Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
- We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
- On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.
By learning about Browns Crossing (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.
As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Browns Crossing. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.
Name Variations for Browns Crossing ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
- A typical abbreviation for Browns Crossing: Browns Xing.
- While the name of this community is Browns Crossing, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Browns Crossing may originally have been Brown's Crossing.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Browns Crossing might be written as Brown Crossing.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Browns Crossing. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Browns Crossing.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
Neighboring Counties ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived: their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Browns Crossing is located in Morgan County.
To see how the shape of Indiana's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Morgan County: Brown, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, Monroe, Owen & Putnam.
Below are the counties that are near Browns Crossing. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Browns Crossing:
- Morgan County (The home county of Browns Crossing)
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Paragon
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Martinsville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Taggart Crossing ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Taggart Crossing is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taggart Crossing
- Wilbur
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wilbur is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbur
- Mahalasville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mahalasville is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahalasville
- Lewisville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lewisville is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
- Plano
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Plano is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plano
- Hall
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Hall is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hall
- Eminence
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Eminence is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eminence
- Lake Hart
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Lake Hart is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Hart
- Bethany
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bethany is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethany
- Population from the 2020 Census: 88 people
- Brooklyn
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Minetree ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Minetree is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minetree
- Minetree has also been known as:
- Billtown
- Meintree
- Menietree
- Bartholomew County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Stony Lonesome
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Stony Lonesome is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Lonesome
- Pleasant View Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Pleasant View Village is located in Bartholomew County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant View Village
- Taylorsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Brown County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Helmsburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Helmsburg is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helmsburg
- Beanblossom
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Beanblossom is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beanblossom
- Beanblossom has also been known as:
- Bean Blossom
- Spearsville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Spearsville is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spearsville
- Nashville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Gnaw Bone
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Liberty
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Liberty is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Liberty
- Story
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Story is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Story
- Pikes Peak
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pikes Peak is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pikes Peak
- Becks Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Becks Grove is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becks Grove
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Poland
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Bowling Green
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Bowling Green is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowling Green
- Roadman Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Roadman Corner is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roadman Corner
- Center Point
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Hendricksville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hendricksville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendricksville
- Newark
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Newark is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newark
- Solsberry
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Calvertville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Calvertville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvertville
- Tulip
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Tulip is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tulip
- Hendricks County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Hazelwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hazelwood is located in Hendricks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
- Stilesville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Clayton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Amo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Cartersburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Plainfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Coatesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Reno
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Reno is located in Hendricks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
- Hadley
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Hadley is located in Hendricks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hadley
- Danville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Avon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Avon is located in Hendricks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 19,361 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avon <2>
- New Winchester
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- New Winchester is located in Hendricks County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Winchester
- Brownsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Banta
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Banta is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banta
- Anita ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Anita is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anita
- Samaria
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Samaria is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samaria
- Providence
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Providence is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Providence
- Trafalgar
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Bluff Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Bluff Creek is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Creek
- Peoga
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Peoga is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoga
- Bargersville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Princes Lakes
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Princes Lakes is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Princes Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,342 people
- Smith Valley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Smith Valley is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Valley
- Stones Crossing
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Stones Crossing is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stones Crossing
- Nineveh
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Franklin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Guthrie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Guthrie is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guthrie
- Judah
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Judah is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judah
- Popcorn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Popcorn is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Popcorn
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Camby
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- West Newton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- West Newton is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Newton
- Homecroft
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Homecroft is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homecroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 764 people
- Southport
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Clermont
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Speedway
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Indianapolis
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Monroe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Stinesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Stinesville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Dolan
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Dolan is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dolan
- Unionville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Ellettsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Highland Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Highland Village is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Village
- Clear Creek
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Clear Creek is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Creek
- Smithville
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Stanford
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Stanford is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanford
- Kirksville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Kirksville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirksville
- Harrodsburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Harrodsburg is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrodsburg
- Owen County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Gosport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Quincy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Quincy is located in Owen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy
- Cuba
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Cuba is located in Owen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba
- Spencer
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Atkinsonville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Atkinsonville is located in Owen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinsonville
- Freedom
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Freedom is located in Owen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freedom
- Patricksburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Patricksburg is located in Owen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patricksburg
- Arney
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Arney is located in Owen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arney
- Denmark
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Denmark is located in Owen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Belle Union
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Belle Union is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Union
- Cloverdale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fillmore
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fillmore is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 531 people
- Putnamville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Putnamville is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnamville
- Greencastle
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Limedale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Limedale is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limedale
- Reelsville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Reelsville is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reelsville
- Groveland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Groveland is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groveland
- Bainbridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bainbridge is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bainbridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 743 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Browns Crossing, see our County-by-County Page for Browns Crossing.
Cemeteries Near Browns Crossing ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Browns Crossing.
This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.
Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Browns Crossing - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Browns Crossing covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Mt. Gilead Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Stout Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Hynds Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Schultz Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Maxwell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Friendship Park Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Liberty Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Sodom Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Foster Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Goss Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hill Dale Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (406 more) ...
- Nutter Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ratts Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Stierwalt Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
Nearby Communities in 1895 ...
We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<4>
While we didn't find Browns Crossing in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Browns Crossing.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Browns Crossing, with the one closest to Browns Crossing listed first.
- Hyndsdale
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Hyndsdale is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hyndsdale
- Paragon
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Martinsville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Whitaker
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Whitaker is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitaker
- Wakeland
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Wakeland is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakeland
- Herbamount
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Herbamount is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herbamount
- Wilbur
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wilbur is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbur
- Mahalasville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mahalasville is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahalasville
- Plano
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Plano is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plano
- Alaska
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Alaska is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alaska
- Gosport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fleener
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Fleener is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleener
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Stinesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Stinesville is located in Monroe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stinesville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 217 people
- Cope
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cope is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cope
- Eminence
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Eminence is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eminence
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Browns Crossing. See our List of 1890's Communities around Browns Crossing.
Newspapers Published in Browns Crossing ...
An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).
To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.
Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 102 newspapers that have been published in the area around Browns Crossing.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Browns Crossing, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Browns Crossing.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Browns Crossing:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Morgan County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bartholomew County
- Brown County
- Clay County
- Greene County
- Hendricks County
- Johnson County
- Lawrence County
- Marion County
- Monroe County
- Owen County
- Putnam County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Indiana
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com. |
| <4> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Browns Crossing, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Browns Crossing) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |