records for that year and certainly does not indicate that all such events that year were actually registered. Courthouse destroyed by Fire in Nov. 1851, All records lost except Recorder's records. See also the Clay County Courthouse History

Clay County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1851 , Probate Records from 1873 and Court Records from ? and is located at 609 East National Avenue, Brazil, IN 47834; (812)448-9024, mbrown@claynet.com

The Clerk of the Circuit Court is a ministerial officer who is the custodian of the Clerk's record and seal, issues process, accepts filings of commencement of actions in litigation, enters judgments and orders of the court, receives money in his official capacity, makes certified copies of record, issues many miscellaneous licenses, and keeps a record of all wills and matters of trust in probate proceedings.

Clay County Recorder has Land Records from 1825 and is located at 609 East National Avenue, Brazil, IN 47834; (812)448-9005, (812)446-5095 Fax, jdierdorf@ticz.com.

The county recorder's function is to maintain permanent public records involving a wide variety of instruments. These documents detail transactions involving real estate, mining, personal property, mortgages, liens, leases, subdivision plats, military discharges, personal bonds, etc. Generally, all of these instruments are recorded either for giving legal public notice of their existence or for safekeeping and future reference. The recorder maintains and preserves all legal documents affecting title to real property.

Clay County Health Department has Birth / Death Records from 1882 and is located at Courthouse, 609 E National Ave, Brazil, IN 47834; (812) 448-9021

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
• Indianapolis Newspaper Index, 1848-1991: Select articles from 1848-1888 Indianapolis daily newspapers; heavily focused on deaths and marriages. Select articles from 1898-1991 about people, places, events, and topics in Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. Extremely limited for deaths; no coverage of marriages.  Card file also available in the Microforms Area, second floor.
• Reference & Government Services CD Collection: Database to allow searching of the hundreds of CDs from the federal government and other sources, part of the collections of the Reference & Government Services Division.
• Clay County, Indiana Court Books at Amazon.com
• Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
• Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.

County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Indiana

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Indiana State Department of Health Vital Records office is located at 6 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204. The office is open for walk-in requests from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., E.S.T., Monday through Friday (excluding official State Holidays). They have the following records:

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• Birth Certificates: The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains birth records that occur in Indiana since Oct 1907 to the present. Prior to October 1907, records of birth are filed only with the local health department in the county where the birth actually occurred.
  • Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $10.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Make your check or money order payable to "Indiana State Department of Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE.
• Death Certificates: The Division of Vital Records and Statistics maintains death records that occur in Indiana since 1900 to the present. Prior to 1900, records of death are filed only with the local health department in the county where the death actually occurred. For deaths occurring from 1900 to 1917, the city and/or county of death is required in order to locate the record.
  • Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $8.00 and $4.00 for each additional copy. Make your check or money order payable to "Indiana State Department of Health". Enclose a business-size self-addressed envelope. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep check amount for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
  • Processing Time: 5 weeks when ordered by MAIL. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE.
• Marriage Certificates: Certified copies of marriage certificates are not available from the State Health Department. They are available from the Clerks of the Circuit Court in the county where the marriage was granted. Fees vary.
• Divorce Certificates: Certified copies of divorce certificates are not available from the State Health Department. They are available from the County Clerk in the county where the divorce was granted. Fees vary.
• Ordering Vital Records Online- You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

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Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

• VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
• Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
• Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Indiana newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
• Indiana Marriages Database: Database for Indiana marriages through 1850
• Indiana Marriages Database: Database for Indiana marriages 1993 through 2002
• Indiana Births, 1880-1920: This database indexes births for thirty-one of the counties indexed by the WPA.
• Indiana Deaths, 1882-1920: This data set contains the WPA's indexes to the death records of most of the counties that they completed.
• Indiana Marriage Collection, 1800-1941: This database is a collection of Indiana marriage indexes covering various years and counties.
• Indiana Marriages to 1850: This database of Indiana marriages to 1850 contains nearly 200,000 names.
• Indiana Marriages, 1802-1892: This database is an index to individuals who were married in Indiana between 1802 and 1892.
• Clay County, Indiana Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
• Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Indiana

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Clay County, Indiana are 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Clay County, Indiana are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Indiana Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 (Northwest Territory) Federal Census Index; 1807 State Census Index; 1810 Wayne County Census Index; 1812 Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule.
• Clay County, Indiana Census Books at Amazon.com
• Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.

County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Indiana showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Indiana showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at County Maps

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Maps. Email us with websites containing Clay County Maps by clicking the link below:

• The USGenWeb Archives Digital Map Library
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Indiana Maps
• Clay County, Indiana Map Books at Amazon.com
• Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Indiana

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Indiana Society of Daughters of the American Revolution
• National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
• Indiana Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
• National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Indiana (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Indiana (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Indiana World War II Servicemen: Database to locate information about Indiana men and women who served in World War II who were mentioned in one of the Indianapolis daily newspapers during the war.
• Clay County, Indiana Military Books at Amazon.com
• Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.

County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Records of county taxes were kept as early at 1842, although most were discarded. Remaining ones would be at the county courthouse. National Archives-Great Lakes Region has records of the Internal Revenue Service for Indiana for 1867 to 1873. These are tax assessment records, arranged by district and then chronologically.

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Clay County, Indiana Tax Books at Amazon.com

County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Indiana Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Clay County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Clay County Genealogical Society, 309 Main Street, P.O. Box 56, Center Point, IN 47840-0056; (812) 835-5005
• Indiana Libraries: Database to allow searching for Indiana's public libraries.
• National Archives - Great Lakes Region (Chicago), 7358 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, Illinois 60629-5898; 773-948-9001; E-mail: chicago.archives@nara.gov (Maintains retired records from Federal agencies and courts in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.) General Information Leaflet
• Indiana State Archives, 6440 E. 30th St., Indianapolis, IN 46219; (317) 591-5222, [EMAIL]
• Indiana State Library, Attn: (Division or Staff Name), 140 North Senate Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46204-2296; Loan Desk and General Inquiries: 317-232-3675, ind@statelib.lib.in.us; Genealogy Division: 317-232-3689, genealogy@statelib.lib.in.us
• Indiana Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 10507, Fort Wayne IN 46852
• Indiana Historical Society, 450 W. Ohio St, Indianapolis,IN 46202; 1-800-447-1830 or 317-232-1882
• Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
• Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
• Indiana Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Indiana

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Clay County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Clay County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Baptist records are found at Franklin College (in Franklin); Methodist at DePauw University (in Greencastle); Mennonite at Goshen College (in Goshen); Presbyterian at Hanover College (in Hanover); Disciples of Christ at their historical society in Nashville, Tennessee; and French Catholic at Vincennes University in the Byron R. Lewis Collection. There are also Catholic church histories and records at the Catholic Archives, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. Quaker records are at Earlham College (at Richmond).

The commissioner's office of each Indiana county may have burial records for soldiers, sailors, and marines. If available, the records should include name, age, date of enlistment, discharge date, and death date. Records begin about 1862.

The Indiana State Library holds records of inscriptions from some Indiana cemeteries. The "Indiana Cemetery Locator File," compiled by the Genealogy Division, is an alphabetical listing of cemeteries, indicating the location in the state and the designation in the Genealogy Division of the Indiana State Library where inscriptions may be found.

Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Clay County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Indiana obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Indiana newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Indiana.
• Indiana Pioneer Cemeteries Restoration Project
• Clay County, Indiana Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Clay County, Indiana Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Clay County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Clay County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search for Local Indiana Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Indiana Researcher!
• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data : For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Clay County ] [ Indiana ] [ Main Page ]
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• The Indiana Family Group Sheet Project
• Clay County INGenWeb Archives
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
• Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
• Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
• Clay County, Indiana Family Books at Amazon.com

Extended History

 

1849 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Gazetteer," published by E. Chamberlain

Clay County, named after the great patriot and statesman, was organized in 1825. It lies south of Parke, west of Putnam and Owen, north of Greene and east of Sullivan and Vigo counties. It is thirty miles in length from north to south, in the middle sixteen miles, and at each end only ten miles wide, containing 360 square miles. The county is divided into nine townships, to-wit: Lewis, Harrison, Perry, Washington, Posey, Jackson, Cass, Van Buren and Dick Johnson.

The population in 1830 was 1,616, in 1840, 5,567, at present [1849] it amounts to about 7,000, and it is now rapidly increasing by German immigration. Eel River and its branches are the only streams of consequence in the county. The face of the country is generally level, the most of it has a good soil, and the usual kinds of timber common in the west predominate in all but the southwestern part of the county, where there are many clay prairies, some dry and others wet.

