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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.
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Clay County was formed from parts of Vigo and Owen Counties; organization
was made effective April 1, 1825.
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Brazil has not always been the County Seat.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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According to the Society of Indiana Pioneers, an individual was a pioneer
of our county if they resided here on or before December 31, 1830.
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Indiana automobile License Plates issued in Clay County start with the prefix
11 because it is the eleventh county in alphabetical listing.
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