Source Information
Registers of Male Inmates Received, ca.1816-1892, 1900-1942, B0067,
Registers of indefinite and definite sentences, 1897-1932, B0066,
Register of foreign born inmates, 1908-1922, B1827,
Register of commutations, 1889-1912, B0031,
Registers of Female Inmates Received, 1893-1933, B0053,
Registers of Female Inmates Discharged 1893-1919, B0055,
Register of Commutations for Female Inmates, 1920-1930, B0060,
New York State Archives, Albany, NY, USA
About New York, Auburn Prison Records, 1816-1942
Constructed in 1817, Auburn Prison (currently known as Auburn Correctional Facility) was the second state prison in New York. The volumes in this collection include information on inmates who were received into the prison between the years 1816 and 1942. Several different types of records, including registers of male inmates received/discharged, registers of female inmates received/discharged, registers of sentences, registers of foreign-born inmates, registers of commutations of male and female inmates are included in this collection.
What You Can Find in the Records
Early registers recorded the inmate’s name, county tried in, crime, dates of conviction and admission, sentence, alias, and county received from. Personal details may include age, place of birth, marital and family status, residence, physical description, and identifying markings (e.g., scars, tattoos, etc.). Literacy, language spoken, religion, habits, and occupation were also noted.
Later years added even more information, with more detailed descriptions and incarceration history in 1908, and after 1914, forms were expanded to include details such as parents, nativity, immigration, military service, and more.
