From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. 2 -sided letter between Z. A. Philips and Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn. One side is from Alcorn, the other from Philips. Philips writes to Alcorn giving him the reason for the imprisonment of Ann Parker, an African-American woman, who was convicted of arson and sentenced to five years in the penitentiary in Jackson, MIssissippi. Alcorn writes back to Philips that after a conversation with Parker, he has decided to grant her a pardon due to her age and frail condition.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Clark Collection. Letter from M. G. Moore, the warden of the Alabama Penitentiary at Wetumpka, Alabama, to Alabama Governor Thomas H. Watts, reporting on the prisoners from Mississippi whom the Alabama Penitentiary is temporarily holding. Then-Mississippi Governor John J. Pettus ordered that these prisoners be transferred from the Mississippi State Penitentiary to Alabama in 1863 through an agreement with then-Alabama Governor John G. Shorter. M. G. Moore's letter consists of handwritten copies of correspondence between Pettus, Shorter, Moore, and the Alabama Penitentiary board of inspectors regarding the transfer of the Mississippi prisoners as well as questions about the legality of Shorter's right to accept the prisoners and whether they can require the prisoners to perform labor. Moore intersperses brief explanations about these circumstances and his own actions throughout the letter. Appended to the letter is a receipt for prisoner-related expenses.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Sharkey Collection. Letter from Z. A. Philips, state salt agent at Meridian, Mississippi, to former Mississippi Militia general A. M. West at Durant, Mississippi, giving his thoughts for rebuilding the Mississippi State Penitentiary system and arguing that African American convicts should be used for labor. Philips suggests that someone be selected to travel to examine and make reports on state prison labor systems in the Northern states. Describing his manufacturing experience, Philips makes several recommendations on how to use convict labor and asks to be put in charge of re-establishing the state prison. Attached is an unfinished and crossed-out letter that appears to refer to a robbery of Philips' sister and niece.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Superintendent Z. A. Philips of the Mississippi State Penitentiary to O. H. Crandall, recommending a pardon for William Brennan.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Report from Z. A. Philips, Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Jackson, Mississippi, to O. H. Crandall in Jackson, Mississippi, on the escapes of William Bently, Robert Brothers, Frank Watson, Boling Le Parish, and Frank Brady on November 4 and 6.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Z. A. Philips, Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Jackson, Mississippi, to O. H. Crandall, enclosing a report of recent escapes from the Penitentiary.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Z. A. Philips, Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Jackson, Mississippi, to O. H. Crandall, asking him to consider pardoning Jefferson Fredericks, a prisoner convicted by the Circuit Court of Yazoo County, Mississippi, for grand larceny.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Z. A. Philips, Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Jackson, Mississippi, to O. H. Crandall, asking him to consider pardoning Lizzie Green, convicted by the Circuit Court of Adams County, Mississippi, for grand larceny.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Z. A. Philips, Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Jackson, Mississippi, to O. H. Crandall, informing him of the good conduct of James Bradley, a prisoner convicted of larceny in February 1868 by the Circuit Court of Desoto County, Mississippi.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary Z. A. Philips to O. H. Crandall, providing the names, physical descriptions, birthplaces, and sentences of escaped men from the Mississippi Asylum for the Blind.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Superintendent Z. A. Philips to O. H. Crandall, enclosing descriptive list for two escaped fugitives from the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Jackson, Mississippi.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Superintendent Z. A. Philips of the Mississippi State Penitentiary to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames, requesting review and signature on military convict accounts.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Superintendent Z. A. Philips of the Mississippi State Penitentiary to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames, informing Ames of the difficulties in incarcerating Susan Stokes, a female convict that is far into a pregnancy. Philips advises that he has no place to put Stokes "out of hearing of the male convicts" during labor.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Z. A. Philips, Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary, to O. H. Crandall, concerning a warrant for Marion Kelly.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Z. A. Philips, Superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary, to O. H. Crandall, informing him that convict Orange Lee has escaped custody from a camp near Lake Bolivar, Mississippi.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Request for payment in full from J. J. Armistead at Newton, Mississippi, to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames, for a delinquent amount owed on lumber used in the construction of the Mississippi State Penitentiary.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Transcription from the Circuit Court of Marshall County, Mississippi, to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames, of the indictment, verdict, and sentence on the case of the State of Mississippi V. Henry Miller.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Ames Collection. Letter from Military Superintendent Lieutenant John R. Hynes in Jackson, Mississippi, to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames, concerning financial statements of the Mississippi State Penitentiary.