BROWN COUNTY, WI HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

History of Brown County, Wisconsin, Past and Present Volume 1 by Deborah B. Martin, (1913) – 460 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2024.06.11.1932.CD.AR

History of Brown County, Wisconsin, Past and Present Volume 2 by Deborah B. Martin, (1913) – 541 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2024.06.11.1733.CD.AR

Commemorative Biographical Record of the West Shore of Green Bay, Wisconsin Including the Counties of Brown, Oconto, Marinette and Florence by J.H. Beers & Co, (1896) – 804 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.08.21.2047.AR

Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Brown, Kewaunee and Door, Wisconsin by J.H. Beers & Co, (1895) – 800 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.08.21.2050.AR

Brown County, Wisconsin: A Genealogical Overview

As one of Wisconsin’s two original counties, Brown County is the historical gateway to the state and the entire western Great Lakes region. Centered on the city of Green Bay, one of the oldest European settlements in America’s heartland, its history stretches from French fur traders in the 1600s to its role as a major port and industrial center. For genealogists, Brown County is a foundational location, serving as the parent county for nearly all of eastern Wisconsin and as the destination for vast waves of European immigrants, including the largest settlement of Belgians in the United States.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Brown County’s original territory was immense, and understanding its role as a “mother county” is essential for early Wisconsin research.

  • 1818: County Formed: Brown County was created on October 26, 1818, by the legislature of the Michigan Territory. At its creation, its territory encompassed the entire eastern half of modern-day Wisconsin.
  • Parent County: It was formed from the unorganized lands of the Michigan Territory. Along with Crawford County (which covered the western half), it is one of the state’s two original parent counties.
  • Subsequent Formations: Brown County is the parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent county for dozens of other Wisconsin counties. As settlement pushed inland from Green Bay, huge tracts of Brown County’s territory were periodically detached to form new counties. Researchers with ancestors anywhere in eastern Wisconsin during the territorial period (pre-1848) must often begin their search in the records of Brown County. Counties formed directly or indirectly from its original territory include Milwaukee, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Outagamie, Winnebago, Kewaunee, and Oconto, among many others.
  • Name Origin: The county was named for Major General Jacob Brown, a distinguished American officer and hero of the War of 1812.
  • County Seat History: The county seat has always been Green Bay. The settlement itself, known historically as La Baye, is the oldest in Wisconsin, dating back to a French trading post established in the 17th century.

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: The area has been home to numerous Native American peoples for centuries, most notably the Menominee, Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Sauk, and Potawatomi. The history of the Menominee Nation is particularly intertwined with that of Brown County.
  • French, British, and American Eras: French explorer Jean Nicolet first arrived in 1634. The French soon established a mission and the vital fur trading post of La Baye, which became a cornerstone of their North American empire. Control passed to the British in 1763 after the French and Indian War, and then to the United States after the American Revolution, with firm American control established by the construction of Fort Howard in 1816.
  • Immigration and Growth: The 19th century saw the county’s economy shift to lumber and shipping. This boom attracted massive immigration. While many nationalities came, Brown County is most famous for becoming the primary destination for Belgian immigrants in the 1850s, who established a unique cultural region in the southern part of the county that persists to this day. Large numbers of Germans, Dutch, Irish, Poles, and Scandinavians also made Brown County their home.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

Due to its age and importance, Brown County has a rich collection of genealogical records housed in several key repositories.

  • County Courthouse: The Brown County Courthouse, 100 S. Jefferson St., Green Bay, WI 54301, is a primary source for records.
    • Register of Deeds: This office holds land records from the earliest days of American settlement and is the repository for vital records (births, deaths, and marriages).
    • Clerk of Courts: This office holds circuit court records, including naturalizations, civil and criminal cases, divorces, and all probate records (wills and estate files) for the county.
  • Vital Records:
    • Statewide vital records registration began in Wisconsin in 1907. However, Brown County’s Register of Deeds holds registrations dating back to the mid-19th century.
    • For the earliest periods (pre-1850), Catholic Church records from the Diocese of Green Bay are often the only source of birth, marriage, and death information.
  • Libraries and Archives:
    • Brown County Library – Local History and Genealogy Department: This department in the Green Bay central library is an exceptional resource, with extensive collections of city directories, newspapers on microfilm, plat maps, photographs, and numerous published and unpublished genealogical works.
    • University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center: This is a critical destination for serious researchers. As part of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s network, it holds the official, non-current government records for Brown County and surrounding counties, including court cases, tax rolls, and naturalization papers.
    • Diocese of Green Bay Archives: Invaluable for tracing the area’s large Catholic population, holding parish records that often predate civil registration.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • Oconto County (north)
    • Kewaunee County (east)
    • Manitowoc County (southeast)
    • Calumet County (southwest)
    • Outagamie County (west)
    • Shawano County (northwest)

Please share any resources you have and will do lookups or links to resources you are aware of. Thanks