Guide to Civil War Resources at the Missouri State Archives
Department of Corrections
The Department of Corrections is dedicated to managing and supervising Missouri offenders who are on probation, in prison, or on parole. The Department administers court sentences that range from probation to capital punishment. Today, there are twenty-one correctional facilities and two community release centers in Missouri. The cornerstone of the correctional system in Missouri was the Missouri State Penitentiary, which opened in 1836 in Jefferson City, Missouri. It is the oldest penitentiary west of the Mississippi River. Originally, the facility only housed prisoners; today, it has a hospital, and industrial, academic, and vocational programs. The penitentiary was closed upon completion of a newly constructed facility in 2004.
A number of series make up the collection of correctional papers, including the Missouri State Penitentiary series. Inmates may also be referenced in other series, including Governors' Papers, Pardon Papers, Restorations of Citizenship, and Extraditions.
Record Group 213: Department of Corrections: Missouri State Penitentiary, Sentence & Judgment Papers, 1836-1875; arranged chronologically.
These records consist of court orders committing prisoners to the penitentiary.
Record Group 213: Department of Corrections: Missouri State Penitentiary, Register of Inmates Received, 1836-1931; arranged chronologically; index available.
The Register of Inmates Received is arranged chronologically and provides a wealth of physical information about inmates, including name, age, nativity, height, weight, foot length, color of hair and eyes, marks/scars, etc. Also included are notes regarding education, occupation, religion, etc. Prior criminal information is noted, as well.
Record Group 213: Department of Corrections: Missouri State Penitentiary, Register of Military Prisoners, 1864-1875; arranged chronologically; index available.
The Register of Military Prisoners includes information on a printed form. The following categories are addressed: name, age, nativity, height, length of foot, color of hair and eyes, complexion, trade (not filled in), remarks (usually regarding release), offense (entered only as "Military"), county (or place sentenced from), sentence, term of court, when received, expiration of sentence, marks and scars.
Record Group 213: Department of Corrections: Missouri State Penitentiary, Register of Inmates Received and Discharged, 1866-1875; arranged chronologically.
The register of inmates received includes inmate number, date received, offense, sentence, county, occupation, nativity, age, training (church), education, marital status, soldier or citizen, and remarks. The register of inmates discharged includes register number, name, date of release and by whom, offense, and sentence occupation.
Record Group 213: Department of Corrections: Missouri State Penitentiary, Dressing Register, 1870-1919; arranged chronologically.
This register contains the following information: inmate number, name, age, nativity, trade, height, length of foot, color of hair and eyes, complexion, whiskers worn, religion, habits of life, education, former imprisonment, offence, county, sentence, term of court, when received, name and address of parents, name and address of wife if applicable, marks and scars, weight.
Record Group 213: Department of Corrections: Missouri State Penitentiary, Punishment Register, 1871-1896; indexed; arranged chronologically.
This register indicates name of prisoner, race, date, offense, and punishment.
Record Group 213: Department of Corrections: Missouri State Penitentiary, Time Register, 1874-1967; arranged chronologically and by length of sentence.
This register is arranged by length of sentence (i.e., two years, three years, eight years, etc.). It includes the following information: name, color, age, county, offence, sentence, term of court, beginning and expiration dates of sentence, applicability of ¾ rule (serving 75% of sentence under special circumstances), inmate number, and remarks.
Record Group 213: Department of Corrections: Missouri State Penitentiary, Individual Index, 1875-1885 and 1882-1892; arranged chronologically .
This record includes the date inmate was received, name, crime, county, sentence (in years), register number, cell assignment, place of work, and remarks (date of discharge, etc.). The indexes are segregated with white males indexed from 1882-1892 and black males indexed from 1875-1885.