The State Prison was originally located on Gaspee Street, north of the Cove Basin. This structure was completed in 1838 and the Providence County Jail was added a year later. The warden of the state prison also served as the jailer. By 1874 a report was issued by the State Prison Commission recommending the building and relocation of a new state prison to the area known as the "State Farm" located in Cranston, about seven miles from the city of Providence. By 1883 this area housed the following institutions: the State Workhouse and House of Correction, the State Asylum for the Incurable Insane, the State Almshouse, the State Prison (1878), the Providence County Jail, the Oaklawn School for Girls (1884) and the Sockanosset School for Boys (1884) The management of the State Institutions in Cranston was vested in the Board of State Charities and Corrections.
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Rhode Island State Prison and Providence County Jail records, 1995-291, Rhode Island State Archives.
This collection consists of approximately 31 cubic feet of records, spans the years 1807 to 1972 and includes records from the Providence County Jail as well as the State Prison. Most of the items are bound volumes which include commitments, discharges, punishment or discipline books, inmate logs, and correspondence. Other items include visitors' passes, sports statistics log, and guards' daily log. Many of these items include such information as nativity, crime, sentence, time served,, cell #, religion, family members and occupation.
In addition, financial records include actual invoices submitted from various businesses serving the prison, monthly bill ledgers, debtor cash books, and cash account books. One interesting item is a debtor ledger (1839-1848) or "Creditors for Debtors Board" which lists the names of those who incurred the debt on behalf of the prisoner. This item includes such information as length of stay, attorneys' names, and total cash owed and received.
Administrative records include the warden's monthly reports (1848-1872 with gaps), prisoner industry production ledgers (1913-1914, 1914-1916), requisitions, and sales book, monthly stock books, prisoner expense ledgers, a store ledger (noted as "variety store") and day books.
Physician Records include medical books which indicate ailments and treatments of prisoners, clinical charts, an assessment book, and hospital inspection logs.
The collection is arranged into the following series:
Transferred from Rhode Island State Prison in 1995.
Processed in 1995 by Tracey Croce
Account Bk, Joseph Clarke - General Treasurer (1761-92), C# 1226
"Art Work of Providence"
Annual Reports of the Board of Charities and Corrections, 1869-1915
Charities and Corrections - Papers 1903-1961,C#00524
Committee on Prison Industries
Deeds - Records of the General Treasurer, Bond relative to building Gaol in Prov., C# 1307
Index to Reports, C#00261, Investigation ... of the Providence Reform School - 1869
Members of Charities and Corrections (Album) 1880-9, C# 00345
Petitions to Governor - Prisoner's Pardons ,1830-1869, C# 1184
Photographs of Properties near the State Farm
Prison Records - 1789-1980
Providence Gaol Plans - 1819, C# 1296
Punishments for Murder - 1905
Report ...on the Subject of Capital Punishment,1852
Report …to Investigate the Management of the State Institutions, 1888
Report of Prisoners in the Providence County Jail, 1875 , C# 00078
State Inspection Reports - 1872-1874,C# 1320
State Jail at Newport 1825-1833
State Jail at Newport, 1825-1833, C# 00451
State Prison Reports - 1837-1870 (various), C# 00490
State Prison Reports - 1871-1874, C# 00490
Petition to General Assembly to Extension of Gaol Bounds in the City of Providence - 1819
State Of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations: A History Volume III, Chapter V, :The Poor, The Defective and the Criminal" pp 389-490 (1902)
Fifth Annual Report of the R.I. State Prison, Commission (1874-1879) - includes maps and plans at the State Library
MAP DATABASE:M-8, 1883
MAP DATABASE:M-7.2, undated
MAP DATABASE:M-60, 1927
MAP DATABASE:M171, undated
Arranged by date and may include index of names in front. All are Providence except where noted.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes statistics for 1848-1854.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes fines/no discharges/no jail term.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes discharge list for 1911.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes letters.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Includes index.
