"Locked Up" Workshop Explores Tracing Ancestors in Prisons and Asylums

Following the trail of an ancestor in trouble with the law or plagued with mental illness is often difficult. On April 14, the Tennessee State Library and Archives will host a free workshop entitled “Locked Up: Finding Ancestors in Prisons and Asylums.”

Using examples from actual records in Tennessee and elsewhere, State Librarian and Archivist Chuck Sherrill will discuss how to locate the records, what to glean from the information and how to deal with confidentiality restrictions.

“Learning from Chuck Sherrill, who has written and edited 21 books on Tennessee genealogical records, will be a valuable tool to anyone interested in genealogical research,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “I would encourage anyone interested to reserve their seats for this fascinating event as soon as possible.”

The workshop will be 9:30-11 a.m. CDT Saturday, April 14, in the Library and Archives auditorium. The Library and Archives is located at 403 Seventh Ave. N., directly west of the Tennessee State Capitol in downtown Nashville. Free parking is available around the Library and Archives building.

Although the workshop is free and open to the public, registration is required due to seating limitations in the auditorium.

To reserve seats, please visit https://prisongenealogy.eventbrite.com.

Chuck Sherrill has served as State Librarian and Archivist of Tennessee since 2010. He has a unique combination of skills as librarian, archivist and genealogist. His education includes master’s degrees in History and Library Science from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Sherrill has been active in genealogical research and publishing since he was a teenager. He has written and edited 21 books of Tennessee genealogical records. Among them are “Tennessee Convicts: Early Records of the State Penitentiary,” and “Tennesseans in Court.”

The Tennessee State Library and Archives is a division of the Office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett