STILLWATER STATE PRISON:
An Inventory of Its Miscellaneous Records at the Minnesota Historical Society
Government Records
Part or all of this collection is restricted.
For
details, please see restrictions.
OVERVIEW
| Creator: | Minnesota State Prison (Stillwater, Minn.). | |
| Title: | Miscellaneous records. | |
| Dates: | 1854-2005. | |
| Language: | Materials in English. | |
| Abstract: | Variety of records documenting the administration of and activities of the prison. | |
| Quantity: | 2.5 cubic feet (8 partial boxes); 1 volume and 1 folder in Reserve. | |
| Location: | See Detailed Description for shelf locations. |
SCOPE AND CONTENTS
Included are lists of prisoners and prison statistics, with data on insane, escaped, pardoned, and life prisoners; daily clothing and incidentals issued to prisoners (1885-1887), and school reports (1911-1937). Also accounts of funds and time earned by inmates for good conduct (1874-1900) and for keeping U.S. military and district court prisoners (1868-1884); complaints by convicts and employees (1901-1911); and inspection reports (1911-1940).
A volume of statistics (1890-1916) gives monthly statistical breakdowns, such as ethnicity, occupation, religion, and residence of inmates. A record of inmates' arrivals and departures is included as part of a miscellaneous account book. Also included are a record book kept by Deputy Warden Samuel A. Langum (approximately 1890-1891), monthly school attendance reports (1899-1938), a handbook for visitors (1929), plot plans for prison buildings and grounds (undated, 1953-1959), various publications of or about the prison (1890s-2005), a movie record book (1945-1982), and an inmate information record (approximately 1854-1894) which records population figures and prisoners escaped, a manual (approximately 1974), and records of an Alcoholics Anonymous group that met weekly at the prison (1950-1953). The latter include minutes, correspondence, quarterly reports, and attendance and participation information.
There are also two daily prison/cell block record books (1880-1884; handwritten) that record summary statistics and notes on the movements of individual prisoners, including the Younger Brothers. Both volumes are in the Society's Reserve Collection; the second volume (September 29, 1882-1884) was also microfilmed as part of the Northfield (Minnesota) Bank Robbery of 1876 collection.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Access Restrictions:
Includes private information about individuals. Records with private information are closed for 75 years from date of last entry in the record. Researchers must apply for permission to use these records. Please consult library staff for more information.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Minnesota State Prison (Stillwater, Minn.). Miscellaneous Records. Minnesota Historical Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Accession Information:
Accession numbers: 318; 980-23; 981-83; 988-45; 992-113; 992-132; 2002-47; 2003-10; 2007-19; 2009-12; 2010-50
Processing Information:
Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
Catalog ID number: 001713840
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
| Reserve 89 | [Cell room] daily report, 1880-1884. 1 volume and 1 folder. | ||||||||||
| Handwritten daily record listing prisoners who were sick in their cell, isolated in the dungeon, sent out of the prison on work details, or staying in the prison for the day. Each day’s entry states the total number of convicts in the prison and the number each of male convicts and female convicts. Also, admissions and discharges of prisoners (by name) are listed in the daily entries. | |||||||||||
| It is unclear if the books are for the entire prison or just one cell block. The second volume lists Cell Room Guards, W. W. Wall (night shift), G. G. Dodd (morning-12 noon shift), and J. Cogswell (afternoon/evening shift). The Younger brothers (Cole, Cell No. 64; Bob, Cell No. 65; Jim, Cell No. 66) are frequently mentioned in both books. They were often sick in cell, especially Cole, but the illness is not specified. | |||||||||||
| June 1, 1880–September 28, 1882. 1 volume. | |||||||||||
| During this time there were 210 to 280 inmates. | |||||||||||
| September 29, 1882–April 18, 1884. | |||||||||||
| Dismantled; includes information on fires on January 8 and 26, 1884. | |||||||||||
| This volume was also microfilmed as part of the Northfield (Minnesota) Bank Robbery of 1876 collection. | |||||||||||
| 117.G.14.2F | Prisoner record book of Deputy Warden Samuel A. Langum, [1890-1891]. 1 volume in 1 folder. | ||||||||||
