Marshall County Inmates in State Penitentiary 1831-1870

The Tennessee State Penitentiary opened in 1831.  It was located near downtown Nashville. Prior to 1831 the convicts were housed in the county jails.  It was the suggestion of Governor McMinn to fund the construction of a state penitentiary by obtaining a bank loan.

Construction started in 1830, and the facility opened January 1, 1831.

Governor Carroll dedicated the new penitentiary.  The new facility contained 200 cells, storehouse, hospital, and a few other buildings.  Construction on a new building began in 1893,  The new building opened in 1898.

Below is a list of prisoners from Marshall County.  These names came from two published volumes of Tennessee Convicts: Early Records of the State Penitentiary, 1831-1870 located at the Tennessee Library and Archives.

You can request a penitentiary record by emailing the Tennessee Library and Archives. Click here to learn more.

Last Name First Name Year Race Age Crime County
Cole David 1870 C   larceny Marshall
Cook William 1852   20 larceny Marshall
Cummings Jake 1870   18 horse stealing Marshall
Cummings Jake 1870 C   horse stealing Marshall
Daws James 1856   35 larceny Marshall
Harvey Alexander 1861   58 larceny Marshall
Horford William 1870 C 18 horse stealing Marshall
Hosford William 1870 W   horse stealing Marshall
Hunt R. B. 1859   28 larceny Marshall
Hurt Riley W 1859   28 stealing Marshall
Jackson Mason   C 40 horse stealing Marshall
Montgomery James   C 19 larceny Marshall
Moore Alexander 1869 C 25 horse stealing Marshall
Owen Joe 1870 C   forgery Marshall
Seaton James 1853     larceny Marshall
Wilson John R. 1857   24 murder Marshall

Source:  http://sos.tn.gov/products/tsla/inmates-tennessee-state-penitentiary-1851-1870

http://sos.tn.gov/products/tsla/inmates-tennessee-state-penitentiary-1831-1850