John S. Nixon to Beriah Magoffin
1861-10-19
- Date of Creation
- October 19, 1861
- Place of Creation
- Covington, Kenton 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
- MG22-17 to MG22-18
- CWGK Accession Number
- KYR-0001-020-1452
- 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
- 32209860
Citation
John S. Nixon to Beriah Magoffin, 1861-10-19, 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-0001-020-1452 (February 16, 2026).
To His Excellency,
Beriah Magoffin;
Governor of Ky.
Dear Sir;
I herewith transmit to you the papers in reference to the pardon of William Nichols, a convict now confined in the penitentiaryat Frankfort, and in the name of humanityimplore your Excellency to give them your attention, at your very earliest convenience.
The papers are three several petitions, which I have numbered 1, 2, and 3; and also the letter of Hon. John F. Fisk, and my late partner M. M. Benton. The petition No 1. is signed by several members of the bar, the clerk of the court, (Mr Ellis) the Mayor of ths city (HonJohn A. Goodson) the city Marshall, (Clinton Butts) and others, who happened to be present and heard the evidence. This is the petition of which Mr Benton speaks in his letter. — No 2 is signed by the immediate neighbors of Nichols, Mr Geo Phillips and the description of persons who have signed it certified to by the book=keeper of Messrs. Phillips & Son, his employers. — No 3 is signed by all the jurors who tried Nichols' case but one, and by divers others respectable and well known citizens, among whom is George Phillips, in whose rolling mill Nichols has worked for the last three years.
I had intended to have the jurors sign No 1, but the person who had No 3. had obtained the first four jurors' names, before I was aware of the fact, and I thought best to have them all sign the same paper.
I trust it may be consistent with your Excellency's Sense of duty, to restore this man to his distressed and helpless, and now worse than orphan, little children, and "the blessing of those ready to perish shall rest upon you"
Yours truly
CovingtonKy.