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 November 11, 2025 Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867 KYR-0001-004-0026 BR8-39

Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky James Fisher Robinson (governor, state senator, businessman, attorney, and farmer) N001004 1800-10-04 1882-10-31 Categories: People

Twenty-second governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, banker, and legislator. Son of Jonathan Robinson and Jane Black Robinson. Married to Susan D. Mansell Robinson on December 26, 1821. Father of Emilie Jane Robinson and James F. Robinson, Jr. Married Willina S. Herndon Robinson on May 30, 1842. Father of Scott Herndon Robinson, John McCracken Robinson, George Sidney Robinson, Madison Johnson Robinson, Stephen Gano Robinson, Willa Ewing Robinson, Philip Eldon Robinson, and Stephen Gano Robinson. Educated at Forest Hill Academy and Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. Trustee of Georgetown College. President of the Farmers' Bank of Georgetown. Represented Fayette and Scott Counties in the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 1851 to 1855. Owned thirty-five enslaved persons in 1860. Represented Fayette and Scott Counties in the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 1861. Speaker of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from September 3, 1861, to September 5, 1861. Speaker of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from August 16, 1861, to August 18, 1862. Governor of Kentucky from August 18, 1862, to September 1, 1863. Returned to practicing law and farming on retiring from politics in 1863.

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Scott County, District No 1, p. 216B, 230A. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Scott County, District No 2, pp. 235, 236, 252. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville Ward 4, p. 266. John David Smith, “James F. Robinson (1862-1863),” ed. Lowell H. Harrison, Kentucky’s Governors (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2004), 89-92. William Henry Engle, Pennsylvania Genealogies: Scotch-Irish and German (Harrisburg: Lane S. Hart, 1886), 553, 556-7. James Savage (Wayne County farmer and penitentiary inmate) N00004837 1830? 1913-06-18 Categories: People

Wayne County, Kentucky, farmer. Wayne County native. Son of John Savage and Rebecca Savage. Farmer in Wayne County in 1850. Inmate in the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Frankfort, Kentucky, in 1860. Sentenced in 1858 for manslaughter for the 1857 killing of Ewing Litterell. Pardoned in 1863 by Thomas E. Bramlette.

Relationships Social: Milton P. Buster (Monticello, KY, farmer, judge, senator for Wayne, Pulaski, and Clinton counties) Political: Milton P. Buster (Monticello, KY, farmer, judge, senator for Wayne, Pulaski, and Clinton counties) Political: John Lewis Sallee (Wayne County, KY, farmer and state rep 1850) Legal: Wayne Circuit Court Familial: Rebecca Savage (Wayne County, Kentucky, housewife) Familial: John Savage (Wayne County, Kentucky, farmer and basketmaker) Legal: Kentucky State Penitentiary

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Wayne County, Division 1, p. 309B. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Franklin County, Frankfort, District 1, State Penitentiary, p. 125. Vital Statistics Original Death Certificates – Microfilm (1911-1965), KDLA, Film #7016157: All Counties, Wayne, 1913, File #23202, p. 7 of 3296 of microfilm. Milton P. Buster (Monticello, KY, farmer, judge, senator for Wayne, Pulaski, and Clinton counties) N00004834 1824-12-06 1864-01-21 Categories: People

Wayne County, Kentucky, farmer, senator, and judge. Kentucky native. Married to Louisa L. Parker Buster in Wayne County, Kentucky, on November 5, 1846. Father of William Buster, Kate Buster, Sophia Buster, Charles Buster, and Sis Buster. Farmer in Wayne County in 1850. Farmer in Wayne County in 1860. Owned three enslaved persons in Wayne County in 1860. Member of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky for Wayne, Pulaski, and Clinton Counties from 1861 to 1864. Judge in Monticello in 1863. Died on January 21, 1864.

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Wayne County, Division 1, p. 284A. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Wayne County, p. 236. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Wayne County, p. 2. Kentucky Marriage Records, Madison County Courthouse, Richmond, Kentucky, Wayne County Marriages, Film #000591550. Lewis Collins and Richard H. Collins, Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky, vol. 2 (Covington, KY: Collins & Co., 1874), 754. "Milton P. Buster (1824-1864)," Find A Grave, Memorial #93627948, accessed April 27, 2017, http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93627948. "Resolutions Upon the Death of Judge M.P. Buster," in Acts of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Passed at the Session Which was Begun and Held in the City of Frankfort on Monday, the Seventh Day of December, 1863, (Frankfort, KY: The Commonwealth Office, 1864), 153. Ephraim L. Van Winkle (Pulaski Co, KY, attorney & Sec. State) N001777 1827-07-20 1866-05-23 Categories: People

