Have you any family members who may have served time in the Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia between the years 1880 & 1922? If so, the Ancestry.com has a database that you need to check out. It doesn’t show any original documents, but it’s a great index with enough details that you actually get quite a lot of information – even prior to sending for the prison file itself.
The database is titled: Atlanta, Georgia, Federal Penitentiary Index, ca. 1880-1922. If you’re looking for black sheep, this may be another resource to check out. Keep in mind, the person certainly doesn’t have to be from Georgia to spend time in a Georgia Federal facility.
I searched on the surname, Canfield, and found one. A record for Frank N. Canfield. It seems that Frank was white, and was born about 1891, and was convicted in a Hartford, Connecticut Court of violating national banking laws, and sentenced at age 26. He began serving time on 4 Jan 1917, and was released on 17 Jan, 1919. His penitentiary number was 6940.
The following is from the Ancestry.com website:
About Atlanta, Georgia, Federal Penitentiary Index, ca. 1880-1922
This data collection is an index to case files of inmates held at the Atlanta U.S. Penitentiary from approximately 1880 to 1922 (see citation to originals below). The purpose of the case files was to document an inmate’s time in prison. The files were compiled between 1902 and 1921 and include information such as:
- Name of inmate (full name and other aliases)
- Inmate number
- Age at time of sentencing
- Race
- Date incarcerated
- Release dates
- Place of conviction
- Crime
- Sentence and fine amounts
- Dispensation (i.e. “served full sentence”, “pardoned”, “paroled”, “deceased”, etc.)
- Physical description
- Birthplace
- Level of education
- Citizenship status
- Info related to the inmate’s time in prison (i.e. violations, medical treatments, copies of letters sent or received, work assignments, etc.)
- Many case files also include a fingerprint card and a mug shot.
About the Index:
Information contained in this index includes:
- Name of inmate
- Inmate number
- Race
- Age
- Date incarcerated
- Date released
- Crime
How to Obtain Copies of Original Files:
The original case files are located at the NARA Southeast Region facility near Atlanta. To order copies of these records you will need to contact the Archive:
NARA Southeast Region (Atlanta)
5780 Jonesboro Road
Morrow, Georgia 30260
Phone: 770-968-2100
Fax: 770-968-2547
Email: atlanta.archives@nara.gov
The original case files are arranged numerically by inmate number. Please make sure to include this number when requesting a copy of a file from the archive.
Source Citation of Original Case Files:
Inmate Case Files, compiled 1902-1921, documenting the period ca. 1880-ca. 1922. Records of the Bureau of Prisons, 1870-2009, Record Group 29. NARA Southeast Region (Atlanta).