| Information includes prisoner’s name and cell number, occupation, date, from which county sentenced, crime, sentence term, and work assigned in the prison. Also notations, such as, date pardoned, Military Prisoner [M.P.], U.S. Prisoner [U.S.P.], pardoned, 2nd or 3rd term, and race. There are entries for Cole and Jim Younger, who participated in the attempted Northfield Bank Robbery in 1876. | |||||||||||
| Complaints made by convicts against officers, 1901-1910. | |||||||||||
| Complaints made by employees against employees, 1903-1911. | |||||||||||
| Account of keeping U.S. military prisoners, U. S. District Court prisoners, 1868-1874: 1874-1884. | |||||||||||
| Miscellaneous account book, 1874-1883. 1 volume in 1 folder. | |||||||||||
| Includes records of arrivals and departures. | |||||||||||
| Insane prisoners, 1872-1909. | |||||||||||
| Prisoners who died while on parole, 1864-1907. | |||||||||||
| Prisoners escaped, 1855-1890. | |||||||||||
| Life prisoners, 1895-1890. | |||||||||||
| School of instruction minutes, 1901. | |||||||||||
| Convicts pardoned, 1894-1895. | |||||||||||
| Good times earned by convicts, November 1896-February 1897. | |||||||||||
| Inspection reports of the State Board of Visitors, 1911-1925. | |||||||||||
| Inspection reports, miscellaneous, 1927-1940. | |||||||||||
| Reports of the Health Board, Public Institutions Division, and Washington County. | |||||||||||
| Report of mail and receiving department, 1946-1949. | |||||||||||
| RESTRICTED | |||||||||||
| Monthly summaries of incoming and outgoing mail, visitors, and inmates received and discharged. | |||||||||||
| Inmate statistics, 1952. | |||||||||||
| Wanted poster, approximately 1909. | |||||||||||
| 114.E.14.5B-2 | Good conduct fund account book, 1874-1900. 1 folder and 1 volume. | ||||||||||
| 112.C.4.7 | Statistics, 1890-1916. 1 volume. | ||||||||||
| Plot plans, undated, 1953-1959. 4 items. | |||||||||||
| Prison buildings and grounds (undated), general area showing perimeter of prison property and surrounding land (May 22, 1953), prison industries buildings (February 13, 1958), and main building (October 29, 1959). | |||||||||||
| 126.E.4.4 | Daily record of dry goods, clothing, and incidentals, and incidentals issued, 1885-1887. 1 volume. | ||||||||||
| 109.F.18.12F | School reports, 1899-1938. 6 folders. | ||||||||||
| Primarily monthly statistical reports regarding the prison's school, including number of sessions, average attendance, highest and lowest attendance, numbers of inmates excused for various reasons, and related information. Also, reports listing the school's teachers, and books used in the school. Arranged in chronological order. | |||||||||||
| Inmate information record, approximately 1854-1894. 1 volume in folder. | |||||||||||
| Information includes lists of prisoners absent on parole or conditional parole, statistics concerning inmate population changes, and lists of prisoners who have escaped. | |||||||||||
| Handbook for visitors, 1929. | |||||||||||
| Manual, approximately 1974. | |||||||||||
| Missing, February 2020 | Inmate appeals for audience with Board of Control, 1924-1933. | ||||||||||
| 109.H.15.3B | Stillwater Prison Alcoholics Anonymous records, 1950-1953. 3 folders. | ||||||||||
| RESTRICTED | |||||||||||
| The files include meeting minutes, correspondence, quarterly reports, attendance and participation information, and Pen Pointers magazine circulation. Correspondence is organized in alphabetical order by last name of sender or recipient. | |||||||||||
| The group was founded on July 18, 1947 with 8 members and, by 1952, had grown to 230 members inside the walls and 52 members at the Farm Colony. Meetings inside the prison and at the Farm Colony were held weekly and conducted by the inmates. They arranged their own meetings through the AA secretary and set their own policy. Outside visitors and other AA chapter members were invited to attend the meetings, which “greatly added to the interest of the group.” These outside visitors often assisted inmates in their personal problems. Pen Pointers, a bi-monthly magazine was started in January 1950, as a medium for exchange of ideas among members. Subscribers lived in all parts of the country including some overseas. | |||||||||||
| Meeting minutes, Quarterly reports, Pen Pointers circulation statistics, 1950-1953. | |||||||||||
| RESTRICTED | |||||||||||
| Correspondence, 1950-1953. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| RESTRICTED | |||||||||||