Pulaski County, Kentucky, attorney, politician, and statesman. Wayne County, Kentucky, native. Son of Micajah Van Winkle and Mary Phillips Van Winkle. Married to Ellen Eliza Phillips Van Winkle. Father of Milton E. Van Winkle, Mary E. Van Winkle, Lucy A. Van Winkle, and Betty Van Winkle. Attended the Monticello Academy in Wayne County, Kentucky. Graduate of the Louisville School of Law in 1850. Attorney in Wayne County in 1850. Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from Wayne County in 1855. Commonwealth's attorney for the Sixth Judicial District in 1856. State elector for Constitutional Union Party candidate John Bell in 1860. Attorney in Pulaski County in 1860. Employed James Cowan as a day laborer in Pulaski County in 1860. Owned one enslaved person in Pulaski County in 1860. Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from September 1, 1863, to May 23, 1866.

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Wayne County, Division No. 2, p. 242B. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Pulaski County, Somerset, p. 155. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Pulaski County, Somerset District 1, p. 195A. Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records, Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War), NARA RG 110, Pulaski County, KY, July 1863, p. 163. "Ephraim Van Winkle," Office of the Kentucky Secretary of State, accessed September 22, 2021, https://web.sos.ky.gov/ofx/secsofstate?id=39. Kentucky Birth, Marriage and Death Records (1852-1910), KDLA, Rolls 994057, Wayne County Births. Somerset, Kentucky P00001061 Categories: Places

Seat of Pulaski County, Kentucky.

37.092, -84.6041 J. H. Deberry, "Somerset" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, ed. John E. Kleber (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 833. "Somerset, Kentucky," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed June 12, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. Kentucky P001800 Categories: Places

State in the upper south of the United States. Capital at Frankfort. Located on the Ohio River.

38.2009, -84.8733 "Frankfort, Kentucky," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed June 14, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. The Kentucky Encyclopedia, ed. John E. Kleber (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992). Commonwealth of Kentucky O001025 1792 Categories: Organizations

Administrative body of the state of Kentucky. Capital at Frankfort, Kentucky. Governor(s): Beriah Magoffin (1859-1862), James F. Robinson (1862-1863), and Thomas E. Bramlette (1863-1867).

Paul Blanchard, "Office of Governor" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, John E. Kleber, ed. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 380. Malcolm E. Jewell, "General Assembly" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, John E. Kleber, ed. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 366. Paul J. Weber, "Court System" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, John E. Kleber, ed. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 233. Wayne Circuit Court O00000584 Categories: Organizations

Located in the 6th Judicial District of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Judge(s): Thomas E. Bramlette and Fontaine T. Fox . Commonwealth’s Attorney(s): Ephraim L. Vanwinkle and Michael H. Owsley. Clerk(s): William Simpson and J. L. Sallee.

“Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1861,” in 1862 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document No. 1. (Frankfort, Ky.: Jno. B. Major, State Printer, 1862), 303-308; “Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1862,” in 1863 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document No. 24. (Frankfort, Ky.: Wm. E. Hughes, State Printer, 1863), 298-306; “Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1863,” in 1864 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document No. 10. (Frankfort, Ky.: Wm. E. Hughes, State Printer, 1864), 301-306; “Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1864,” in 1865 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document No. 1. (Frankfort, Ky.: George D. Prentice, State Printer, 1865), 9-12; “Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1865,” in 1865/66 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document No. 1. (Frankfort, Ky.: George D. Prentice, State Printer, 1866), 9-12; “Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1866,” in 1866 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document No. 1. (Frankfort, Ky.: John H. Harney, Public Printer, 1866), 347-350. Kentucky State Penitentiary O00000266 1798 1884 Categories: Organizations

State prison of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in Frankfort, Kentucky. Operated from 1798 to 1884. Keeper(s): Jeremiah W. South (1859-1863) and Harry I. Todd (1863-1871).

