New Hampshire, U.S., Prison Records, 1812-1968

Source Information

The original document may be seen at the New Hampshire Department of State.
Ancestry.com. New Hampshire, U.S., Prison Records, 1812-1968 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2021.
Original data: New Hampshire Department of State. New Hampshire, Prison Records, 1812-1968. Concord, New Hampshire. Register of Convicts, 1812-1912; Population Statistics 1905-1968; Description Register 1812-1915; Commutation Account 1887-1909. The original documents may be seen at the New Hampshire Department of State.

About New Hampshire, U.S., Prison Records, 1812-1968

General Collection Information

This collection contains certificates for individuals who were imprisoned between 1812 and 1968 in New Hampshire. All records are in English.

The registry information may include the following:

  • Person's name
  • Person's alias(es), if any
  • Age
  • Birthplace
  • Date of crime
  • Conviction date
  • Committed date
  • Date of death
  • Name of father

    • Most records are handwritten, but newer records may be in typed ledgers.

    Using this Collection

    When using the "Browse this collection" function, you may come across blank pages in the registry. Clicking on the arrow to the right of the image will bring up the index images in alphabetical order. The original documents may be seen at the New Hampshire Department of State.

    Keep in mind that prisoners are sometimes housed out of state. This is especially true for female prisoners, as they were commonly sent to the Women's Reformatory in Rutland, Vermont after 1941. If you can't find a record, try searching a different category in Ancestry's U.S. Court, Government, & Criminal Records collection: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/catalog/?category=141_36&location=1652393

    History of the Collection

    In 1812, the New Hampshire State prison opened in Concord, New Hampshire. During its first year, the building housed a single prisoner. The deteriorating prison building was replaced in 1878. This building has undergone several renovations but is still in use today and has been renamed the New Hampshire State Prison for Men. In 1880, the state began housing female prisoners in the new building's southern wing. Female prisoners were transferred out of state in 1941. Original prison admission records are housed at the New Hampshire Department of State.

    Bibliography

    New Hampshire Department of Corrections. "Chronological History." Last modified 2020. https://www.nh.gov/nhdoc/chronological.html