The Kentucky State Penitentiary in Frankfort was an American prison. It was the first prison built west of the Allegheny Mountains and completed on June 22, 1800, whenThe Park City Daily News, Bowling Green, Kentucky 7 Feb 1937 p2 Old Reformatory originated with $500 allowance. Kentucky was still virtually a wilderness. The Kentucky Legislature of 1798 had appointed Harry Innes, Alexander S. Bullitt, Caleb Wallace, Isaac Shelby and John Coburn as commissioners to choose a location for a “penitentiary house.” The house was described "to be built of brick, or stone, containing cells, workshops, with an outside wall high enough and strong enough to keep the prisoners from getting away." The site chosen was Frankfort, Kentucky.Chapter XX page 253-254 of The Development of American Prisons and Prison Customs 1776–1845 Henry Innis, one of the commission, gave one acre of land and the legislature appropriated $500 towards its building with more funds to be allocated later.
This prison was known as the Kentucky Penitentiary until the 1910 Prison Reform billThe Twice-A-Week Messenger, Owensboro, Kentucky 29 Jan 1910 p1 Berry introduces important bills. passed March 1, 1910: This bill included that one institution be penal and the other reform; the changing of its mode of Capital Punishment from the gallows to the use of an electric chair, and included that the electric chair be kept in a "penitentiary," and that a "Death House" to be built.The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky 17 Jan 1910 p4 "Death House" bill The electric chair was installed at the Branch Penitentiary September 1910.The Franklin Favorite, Franklin, Kentucky 29 Sep 1910 p6 Electric Chair Installed All convicts under 30 years of age with minor crimes should be kept in a reformatory and those over 30 years of age should be kept in a penitentiary.
The prison's history ended in January 1937 when a flood ravaged towns and cities all along the Ohio River and the trans-Mississippi River Valley wreaking havoc in its wake. The old Frankfort prison was among its victims.The Park City Daily News, Bowling Green, Kentucky 22 Jan 1937 p1 Reformatory is flooded The flood made the prison uninhabitable. The State had appropriated funds the previous year (1936) for the building of a new prison to ease the overcrowding. No one predicted a flood would hasten the process.
Contractor Colonel Richard Taylor was the contractor hired for building the new prison.
Keepers of the penitentiary 1800 – 1860
John Stuart Hunter −1800-1806 – Reported to six inspectors. 1800–1806 – Governor appointed the Keeper and the Keeper's pay was an annual salary.
Samuel Taylor – 1806 -1810 Six inspectors were disposed.
John Glover- 1810–1815 In 1813, the State advanced $5,000 to buy nail-iron. There was no other prison of the kind west of the Alleghenies, none nearer than Virginia and Philadelphia. The problems of industrial management in prisons were new, and without clear precedents.The Development of American Prisons and Prison Customs 1776–1845 by O. F. Lewis, Ph.D. 1922
Anderson Miller −1815-1816-
William Starling- 1816-1819-
William Hardin −1819-1825—When William Hardin left in 1825, the State was in debt to him in the amount of $2,307.61. The 1825 act of Legislature authorized the Governor to appoint the keeper on a partnership principle and this constituted a basis of a contract between the state and the keeper.
Joel ScottA Report of the History & Mode of Mgmt of Ky Penitentiary, p200, Wiliam C. Sneed, M.D., 1860 −1825-1834—Scott became known as the institution reformer of his day. When he took charge, the inmates were in a deplorable condition, filthy and diseased. There were 84 convicts in the state penitentiary in 1825.
1825–1856 – In 1825 the principle changes and the state enters into a partnership contract. The General Assembly of 1825 loaned the Keeper $6000 to run the institution. The Keeper was to pay back this amount plus 6% interest at the end of his term. The Keeper was to receive ½ of the net profit of sales from inmate made goods plus guarantees the state $1,000 profit.