Relationships Economic: Harry Innes Todd, Sr. (Frankfort, Kentucky, merchant and penitentiary keeper) Legal: Gabriel Endicott (Lawrence County farmer and prisoner for man slaughter) Economic: Ephraim Whitesides (Frankfort, Kentucky, carpenter and assistant keeper of the penitentiary) Legal: Charles Hawkins (Frankfort, Kentucky) Legal: George Knorr (Newport, Kentucky farmer and felon) Legal: Angelo Devoto (Louisville, Kentucky, confectionery shop owner) Legal: James Duddleson (stub, mercer or boyle county) Legal: James Savage (Wayne County farmer and penitentiary inmate) Legal: James Johnson (Campbell County, Kentucky, prisoner) Economic: James Landon Sneed (Franklin County, Kentucky farmer and clerk) Economic: Robert W. Lawler (Franklin County, Kentucky, prison guard) Legal: William J. Tice (Steele) (Jefferson Co, Frankfort, and Covington, KY) Legal: Felix McDermot (Kenton County laborer and prisoner for grand larceny) Legal: David Schroeder (Louisville, Kentucky, butcher) Legal: Thomas Edrington (Louisville, Kentucky, carpenter and convict) Legal: Francis Pace (Harlan County, Kentucky, resident) Legal: Thomas Birmingham (Jefferson County, Kentucky) Legal: Daniel Bush (Jefferson County, Kentucky) Legal: William Nichols (Covington, KY steel mill worker) Legal: Charles T. Sullivan (Jefferson County, Kentucky, resident and inmate) Political: James Landon Sneed (Franklin County, Kentucky farmer and clerk) Political: Robert W. Lawler (Franklin County, Kentucky, prison guard) Political: John T. Hockensmith (Franklin County, KY, prison guard) Political: Luther S. Prentiss (Franklin County, KY, miller) Political: Robert W. Willhoit (Franklin County, Kentucky, petitioner ) Political: R. K. Taylor (Franklin County, Kentucky, prison guard. ) Political: James Gallahue (Franklin County, Kentucky, prison guard. ) Political: Thomas J. Frazier (Breathitt County, Kentucky, postmaster, politician, judge, and Register of the Land Office) Political: L. Tobias (Franklin County, Kentucky, prison guard) Legal: Thomas B. Wadlington (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: Wesley [Unknown] (Caldwell County, Kentucky, enslaved man) Legal: William J. Wadlington (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farm laborer. ) Legal: Hezekiah Alexander Jr. (Meade County, Kentucky, resident. ) Legal: William Duerbeck (Ohio River boat steward.) Legal: John Smith (Mont Wilson) (Frankfort, Kentucky, inmate.) Legal: Austin Bingham (Trigg County, Kentucky, laborer. Convicted of murder in 1859.) Legal: Jeremiah W. South (Franklin County, Kentucky, farmer and keeper of the State Penitentiary) Legal: John J. Dyer, Jr. (Trigg County, Kentucky, farmer and sheriff.) Legal: William Johnson (Convicted of grand larceny in Franklin Circuit Court in 1863.) Legal: Daniel W. Clark (Kenton County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: Stephen W. Duval (McLean County, Kentucky, laborer and soldier.)

Calvin Fairbank, Rev. Calvin Fairbank During Slavery Times: How He “Fought the Good Fight” to Prepare “The Way” (Chicago: R. R. McCabe & Co., 1890), 54-56; 104-117; 139-46. J. W. South. “Report of the Keeper and Lessee of the Kentucky Penitentiary to the General Assembly, September 13, 1861,” Legislative Document Series, No. 7 (Frankfort, Ky.: Jno. B. Major, State Printer, 1862), 3-13. Report of the Special Committee on the Penitentiary to the Senate of Kentucky, February 26, 1880, Legislative Document No. 18 (Frankfort: E. H. Porter, 1880), 78. William C. Sneed, A Report on the History and Mode of Management of the Kentucky Penitentiary from its Origin, in 1798, to March 1, 1860 (Frankfort: Senate of Kentucky, 1860), 553. Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky 1863-03-21 Correspondence English Version 2 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 1 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "2": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 0 of page "1": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile.
1

Somerset Ky March 21st 1863, Governer Robinson Dear Sir

As attorney for the Commonwealth I prosecuted one James Savage in the Wayne Circuit Courtupon a charge of Manslaughter, Savage was convicted & sentenced to 10 years Confinement in the Penitentiary, He has now served out about one half of the time. I now write for the purpose of inducing you to pardon him and release him from the balance of the judgment of the Court, I feel impelled to this course from a concientious regard fromfor the just administration of the law. The conduct of the deceased at the time he was slain was such as no man could have refrained from violence and altho technacally quilty of Manslaughter Savage has already dearly & fully in my judgment expiated the crime, Senator Buster informs me that he has already furnished you with a statement containing the substance of the testimony I therefore refrain from a repetition. And join him in an earnest appeal to you to let the poor fellow out -- He was always a good boy honest and industrious, and stood well when the unfortunate affair occurred which has cost him his liberty,

I am yours Truly E L Van Winkle

2

E. S. Vanwinkle for Pardon of Savage