Ursula Kernell to Thomas E. Bramlette

Accession Number

KYR-0001-004-2879

Document Genre

Petition

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867

Item Location

BR17-184 to BR17-185

Date of Creation

1865

Dates Mentioned

1865-01

1865

To His Excellency
Thos. E. Bramlette
Governor of Kentucky

Your Petitioner Ursula Kernell would respectfully state that she is the Mother of G. W. Kernell, who was convicted & sentenced at the January term ^1865^ of the Jefferson circuit for Seven years.

I was not present at his trial but I have learnt from many that much sympathy was felt for him, & many believe him innocent of the crime. The Hon Judge Muir said from the bench when he passed sentence upon him that he would request your Excellency to pardon him. As we was being conveyed to the Penitentiary he jumped off of the cars & made his escape; he has never been home, but has been hiding about over the Country. He has written to me many times begging me to endeavor to get him a pardon so he could return.

He says the fear of beeing captured & taken to the Penitentiary renders him utterly miserable.
He is not a man in years, he is not twenty years old; & as for worldly Knowledge he is young in deed,

He has been well raised as my acquaintances will tesitfy, I learn that your Excellency has usually pardoned those who were reccommended by the Judge; my son would have been, I hope & pray you will not let the fact of his escape restrain you from granting him a pardon; it was not that he was a bad man that made him jump out of the cars, it was the horrors of the Penitentiary.

I am a widow & I much need the servises of my boy. I believe that if he is pardoned he will return home & be a good young man; but if he should remain a fugative, believing that every Stranger he sawees carrieds a writ for his arrest. It would be hard in deed for him to be a good boy.

I hope & pray your Excellency will grant him a pardon & restore him to me, & I will solemnly promise to dedicate my life to the purpose of making him & honest & a good man

With great respect
Ursula Kernell

Jefferson Cir Ct
vs
G W Cornell
Refused
Notified
65

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