There are in the county seven stores, four lawyers, twelve physicians, twelve preachers, four grist and sawmills, and the usual proportion of the different mechanical trades. The surplus articles for exportation are wheat, hogs, cattle and horses. There is a good Court House and County Seminary at Bowling Green, and the county is divided into school districts, in each of which a school is kept a portion of the year. There are numerous beds of coal, of a good quality and easy of access, in the county, and also much iron ore. The completion of the Cross Cut Canal in the south part of the county, and of the Terre Haute and Indianapolis Railroad in the north, both which are now in progress, will add much to the general wealth and prosperity.

1938 Adams County Retrospect - Based on "Indiana Review," published by the State Legislature

Clay County has eleven townships with a total area of 361 square miles, located in the western part of the state, west and south of Indianapolis. The incorporated city is Brazil, 8,744; towns: Clay City, 859; Knightsville, 704; Staunton, 482; Carbon, 476, and Center Point, 372. Total county population, 1890, 30,536; 1900, 34,385; 1910, 32,535; 1920, 29,293; 1930, 26,479.

Brazil is located sixteen miles east of Terre Haute and is served by three railroads. The chief manufactures are: engines, mining fans, mining machinery, bricks, turrets, furniture, pipes, and pianos. Tile and clay products also form an important part of industrial activities.

Among the memorials is a museum in the Courthouse, and on the grounds two Spanish-American War cannons, presented by the United States Department of War and dedicated to the soldiers of the war. Of historical interest in Forest Park, in which is a log cabin built in 1856, moved to its present location by the Clay County Historical Society and dedicated to all pioneer citizens of the county.

In the town of Harmony is the McKinley Inn, built in 1834 and restored and marked by a grandson of McKinley in 1928. It is said that President Van Buren stopped here. Four miles north of Clay City on the Mrs. Jacob Luther farm is "Discovery Tree," which marks the site where Daniel Harris' grave is five miles north of Clay City in the cemetery bearing his name.

According to figures of the 1935 federal census, Clay County had twenty-three manufacturing establishments employing 408 wage earners on pay rolls of $326,191. Value of the products was $1,402,390.

There were 2,510 farms averaging 80.5 acres each, and valued at $8,263,193; 41,817 head of livestock was reported.

Total county tax valuation for 1936 was $17,811,815.

Courthouse History

Architects of early 20th century courthouses embraced the elegance and authority displayed in the NeoClassical style. From heavy pediments to monumental columns, the hallmarks of the NeoClassical style command respect befitting the ancient Greek temples that inspired them. Such is the case with the Clay County Courthouse designed by John W. Gaddis and constructed 1912-1914.

The Vincennes, Indiana architect designed the building with a symmetry that balances one bay on each side of a large central bay. The central bay is crowned with a broken pediment supported by both Corinthian columns and pilasters. Gaddis also intended for each pediment to include a clock, surrounded by a carved relief. However, budget cuts eliminated the clocks from the original construction. They were finally installed in the 1990s thanks to funding assistance from the Clay County Civic Memorial Foundation.

While the Clay County Courthouse is located within a Shelbyville Square plan, there’s a good reason why the building is not located in the center of the block. After moving the county seat from Bowling Green to Brazil commissioners constructed a new courthouse in 1877. They left the earlier courthouse in place during the construction of the current one. Local history has it that the buildings were so close to each other that employees passed many of the county records through the window of the old building to the new building.1

In 1986 an Indianapolis-based decorative painting firm restored the stencils surrounding the interior of the courthouse dome. At the same time a stained glass specialist repaired the dome’s glass thanks to the effort (and financial support) of a group of Clay County elected officials and employees. While the glass was being repaired a mural was discovered and restored to its original appearance. A plaque commemorating this restoration can be found on the first floor near the rotunda. Also in the 1980s, the Circuit courtroom underwent a significant restoration. A dropped ceiling was removed to reveal a beautiful vaulted ceiling and a small stained glass dome surrounded by intricate molding. Subsequent renovations in 1998-99 repaired the wood sash windows and upgraded the HVAC system.

Visitors to the Clay County Courthouse will note an unusual building on the northwest side of the square. The small octagonal building, clad in locally manufactured glazed tile, is a World War II memorial dedicated by Clay County American Legion Post 2.

• Map of Indiana Historical Markers