Scope and Content: The office of sheriff originated in Massachusetts as part of the English system of law enforcement introduced during the period of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay (1691). St 1699-1700, c 9 made sheriffs responsible for the common jails of their counties. St 1784, c 41 further regulated the jails or prisons and required the sheriff to maintain a calendar or register of prisoners. The act also directed the separate housing of debtors separately from those charged with crime, presumably leading to the practice, at least in Suffolk County, of keeping separate calendars for the two groups until 1943. –St 1799, c 81 established a municipal court to handle Suffolk County criminals, taking over from the Court of General Sessions. Any prisoners ordered committed or awaiting trial were to be committed to the custody of the keeper of the Suffolk County Jail, i.e.,  the town or so-called Boston gaol, located since 1635 off Court Street. This jail was succeeded by the Leverett Street Jail (opened 1822), the Charles Street Jail (opened 1851), and the Suffolk County Jail on Nashua Street (opened 1990). –Series lists those in the criminal category. Information in both sets of registers varies in detail over time, but includes name, residence, birthplace (from 1864) and description, i.e., height, age, complexion (criminals only), occupation (for debtors, to ca. 1856 only), date jailed, cause (for debtors, plaintiff and sum), committing authority, date and circumstances of discharge (sent to house of correction, state prison, etc.).
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Vols. 12-47, 47A, 48-97 (1852-1942) numbered 2-88; others unnumbered. Calendars for June 1823-Feb. 1827; pages for Jan.-Feb. 1842; calendars for Aug. 1848-Sept. 1849, Dec. 1850-Dec. 1851, Jan.-Aug. 1942, Nov. 1976-Feb. 1979, Apr. 1980-Jan. 1981, Dec. 1983-Oct. 1984, Oct. 1985-Jan. 1988 lacking. Holdings terminate Oct. 1988. Listings for 1840-1841 for federal witnesses and prisoners only. Calendars for 1799-June 1814 bound with: Debtors calendar ((M-Ar)408X), 1799-1812
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