Thomas S. TheobaldKentucky Advocate, Danville, Kentucky 29 Apr 1893 p1 The Prison Problem. History of Kentucky Penitentiary, Beginning with 1800 −1834-1844
Newton Craig and Col. William Henry −1844-1855- 1848 – Both houses of legislature voted to elect a keeper of the penitentiary for the next six years: The law made him a partner of the State in the profits of the institution. The keeper to have one-third the profits, and the State two-thirds; but the keeper had to guarantee that the annual profits of the State not be less than $5000. The State to furnish the penitentiary, work-shops, machinery, clerk, capital, and convicts, and therefore receives the stipulated sum annually...There were two or three candidates for the office.Vicksburg Weekly Sentinel, Vicksburg, Michigan 15 Mar 1848 p2 Kentucky Penitentiary. copying the New York Herald
Zebulon Ward −1854-1859 – Calvin Fairbank described Zeb Ward as one of the strangest men he ever knew; physically handsome, sonically magnetic, and utterly devoid of heart or conscient. He was a gambler, libertine and murderer, all under the cover of the law. Ward leased the prison at $6,000 a year and made $100,000 out of the lease in four years. Fairbank stated: "To do this he literally killed 250 out of 375 prisoners."Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL 29 Jan 1893 p33 Glorious Old Thief, Slavery's Bitter Foe
Jeremiah South −1859-1862
Harry Todd --1862-1871–30 Females and 500 males in the Kentucky PenitentiaryThe Owensboro Monitor, 31 Jul 1867 p2 1856–1880 – The prison was under the Sinking Fund in the 1870s
Jeremiah South −1871-1880 Feb 1878 the Kentucky General Assembly discussed the bill to abolish the lease system in favor of the warden system.The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky 12 Feb 1878 p2, The Penitentiary Bill in the House
1880 – Lesseeship terminates and the State takes back control of the prisons.
Wardens 1880–1937 W. S. Stone --1880-1882--
Harry Todd --1882-1884--
J. Proctor Knott—1884-1884--
W. T. Barry South --1884-1885--
E. H. Taylor --1885-1890--
M. P. Bolan --1890-1892--
Sam A. NormanThe Owensboro Messenger, Owensboro, Kentucky 6 Sep 1893 p1 Already agreed on. Henry George will Succeed Sam Norman as Warden of the Penitentiary --1892-1893-- Resigned as warden to take over the State's Chari Factory in the Penitentiary
Henry George --1893-1895—Senator from Graves County succeeded Norman
Dr. E. M. NellThe Courier Journal, Louisville, Kentucky 29 Feb 1896 p2 Nell Bags the Plum. Will be Warden at Frankfort. --1895-1896—He had been a State Senator from Adair County. Died in office.
Maj. R. A. HancockThe Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky 4 Sep 1896 p5 Hancock Is the New Warden of the Frankfort Prison --1896-1898--
Ephraim T. Lillard --1898-1906—Resigned
W.S. HawkinsThe Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky, 11 Jun 1907 p1 George P. Chinn Appointed Warden --1906-1907—Temporary Warden
George P. ChinnInterior Journal, Stanford, Kentucky 14 Jun 1907 p1 George P. Chinn ..succeed E. T. LillardSee Wikipedia George M. Chinn --1907-1908--
E. E. Mudd --1908-1913--
A.J.G. Wells --1913-1916–1914 – 460 acres belonging to Mrs. Mastin, Frankfort, Kentucky was leased by the State for a prison farm at $3,000 year.Lexington Herald, Lexington, Kentucky 8 Apr 1914 p2, 2 Farm is Leased by Prison Commission, Mastin Place of 460 Acres Will Cost the State
J. Mack Phythian --1916-1920—Resigned due to ill health
L.R. DavisThe Big Sandy News, Louisa, Kentucky 6 Feb 1920 p1 L.R. Davis Appointed Warden Frankfort prison.—1920 – --
W. H. Moyer --1920-1921–1921: Convicts go on salary, increase more work, per Superintendent Moyer. Increase in volume and quality of work improved.Convicts Increase Work since Going on Salary; 524 Prisoners Employed at the Frankfort Reformatory.
