Research: Topics: Education: New York House of Refuge
New York House of Refuge
A2087. Register of inmates admitted and discharged, 1859- 1882. .2 cubic foot. (1 volume)
Organization: Numeric by case history number, except that discharges for 1873-1882 are arranged chronologically by discharge date.
This volume provides summary information concerning inmate's background, offense, and the manner of discharge. The register is divided into two parts, each with a different format. Admission entries provide the following information: inmate name and case number; book number; date of admission; division and class number; age; where from (either inmate's previous residence or court which committed inmate); offense; nativity (place of birth, by city for New York State, by state for other American-born, and by nation for foreign-born); and ethnic/racial heritage of parents (not entered during the years 1869 to 1872). Discharge entries provide the following information: inmate name and case number (entered after 1872 only); to whom indentured or discharged; occupation; date of discharge; division and class number; and remarks, which may include additional information on the inmate's discharge, such as the place of a master's residence or a statement that an inmate was released for Civil War military service.
Available on microfilm.
A2088. Inmate admission registers, 1882-1932. 1 cubic foot. (3 volumes)
Arrangement: Numeric by case history numbers assigned consecutively upon admission.
These volumes consist of printed standard forms containing summary inmate admission information. Entries contain the following information: inmate name and case number; annual entry number (for the year beginning in October in the first volume and beginning in July in the other two volumes); date of admission; division to which the inmate was assigned (boys or girls and a number); race (either "white" or "col'd" or, after 1911, "negro"); percentage (i.e., ethnicity or nationality); and age. Until 1895, the first volume also contains an entry for "size" rated on a scale from one to six. Other information found only in the first volume is the inmate's county of residence and whether the inmate's parents were living or dead. The second and third volumes contain the following additional information: religion, designated as "C", "H", or "P" for Catholic, Hebrew, or Protestant; whether a new commitment or a returnee; offense; date of original commitment (for returnees); and dates of previous commitments.
Available on microfilm.
A2064. Inmate case histories, 1824-1935. 70 cubic feet. (105 volumes)
Arrangement: Chronological by admission date. Case histories are numbered consecutively.
This is the main record series for information about each male or female inmate admitted to the institution. Black inmates are specifically identified, usually by the label "colored" next to their names. Each case history is two to four pages long and all the entries are handwritten. Originally, the entire case history was in narrative form. The format and contents of the case histories changed significantly in 1878, when a printed standard form was first used for part of the history, and changed again in 1907 when the printed form was substantially revised. Each case history generally contains information on:
- age and place of birth
- education
- habits
- criminal history
- parents names & addresses
- description of home (after 1878)
- parents' occupations (after 1878)
- conduct after discharge (after 1878)
- physical description (after 1907)
- parole and recommittal (after 1907)
Indexes: Name indexes in each volume. Cumulative indexes for volumes 1-14 (1824-1845) and volumes 1-31 (1824-1869).
Online finding aid available.
Available on microfilm.
A2084. Daily census of inmates, 1860-1935. 2 cubic feet. (9 volumes)
Arrangement: Chronological.
These volumes track the movement of the institution's inmate population from 1860 until its closing in 1935. Information provided varies slightly from volume to volume but generally includes: date; division; number of boys in each of six size categories (until 1900); number of boys in each division; total number of boys; number of girls in each division; total number of girls (no girls in institution after June 1905); number of inmates in each category admitted and discharged; and total number of inmates.
A2056. Girls' Division daily journals, 1861-1866, 1873-1896. 1.3 cubic feet. (4 volumes)
Arrangement: Chronological.
The Matron of the Girls' Division kept this journal of daily entries, usually including information on the following: admission of inmates, providing the inmate's name and identification number and notes on her background and crime; indenture and discharge of inmates, providing the same information as an admission; visits of officials and other dignitaries; and absence of staff.
Available on microfilm.
A2086. Pupil record cards, 1928-1935. 1.7 cubic feet. (1890 cards)
Arrangement: Chronological by inmate number.
These cards document the school conduct and ability of inmates. The amount of information recorded varies, but cards generally provide: inmate name and number; date of birth; name and location of school(s) previously attended; how long out of school (e.g. "just left", "out 6 months"); date entered class at House of Refuge; days present, absent and late each term; letter grades for conduct and for work; subjects not proficient in (e.g. reading, arithmetic); and date of parole, transfer to another school, or other discharge information.
A2067. Register of masters of indentured inmates, 1825-1845, 1850-1903. .4 cubic foot. (3 volumes)
Arrangement: Volumes 1 and 3: alphabetical by master's last name, then chronological by date of indenture. Volume 2: by state and county of master's residence.
These volumes list information about persons to whom reformatory inmates were bound out. Entries in all three volumes list the following information: master's name and address; inmate's number; and date of indenture agreement. In addition, the first volume (1825-1845) lists the master's occupation, the second volume (1860-1873) lists the inmate's name, and the third volume (1869-1903) lists the inmate's name and a reference to the master's prior experience with indentured inmates.
Available on microfilm.
A2066. Indenture agreements, 1825-1904. 15 cubic feet. (39 volumes)
Arrangement: Chronological by date of agreement.
These volumes contain copies of contractual agreements between the reformatory managers, inmates, and employers (or "masters") to bind out inmates for fixed periods of indentured labor or apprenticeship. Binding out inmates was authorized in the institution's original charter of incorporation and was an integral part of its vocational rehabilitation program. The agreements are printed standard forms.
Contracts specified that the master assume the following obligations: to teach a trade; to provide food, clothing, and shelter; to make available instruction in literacy and arithmetic; to provide, on expiration of the term of apprenticeship, a new set of clothing and, in many cases, a sum of money; and not to assign or hire out the inmate or to cancel the agreement without the reformatory's written consent.
A complete agreement contained the following handwritten information that was entered on the printed form: date of agreement; master's name, address, and occupation; inmate's name, age, and case number; the type of trade to be taught; and the duration of the apprenticeship.
Available on microfilm.
A2068. Register of deferred applications for parole, 1860- 1891. .3 cubic foot. (1 volume)
Arrangement: Alphabetical by first letter in inmate's last name, then chronological by requested parole discharge date.
This volume contains summary information about parole applications that were denied by the Parole Committee. Each entry lists the following information: inmate's case number; inmate's name; date requested for parole; date when eligible to reapply (entered only during 1860-1865); and committee determination. Committee determinations were entered and annotated as follows: deferred decision - usually either "referred to Board" or "to superintendent to examine" or "to superintendent with power to grant parole"; conditional deferral, such as "superintendent with power when grade is right"; declined with explanation, such as "declined on account of grade"; or declined without reason, usually "declined for present".
Available on microfilm.
A2069. Parole registers, 1882-1933. 1 cubic foot. (3 volumes)
Arrangement: Chronological by discharge date.
Summary information concerns manner of inmate's present discharge and parole/indentureship history. These volumes consist of printed standard forms containing the following information about paroled inmates: name and case number; date of discharge; school division, class, and until 1895, the class size (approximate number of students in the class); religion; race; reason for or manner of discharge, such as "to friends", "by court", "escaped", "transferred", "deported", etc.; to whom discharged, including the person's name or relationship to the inmate and address; occupation during previous indentureships; and length of time served at the House of Refuge. The second (1910-1922) and third (1922-1933) volumes contain the following additional information: date of original commitment; and dates of previous paroles.
Available on microfilm.
