An Old Photo of the Burlington, Ohio Jail
Burlington, Ohio, Jail For Sale
Ironton Register, December 4, 1902
The second session of the first board of commissioners of Lawrence county, Ohio was, begun on 2 June 1817 at Burlington, and the minutes of the session are as follows:
“Board met according to adjournment last April session. Present Joel Bowen, David Spurlock, Josiah Davidson, Commissioners.
They were ordered that the first business to be acted upon is to precede to make the sale of the jailhouse of the town of Burlington to be sold to the lowest bidder and the clerk of said board to make the sale of the same at two o’clock in the afternoon on the said day.
Preceded to make the sale of the log part of the jailhouse and made the sale of the same to John Morrison, the legal purchaser to build the log part of the said jail, agreeable to contract for the sum of three hundred and thirty-four dollars. Further preceded to make the sale of the frame part of the jailhouse and made the sale of same to William Templeton, who is legal purchaser, for three hundred and thirty-eight dollars.
Thomas Kerr Appointed Clerk for the Commissioners
“Ordered that Thos. Kerr is reappointed clerk for this board of commissioners for one year from this date, and that he shall receive eighty dollars payable quarterly, further ordered that Thomas Kerr be reappointed treasurer of Lawrence county for one year from this date and that he shall be allowed four per centum for the money received by him till this date. Board then adjourned till nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”
The journal record of the second day’s session follows:
“Tuesday, June 3rd. Board pursuant adjournment. Ordered that John Kelly’s bond as road commissioner be put on record with two securities, Charles Kelly and Wm. G. Robinson securities, bound in the penal sum of one thousand dollars for the true performance as commissioner as above stated appointed by this state for to expend five hundred and twenty-five dollars on the road from Burlington down to the lower line of Lawrence county. Bond bearing date 2 June 1817.
“HIGHWAY. On a petition for a new road leading from Scioto county line at the county road; from thence to or near the house of John Strouper; thence to cross the creek; thence to or near the north line of Misses Howands quarter section; from thence state road running from Portsmouth to Gallia county and that the same be established; ordered that the said petition be granted and that Thomas Blythe, Andrew Wolf, and David McFan be viewers and John Russell, surveyor, to meet at Edward Partlow’s on the twentieth of this inst. And make a report at the next meeting of this board in July.
Ordered David Rally’s bond for a new road be recorded; bond for seventy-five dollars payable to the county treasurer for the cost of the said road if the same should not be established at the county’s expense. Wilson Lynd, security. Further, David Rally’s bond for the road commissioner for expending one hundred dollars on a new road to be laid in the back part of Lawrence county. Bond for the penalty of two hundred dollars, payable to Lawrence County’s commissioners, with John Davidson, security; bond bearing date 2 June 1817.
Ordered that Edward Simmons’ bond for the coroner, bound in the penalty of two thousand dollars, payable to Commissioners of Lawrence county for the faithful performance to his said office, with Edward Billups and Gabriel Kerr as securities; bond bearing date of 2 June 1817. Board adjourned till nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”
Lawrence County, Ohio Jail Report of the Grand Jury, June Term of Court of Common Pleas, 1856
We, the undersigned Grand Jurors impaneled and sworn for the June Term of Lawrence County Common Pleas, 1856, having examined the Jail, would most respectfully report:
- That we find no rules posted up in the Jail, as required by the Act of March 13, 1843.
- The Jail, as a general thing, is in good condition, clean, and moderately well-ventilated; the bedding is good and sufficient. But we find no bedstead in the Jail and would urge the necessity of it at once, furnishing the Jail with a sufficient number of them for the accommodation of the prisoners. Also, there should be doors put on the privies in the lower part of the Jail and conductors for the upper part of the Jail (known as the debtor’s room) – the privies in that part of the house being in bad condition.
- That the sheriff keeps a book for recording the names of prisoners, cause of commitment, date, manner of discharge, etc.
- That there has been no sickness.
- That prisoners have performed no labor.
- That the Jail was whitewashed once in 1856 and not at any time.
- That the habits of the prisoners, as to personal cleanliness, order, etc., are good.
- That means furnishing the prisoners with literary, moral, and religious improvement, which we deem sufficient.
- From the information gathered from prisoners and others, the sheriff treated the prisoners humanely and furnished them with food that was satisfactory to them in quality and quantity.
J. M. Merrill
Foreman of the Grand Jury
18 June 1856
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