H.V. Bastin --1921-1925–1922: Open air dormitory to be constructed at the Reformatory. By using the ward system instead of cells would accommodate 500 prisoners.Lexington Herald, 7 Sep 1922 p2
Herbert M. Beard --August 5, 1925 – 1929—Died of pneumonia 20 Nov 1929; appointed Warden of the reformatory by the State Board of Charities and Corrections under Gov. William J. Fields.Park City Daily News, Bowling Green, Kentucky 20 Nov 1929 p1 Death Comes to Beard at Midday Hour
W. M. RoachThe Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky 8 Dec 1930 p1 Reformatory Fire Blamed on City Man—1930 --- Acting Warden after Beard's death.
James Hammond --1937 – --
Major Joseph M. Kelly – Warden Tent City--
+ Female Matrons in charge of women at Kentucky State Penitentiary in FrankfortName Title Tenure Notes Mrs. Hanley Lexington Herald 26 Oct 1906 p2 Mrs. Hanly Appointed Penitentiary Matron – Mason County Woman Gets Good Place at Frankfort Prison. 1906 Matron From Mason County Mrs. E. E. Mudd Lexington Herald, Lexington, Kentucky 10 Mar 1913 vol 43 p5 Mrs. Mudd Chosen Matron of Prison 1913 Matron Widow of the late warden, appointed by the Prison Commission Mrs. Elizabeth Ruff Lexington Herald, Lexington, Kentucky 27 Nov 1920 Names Reformatory Matron 1920 Matron Mrs. Ruff was housekeeper for Capital Hotel for a number of years.Mrs. Bowen HenryThe Park City Daily News< Bowling Green, Kentucky 9 Jun 1932 p1 Mountain Woman is Granted Parole 1932 Matron
1838 Prison Towers
The towers at the entrance of the Frankfort Penitentiary were built between 1835–1837 and were torn down November 1950.Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Kentucky 14 Nov 1850 p6 Old prison towers razed at Frankfort. Referred to as Norman towers, said to have been copies of Caesar's Tower and Guy's Tower of Warwick Castle, England. Ironically, the Frankfort Penitentiary would hold 30 British prisoners during the War of 1812.The Battle of the Thames, Filson Club Publication No. 18, 1903, p. 104. The Gothic style entrance was at the intersection of High and Mero Streets, adjacent to Holmes Street.The Park City Daily News, Bowling Green, Kentucky 7 Feb 1937 p2
1844 Prison Fire On August 30, 1844, a prison fire started in the penitentiary. All the wood buildings within the walls were consumed; no convicts escaped during the fire.Sneed, page 414The Times Picayune, New Orleans, LA, p2 Penitentiary on Fire The wagons, and a few manufactures were saved but the shops, machinery, tools, unfinished manufactures, were consumed. The prisoners were unharmed.The Louisville Daily Courier, Louisville, Kentucky 4 Sep 1844 p3
1865 Act 1865 General Assembly Chapter 1868 – An Act for the benefit (erection of buildings) of the Kentucky Penitentiary
Capt. H. I. Todd, Keeper of the Penitentiary was the only bid for the erection of a work-shop, chapel, dining room, smoke house, steam heating for workshop, and steam engine boilers &c. to be built on the penitentiary grounds per the passage of Chapter 1868 Act of the General Assembly in which $98,917.26 had been appropriated. Capt. Todd chose H. B. Bradshaw & Brother, architects.
Branch Penitentiary
In 1876 a Branch Penitentiary was called for but did not pass in the General Assembly.
1910 Prison Reform Striped uniforms exchanged for light blue clothing Electric chair voted to be the means of capital punishmentThe Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky p4 "Death House" bill The electric chair was installed at Eddyville penitentiary September 1910. The Frankfort Penitentiary would soon be called Reformatory.The Franklin Favorite, Franklin, KY 29 Sep 1910 p6 Electric Chair Installed Change in the Parole law. Frankfort Penitentiary to be known as the Kentucky State Reformatory Eddyville "Branch Penitentiary" to be known as Kentucky State Penitentiary Men under 30 years of age to be in the Kentucky State Reformatory Men over 30 years of age to be placed at Kentucky State Penitentiary, Eddyville, Kentucky.