Correspondence

S. M. Starling to Beriah Magoffin

1861-04-10

Date of Creation
April 10, 1861
Place of Creation
Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky
Document Genre
Correspondence
Repository
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives
Collection
Office of the Governor, Beriah Magoffin: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons and Remissions, 1859-1862
Box / Folder
MG19-218 to MG19-219
CWGK Accession Number
KYR-0001-020-0783
Rights
This image and its transcription are freely available to the public. Images appear courtesy of Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Transcriptions and annotations were created by Kentucky Historical Society staff, volunteers, and interns. When referencing this document, please use our preferred citation.; The use of transcriptions, images, or annotations from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce any material on CWGK is required.
FTP Identifier
32209191

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Dates
1861-04-10
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Citation

S. M. Starling to Beriah Magoffin, 1861-04-10, Office of the Governor, Beriah Magoffin: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons and Remissions, 1859-1862, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Accessed via the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, https://discovery.civilwargovernors.org/document/KYR-0001-020-0783 (January 25, 2026).

[Page 1]

Hopkinsville Ky April 10 1861
To his Excellency the Govr of Ky
My Dear Sir

I am urged by the friends of Solomon ^Johnathan^ Greer to write to you to ask a pardon for him from the sentence of our last circuit court.

He is sentenced to the penitentiary for 5 years for Manslaughter

You will receive many other petitions fully detailing the case, I'll not give them, suffice it to say, the whole of the dificulty arose from the slander of Greers daughter, her Brothers assaulted the slanderer, and in the fight Greer did the killing, for which he is sentenced He is 65 years old, has allways been a remarkably peacible quiet old man and the crime was done with strong cause. The idea of sending old Greer to the penitentiary to reform him is preposterous, I never knew a more general wish than that he should be pardoned. I was foreman of the Grand jury that found the indictment, and know it was found with great reluctance Your excellency may rest assured

[Page 2]

that an exhibition of your clemency in this case will be universally approved

With high respect
yr obt servant
S M Starling

His Excellency
Beriah McGoffin
Govenr of Ky