Lists name, nativity, crime, sentence, when and how discharged. female names in red ink. Notation on title page "Capital punishment abolished February 11, 1852". Includes a list of prisoners buried in prison cemetery and foldered items. (list of pardons - 1912)
lists names, sentence, cell#, date discharged, clothing description
Minor offenses
Notation on back page: "For first time in history of the prison there were no patients in the Hospital May 27, 1909."
Jailed Prisoners at Suit of State
County-Jail Wing
Annex Report Book
County Jail
AJ Davis
Day Officer
County Jail
Mr. Davis
County-Jail Wing
Day Officers
Henry S. Spaulding's Report Book
Night Watch Report Book
Report Book Annex #2
Jail Wing Report Book
Mr. Gardner's Report Book
Mr. Hilt's Report Book
Mr. Kinsley's Report Book
Shop Entry Report Book
Daily reports by month of types of offenses and punishments. May include index.
Daily reports by month of types of offenses and punishments. May include index.
Daily reports by month of types of offenses and punishments. May include index.
Daily reports by month of types of offenses and punishments. May include index.
Daily reports by month of types of offenses and punishments. May include index.
Daily reports by month of types of offenses and punishments. May include index.
Daily reports by month of types of offenses and punishments. May include index.
Daily reports by month of types of offenses and punishments. May include index.
Arranged by state and county jails for minor offenses (drunkenness and thief) and includes costs to town (jail fee, cost of daily imprisonment) and dates in and out. Item also includes State Prison Library Register (library items by number) and notes prisoner's literacy (i.e. "can't read")
Lists names and dates of entry and includes Reformatory and Providence County Jail.
Lists names and dates of entry and includes Reformatory and Providence County Jail.
Lists name, nativity, age, religion, family members, marital status, occupation, alleged crime, previous record, name and address of parents or spouse, bail costs. Includes notes by officer or warden in red ink citing officers opinions or comments expressed by said inmate.
organized by month for entire prison system (Newport, Pawtucket, East Providence etc.) and includes summaries and foldered items: Gospel Tract Calendar (1920), 4.5 x 2.5 photo of unidentified male, 3.25 x 6.25 card of information containing dates of entry into W.W.I of allied countries courtesy of B. Flink and Son Wholesale Flour and Groceries, Providence, R.I., three invoice statements for prison purchases of meat, milk and other products, typed copy of a poem by Emily Tupper Bendit, two calendars for the years 1918 and 1919
Log written in the hand of William A. Brown, Hall keeper and C.L. Sherman. Copies of letters sent out by prisoners. Top portion is unreadable due to water damage. Contains some loose letters.
Indicates name, address and relationship.
Lists names of prisoners and those who have brought suit against them. Includes bail bonds of Joseph H. Hull, 1903.
Lists sports program conducted for inmates on holidays and includes names of 1st and 2nd place winners.
Log maintained by staff noting name, time and date of confinement, reason for confinement, doctor visits, remarks by inmate and dates of release
Bound volumes of actual bills pasted into ledger from various businesses serving the prison.
Bound volumes of actual bills pasted into ledger from various businesses serving the prison. Includes additional foldered items: two 6 x 8 Ferrotypes entitled "The Male is Late", photograph of unidentified male, advertisement from Collier's magazine (1910) and eight Master Cards (1935-51 w/ gaps).
Lists expenses by month of items purchases plus additional foldered items: clippings, text of "John Brown Song" and letter addressed to Charles Hayward
Records of receipt and payment.
Records of receipt and payment.
Records of receipt and payment.
Records of receipt and payment.
Usually in account with the prison or jail, lists names of those who incurred the debt on behalf of a prisoner. Includes attorneys' names, length of stay, total owed and cash received.
Usually in account with the prison or jail, lists names of those who incurred the debt on behalf of a prisoner. Includes attorneys' names, length of stay, total owed and cash received.
