January the 22^nd 1861
To his Excellency Beriah Magoffin
Governor of the Commonwealth of Ky

Y Dear Beriah your Old & true friend James Taulbee — a soldier of the late war of 1812 with great Britain) hereby begs leave to inform you that that before W^m Spencer Esqr for wolfe County the Commonwealth of Ky recovered a Judgment against your old friend for $5.00 for striking a drunk man by the name of kid a young stout man) who had twice thrown your old friend against the Door of a house & hurt him before he struck Kidd — & when Kidd thus hurt him it raised your old friends metal & he struck Kidd & in his ^own^ defense & was fined for it your petitioner states that he is now 66 years of age & has been married twice he first married when he was 21 years old & whilst he lived with his first wife they had nine children his first wife then died & at the age of 63 years he married the second wife & in about a year after he married his second wife she had him a fine son & in about a year after that he fed her on rams meets & she had him twins two fine boys who are now both living & I named one of the Twins Beriah Magoffin —

now dear governor I am getting very old & notwithstanding I have been a powerful man in my time yet nature is ab fast wearing me away & I am poor & if said fine is collected off of me I fear it ^will^ stint my twins & prevent them from growing up ^large^ and making good soldiers for I design my children to be soldeirs — I have thought it best to address you by private letter on the subject & not to bother your head with a long list of petitioners for I thought you would believe my word as reddily as any body eslse — - now dear governor you have got about the facts of the case & it seems like a little matter but it is not so with me I want you to remit the fine if you think proper to do so & you will confer a great and lasting favor on your old friend I hope to hear from you soon &,

I am your fr true friend
Ol James Taulbee s^r

I have Examined the above, and it Sets forth about the facts of old man Taulbees case as he gives its history himself, and as his neighbors represents it, you will observe old James Taulbee is a strange Jenius, but his letter is

about a corect representative of the man & no doubt Sets foth the facts of his case, yours with high regard,

W^m. H. Burus

Wolfe J P
Remitted.
B. M
$5. } breach
Ja^s. Taulbee
Iss^dFeby 15. 1861