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