Title:
Convict record ledgers
Description:
The Texas Department of Corrections and its predecessors recorded personal data and commitment information about convicts entering the Texas prison system in these twenty-nine ledgers covering the years 1849-1954. Tten indexes to the ledgers that show the first convict was assigned number 1 in 1849, which began the A series, with numbers going from 1 to 10,000. (Numbers are listed through 10, 012, but the last twelve numbers were re-issued as 1-12 in the next numbering system.) In 1882, a new numbering system began, the B series, starting again at number 1, continuing through the registers held. A separate ledger with its own numbering system records data on convicts sent to Rusk Penitentiary beginning in 1883 and continuing through 1898. This Rusk Penitentiary ledger also includes data on convicts in the prison system beginning in 1870. These pre-1883 entries are presumably for convicts in the prison system at Huntsville or an outside camp who were transferred to Rusk when that facility opened. Many of the convicts sent to Rusk were later transferred to Huntsville or an outside prison unit (farms, railroad camps, etc.). Those convicts serving time in Huntsville or an outside camp in addition to Rusk have an assigned number from the regular series of convict record ledgers, with a record appearing in those ledgers as well as the Rusk ledger.
Description:
The earlier ledgers, those dating from 1849 to 1891, contain the following categories of information: convict number, name (including aliases), age, height, weight, complexion, eyes, hair, marks on person, marital relations, use of tobacco, habits, education, occupation, nativity (birthplace), time of conviction, offense, terms of imprisonment, county, residence, money, when received, expiration, and remarks. Most of the terms used in some of the categories, such as occupation or offense (e.g., bakers or laborers as types of occupations), are listed in the Categories of information found in the convict record ledgers and statistical record ledgers section of this finding aid. Additionally, in 1863 the ledgers contain entries for prisoners of war kept at Huntsville. There are six prisoners noted, and entries list where they were captured, their nativity, the offense (given as Prisoner of War), the date received, and the year discharged. In 1864, there are about two dozen inmates listed as Military offenders. Their entries contain the same descriptive information as regular prisoners, the crime is Military offender, the term of imprisonment is during war. They were all discharged on February 8, 1865. Also, for the years 1874-1881, the ledgers contain entries for United States prisoners incarcerated in Huntsville. These prisoners were assigned regular prison convict numbers and listed in the numerical sequence with a note United States prisoner - see commitment papers and U.S. prisoners special records. Towards the back of the ledgers, the personal and commitment data is listed for them, in numerical order.
Description:
In late 1891, more categories were added to the convict record ledgers. The ledgers dating from late 1891 to 1954 contain the following categories of information: convict number, name (including aliases), age, height, weight, complexion, eyes, hair, marks on person, marital relations, use of tobacco, habits, education, able to read, able to write, number of years at school, date of birth, birthplace, birthplace of father, birthplace of mother, occupation, time of conviction, offense, terms of imprisonment, county, residence, plea, when received, expiration of sentence, exservice (military), and remarks.
Description:
Ledgers from the middle of the twentieth century (1950s-1960s) still at the Department of Criminal Justice contain the same categories of data as those from 1891 to 1954. Information in ledgers after the 1960s may have changed. The dates of the ledgers still in Huntsville are unknown. Researchers need to contact the Institutional Division of the Department of Criminal Justice for further information.
Description:
Entries in the ledgers are arranged numerically by convict number. Access to the convict numbers is through a set of alphabetical indexes that provide the convict name, county, and assigned convict number. The second and third indexes overlap in date coverage with the first index and with each other. When researching convicts prior to 1882, it is necessary check all three indexes for the name sought. The first index dates from 1849 to 1898 and includes convicts sent to Rusk Penitentiary, listing their Rusk convict number and their Huntsville convict number (if they served time in both facilities). The three indexes contain entries from 1849 to 1970.
Description:
Information in the convict record ledgers is selected data from the series Inmate records, kept in the Institutional Division of the Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville. A description of this series can be found in the appraisal report of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, on file in the Archives and Information Services Division. According to personnel in Huntsville, the convict record ledgers are the best source for finding descriptions of individual convicts and information regarding their commitment. Also, this data is not restricted, whereas access to the Inmate records in Huntsville is restricted due to confidential materials found within those files.
Description:
The convict record ledgers supplement and complement information found in the other series in this finding aid. Conduct registers, contain information on the prison units convicts were assigned to, punishments inflicted, and discharge or pardon information. Some of the information in the convict ledgers can also be found in Statistical record ledgers, which provides a statistical compilation of data (nativity, occupation, crime, term of imprisonment, race, education, etc.) on all the convicts received each month in the prison system. Miscellaneous convict ledgers, contains additional admittance and discharge information about individual convicts.
Description:
The inventory lists the prison numbers and years covered in the ledger. The first ledger is for Rusk with a numbering system different from the rest of the prison population. The next three ledgers have entries for the first numbering system used, from 1 to 10,000 (numbers are listed through 10,012, but the last twelve numbers were re-issued as 1-12 in the next numbering system); and the next numbering system, 1-131, 135 (last number in these ledgers).
Description:
These ledgers contain entries for United States prisoners incarcerated in Huntsville during 1874-1881. These prisoners were assigned regular prison convict numbers and listed in the numerical sequence with a note: United States prisoner - see commitment papers and U.S. prisoners special records. Towards the back of the ledgers the personal and commitment data is listed in numerical order.
Collection:
Texas Department of Corrections convict records
Creator:
Texas. Department of Corrections
Date range of creation:
1849 to 1954
Citation information:
(Identify the item), Convict record ledgers, Texas Department of Corrections convict records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Arrangement:
The ledgers are arranged as one Rusk ledger followed by Huntsville/main prison ledgers. Entries in the indexes are alphabetical by the first letter of the last name and the first vowel used, then in chronological order by date received. The inventory lists the years covered by the indexes. Entries in the convict record ledgers are arranged numerically by the prison number assigned, which is also chronological as the inmates were received.
Copyright information:
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
Size or duration:
21.94 cubic ft.
TARO URL:
https://txarchives.org/tslac/finding_aids/20120.xml