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Indiana County
Clay County, Indiana
Brazil's coal and ceramic tile heritage - from Clay County's extraordinary clay tile manufacturing history (the abundant clay deposits of Clay County - the same geological conditions that produced bituminous coal - supported one of the most significant ceramic tile manufacturing industries in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, giving Clay County cities their names and their identities as producers of the architectural tile that decorated Victorian-era buildings across America) to Clay County's Western Coal Field mining heritage and Forest Park's recreation.
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Office: Clay County Emergency Management – confirm current contact via in.gov/counties/clay.
Sheriff: Clay County Sheriff’s Office – 611 E. Jackson Street, Brazil, IN 47834 | (812) 446-2535; Sheriff Brison Swearingen (term 2023-2026).
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-40 (the historic National Road) and SR-59 serve Brazil, the county seat, about 60 miles west of Indianapolis.
Notes: Clay County was created February 12, 1825, from parts of Owen, Putnam, Sullivan, and Vigo counties, named for statesman Henry Clay. A 1851 courthouse fire destroyed most county records predating that year. Brazil, Harmony, and Knightsville grew rapidly in the 1860s along the National Road, driven substantially by the area’s coal mining industry.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Clay County Courthouse – 609 E. National Avenue, Brazil, IN (built 1914, Classical Revival, architect John W. Gaddis, three-story limestone building with a multi-tiered parapet, clock faces, a two-story dome, and an interior rotunda with a stained-glass octahedral dome; National Register of Historic Places since 1999; brothers Robert and John Stewart donated the courthouse site along the National Road in 1871).
Notes: Clay County’s economy was historically shaped by coal – block coalfields drew rail lines (the Peavine branch of the C.&E.I. Railroad in 1857, the Indiana Block Coal railroad in 1885-86) that connected Brazil directly to Chicago and the industrial Midwest, along with the Central Iron and Steel Company plant in 1882.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Clay County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via in.gov/counties/clay.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Clay County Public Library (Brazil) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Cataract Falls State Recreation Area (on the Clay/Owen county border on the Eel River) – Indiana’s largest-volume waterfall, with an 18-foot upper falls and 30-foot lower falls, particularly dramatic in spring – is the county’s premier natural attraction alongside the Clay County Courthouse’s architectural details.
Notes: Cataract Falls’ status as Indiana’s largest-volume waterfall is among the standout local natural facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Clay County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via in.gov/counties/clay.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
⚠️ No confirmed dedicated Clay County animal shelter was found in current sourcing. Residents should contact the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, (812) 446-2535, for current animal control arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Clay County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via in.gov/counties/clay.
NOTES: Clay County is the eleventh county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. Cataract Falls’ status as Indiana’s largest-volume waterfall is among the standout local natural facts covered in this project. ⚠️ Animal services could not be confirmed and are flagged for follow-up rather than smoothed over. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Clay County
Clay County is west-central Indiana’s clay tile and coal heritage county – the county’s name reflects the clay deposits that produced both architectural tile and bituminous coal, defining the industrial character of a west-central Indiana community.
Brazil (the county seat, population ~7,900) is the hub for Clay County’s former mining and manufacturing communities navigating post-industrial transition.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Clay County Assessor at 609 E. National Avenue, Suite 104, Brazil, IN 47834, phone 812-448-9013. IN residential deductions reduce assessed value.
Courts & Legal
Clay County Circuit Court at 609 E. National Avenue, Brazil, IN 47834, phone 812-448-9024, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT (Court Records, Marriage Licenses)
609 E. National Ave., Brazil, IN 47834
(812) 448-9024
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
609 E. National Ave., Brazil, IN 47834
(812) 448-9024
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Clay County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The county’s coal-mining heritage is a significant local historical resource.
Local societies
No dedicated Clay County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Clay County Circuit Court 609 East National Avenue, Brazil, IN 47834 (812) 448-9036 Clay County is in west-central Indiana, historically a coal-mining region.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Indiana has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – probate is governed by Indiana Code Title 29. Indiana offers several tracks depending on estate size and complexity:
Small Estate Affidavit – for estates where the gross probate estate (less liens, encumbrances, and funeral expenses) is $100,000 or less. Available 45 days after death. The affidavit must be signed and recorded with the county recorder’s office before a personal representative is appointed. No court filing is required.
Devolution of Real Estate Affidavit – a separate affidavit specifically for transferring real property, available 7 months after death, with no value limit on the real estate, recorded with the county recorder.
Unsupervised Administration – a simplified probate track available when the estate is solvent and all inheritors agree; fewer court appearances and filings than supervised administration.
Supervised Administration – full court oversight, used for contested, complex, or insolvent estates.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a Petition for Probate of Will and for Issuance of Letters (if there’s a will) or a Petition for Appointment of Personal Representative (if intestate) with the Clay County Circuit Court.
The court reviews the will for compliance with Indiana Code § 29-1-5-3 (in writing, signed by the testator, witnessed by at least 2 credible witnesses).
The court issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (intestate) appointing the personal representative.
Publish notice to creditors; creditors generally have a limited window (commonly 3 months from first publication) to file claims.
The personal representative marshals assets, pays valid debts and expenses, and distributes the estate.
File a closing statement or final accounting to formally close the estate.
What it costs
Indiana does not have a state estate or inheritance tax.
Filing fees vary by county – confirm current amounts with the Clay County Circuit Court.
Indiana has no statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives – fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval.
Typical timelines: Small Estate Affidavit – a minimum 45-day wait; Unsupervised Administration – roughly 6-9 months if uncontested; Supervised Administration – 9-12+ months.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
1 E. National Ave., Brazil, IN 47834
(812) 448-1614
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
609 E. National Ave., Brazil, IN 47834
(812) 448-9024
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Clay County Health Dept
(812) 448-1255
IN FSSA — West Central Region
(800) 403-0864
IN Medicaid
(800) 403-0864
Clay County Hospital
claycountyhospital.org (Brazil)
Union Hospital (Terre Haute)
myunionhospital.org
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Clay County Health Department – 18 N. Walnut Street, Brazil, IN 47834 | (812) 448-9021 | Fax (812) 448-9018.
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