Look for skeletons in your closet
Posted on March 31, 2011 by bob in Discover Your Past
(Due to the increasing demands of her ‘day job’, Nancy Dupree is taking a temporary hiatus from writing Discovering Your Past. We appreciate the great work she has done during our first year, and we look forward to welcoming her back very soon. – Ed.’s note)
When embarking on the search for ancestors, there may come a time when the closet door opens and, low and behold, we find skeletons. The skeletons may be from ancestors who served time in the Alabama penal system for crimes ranging from miscegenation to murder.
The Alabama Department of Archives and History has records from the Alabama Department of Corrections, which include State Convict Records from 1889-1952 and County Convict records from 1931-1948. The information found in the records varies, but generally includes the convict’s name and aliases, the county where convicted, crime, date and length of sentence, race, age, and gender.
Occasionally the records have information on the convict’s habits, scars, and physical condition. If the convict was paroled, pardoned, or released on temporary parole, the dates are noted, as are any dates of escape and capture. If the convict died while in prison, the Archives has records of convict deaths between 1843-1951.
The death records have much the same information as the others, but also include cause, date, and place of death.
Once these records are located, though, the search is not over. One type of record generally leads to another, and depending on the crime, there may be much more information to uncover.
For example, beginning with the sentencing date and backing up, newspaper accounts may lead to information about the trial and crime. It’s helpful to know that, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the trial, conviction, and sentencing normally occurred within a relatively short period of time. If the convict was paroled or pardoned, parole or pardon records may also be available.
For a list of possible records available at the Archives, visit the online catalogue – ADAHCAT – at www.archives.alabama.gov.
Nancy Dupree is Senior Archivist at the Alabama Department of Archives and History.