For items purchased (e,g, fish, scouring brick, paper, peas). Also lists doctor's visits and other activities by day and month. Maintained by warder or jailer (e.g. State of Rhode Island in account with Thomas Cleveland - jailer)
For items purchased (e,g, fish, scouring brick, paper, peas). Also lists doctor's visits and other activities by day and month. Maintained by warder or jailer (e.g. State of Rhode Island in account with Thomas Cleveland - jailer)
Japanese paper copying book used for household accounts
Cash paid for jail fees and board for prisoners.
Cash paid for jail fees and board for prisoners.
North Shop. Lists name, days worked, total time, rate per day and total amount.
State Prison. Lists name, days worked, total time, rate per day and total amount.
Upper Shoe Shop. Lists name, days worked, total time, rate per day and total amount.
Lists name, days worked, total time, rate per day and total amount.
Costs of board for prisoners in Providence County Jail.
Costs of board for prisoners in Providence County Jail.
Costs of board for prisoners in Providence County Jail.
Lists amounts of convict labor.
Costs of board for prisoners in Providence County Jail.
List of inmates committed for trial.
July report.
September report.
Inspection of prisons and Fire Insurance Policy.
Bail bonds.
Certificates of Warden's Election and Sureties.
Mittimus (writ instructing a jailer to hold a prisoner).
Receipts.
Statement of accounts.
Warrants for arrest.
From Boston Police Department. Sent out to other prisons- annotated.
From the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Includes typed note from Thomas Lynch, Marshall of the City of Holyoke, Ma. to Andrew J., Wilcox, Sheriff (March 25, 1908)
Enacted by the General Assembly.
Submitted to the Board of Inspection of the State Prison which documents conditions and operation of the prison for the respective month. Information includes total number of inmates, number committed and discharged, cash paid and received, and staff salaries,
Lists periodic inspections by date.
An official record of work done for the Crescent Garment Co. by the State of Rhode Island - signed G.A. Woodbury.
Lower North (shop)- daily production output of clothing by week ending date.
Requests for products from prison industry (e.g. oak seats, cottage seats, rocker backs, lady dinning seats) includes notes confirming orders and exchange of goods (oak seats for bales of cane). Correspondents are Philander Derby from Gardner Ma. and Mellish Byfield and Co., from Boston (619 Albany Street).
Relating to prison production of oak seats. Lists accounts and suppliers.
Items sold to outside concerns (e.g. tables, cupboards, chests).
From root cellar indicating produce received "From Farm" and "Shipped Out" from various departments within prison compound (e.g. kitchen, men's reformatory, girls school, hospital etc.).
From root cellar indicating produce received "From Farm" and "Shipped Out" from various departments within prison compound (e.g. kitchen, men's reformatory, girls school, hospital etc.).
From root cellar indicating produce received "From Farm" and "Shipped Out" from various departments within prison compound (e.g. kitchen, men's reformatory, girls school, hospital etc.).
Orders from inmates and lists names and costs.
Orders from inmates and lists names and costs.
For liquor, dinner, milk, clothing etc. and includes signatures of prisoners.
For liquor, dinner, milk, clothing etc. and includes signatures of prisoners.
For liquor, dinner, milk, clothing etc. and includes signatures of prisoners.
Itemized account of food used.
Lists items purchased. Noted as "Variety Store" and Souvenir Store.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Organized by department (e.g. shoe shop, piggery and root cellar, furniture, library, moving pictures, medical supplies, books and stationary, athletics etc.) May include profit and loss statements, vendor list and inventories.
Records indicate aliments and treatment of prisoners. Spans 1891-1905 (with gaps 1892, 1894-5) 18 vols.
Detailing temperature, pulse beats per minute and respirations per minute (with clippings).
Indicates state of health, mind, body, habits and mode of life.
Indicates ailments and treatment of prisoners.
Indicates ailments and treatment of prisoners.
Indicates ailments and treatment of prisoners.
Indicates ailments and treatment of prisoners.
Inspections of hospital rear room.
Inspections of hospital rear room.
Inspections of hospital rear room.
Inspections of hospital rear room.