| 129.E.3.1B | Publications, approximately 1890s-1984. | ||||||||||
| Arranged chronologically. | |||||||||||
| Library Catalog and Rules of Government of the Minnesota State Prison, 1896. | |||||||||||
| Tobacco Ticket, approximately 1890s. | |||||||||||
| Tobacco Ticket Register Number 93; signed by B. Youngquist. | |||||||||||
| General Rules for the Government of Inmates of the Minnesota State Prison, May 1, 1953. | |||||||||||
| Excerpts from Warden’s Staff Meetings Regarding Policy Book, 1955-1961. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| Excerpts from staff meetings about policy book topics. Organized by the same topics found in the prison's policy book or policy manual. | |||||||||||
| Responsibility Manual, 1956. 2 folders. | |||||||||||
| Detailed responsibilities of staff by position, listing immediate supervisors, and fixed responsibilities. | |||||||||||
| Policy Manual, 1965-1971. 3 folders. | |||||||||||
| Rules and Regulations; Cell Hall C, Maximum Custody Living Unit, 1975. | |||||||||||
| A Comprehensive Plan to Operationalize The Minnesota Correctional Facility, Oak Park Heights, June 26, 1980. | |||||||||||
| Current Visiting Regulations and Visitor Information, Minnesota Correctional Facility, Stillwater, Minnesota, 1984. | |||||||||||
| Records regarding the Younger Brothers, 1876. | |||||||||||
| Document (photocopy) showing the transfer of Thomas Cole, James, and Robert Younger from the Sheriff of Rice County to the Stillwater State Prison on November 22, 1876; file also includes an index card with ID number 699 recording the size of Thomas Cole’s head length, head width, l. middle finger, left foot, left cubit, and height. | |||||||||||
| 129.E.3.4F | History items, 1913, 1966, 1981, and 2005. | ||||||||||
| Includes printouts of photocopies of historical records including: an advertisement for visiting the ‘new’ Minnesota State Prison (December 1913); a history of the State prison written in 1966 including information on the physical plant, administrative structure, classification process, and the statistical data on inmates as of June 1966; inventory of historical items (1981); and a list of past wardens (1853-200[8]). | |||||||||||
| New Prison planning and construction records, 1907-1914. | |||||||||||
| Correspondence requesting payment for work done on the new prison (1907-1914); a requisition for the new prison (1913); an estimate of supplies needed in the Cell House (1913); and prison building fund record (1914). | |||||||||||
| Steward’s list: Inmate canteen purchases, August 1911. | |||||||||||
| Lists items purchased by inmates in August 1911. Cost and sizes of some items listed; inmate name and number recorded. | |||||||||||
| Weather conditions, 1917. | |||||||||||
| Records the weather conditions at 6 AM, 12 PM, and 6 PM in January and February 1917; also the time snow fall started and ended, how much precipitation, and other notes. | |||||||||||
| Movie record book, 1945–September 1982. 1 volume. | |||||||||||
| RESTRICTED | |||||||||||
| Records information about the movies being played at the state prison including: date played, movie title, featured actors, time movie started, the number of reels, the release number, and the print of the film. The names of the operators from 1945-1958 are recorded on the first page of the book. | |||||||||||
| Watch book, March 14–June 11, 1975. 1 volume. | |||||||||||
| RESTRICTED | |||||||||||
| Hand written record book of the first, second, and third watches; includes timed entries on making rounds, issues with inmates, issues with facility, and general duty information of the officers. | |||||||||||
CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
- Topics:
- Alcoholics -- Rehabilitation -- Minnesota.
- Escapes -- Minnesota.
- Prison administration -- Minnesota.
- Prisoners -- Minnesota -- Registers.
- Prisoners -- Minnesota -- Statistics.
- Prisoners -- Minnesota -- Classification.
- Prisoners -- Alcoholics -- Minnesota.
- Prisoners -- Education -- Minnesota.
- Prisoners -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Minnesota.
- Prisons -- Minnesota -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.
- Prisons -- Minnesota -- Statistics.
- Prisons -- Minnesota -- Admission and discharge.
- Prisons -- Minnesota -- Buildings.
- Prisons -- Minnesota -- Officials and employees.
- Persons:
- Langum, Samuel A.
- Younger, Cole, 1844-1916.
- Younger, James, 1848-1903.
- Younger, Robert Ewing, 1853-1889.
- Organizations:
- Alcoholics Anonymous.
- Document Types:
- Site plans.
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