How do I research a prisoner of the Ohio Penitentiary?
Answer
We hold the Prisoners' Register (the admission books) for the Ohio Penitentiary from 1829 through 1973.
Typically for each prisoner there is an entry record in the Prisoners' Register (the admission books).
Records are arranged by prisoner identification number (chronologically as each prisoner was assigned a number upon entry). The 1940 US Census includes the prisoner identification number for each prisoner there in 1940.
Unfortunately, few photographs of Ohio Penitentiary prisoners survive. See: Are there photographs of the prisoners of the Ohio Penitentiary?
If you are unable to visit to do the research yourself, Ohio History Connection Archives & Library staff are available to answer research request letters from Prison Copy or Research Requests.You will find instructions and information about the research fees on the request forms.
For records of criminal proceedings, you will want to contact the clerk of courts in the Court of Common Pleas in the county where the prisoner was sentenced.
Please visit our prison research guide for more information on prison records at the Ohio History Connection.