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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-0001-004-0035 BR8-51 to BR8-52

Maysville, Mason County, Kentucky Thomas Elliott Bramlette (KY governor 1863-67, atty, D.A., col 3rd KY Inf) N001000 1817-01-03 1875-01-12 Categories: People

Twenty-third governor of Kentucky, attorney and soldier. Cumberland County, Kentucky, native. Married to Sallie Travis Bramlette in September 1837. Father of James T. Bramlette, William L. Bramlette, Eugene Bramlette, and Corrina Bell Bramlette. Practiced law in Clinton County, Kentucky, and Columbia, Kentucky. Represented Cumberland and Clinton counties in the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 1841 to 1843. Commonwealth's attorney of the 8th Judicial District of Kentucky from 1848 to 1850. Owned two enslaved persons in 1850. Circuit judge of the 6th Judicial District of Kentucky from 1856 to 1861. Owned nine enslaved persons in 1860. Served as colonel of the 3rd Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment (U.S.A.) from 1861 to 1862. District attorney of the United States District Court for Kentucky in 1863. Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from September 1, 1863, to September 3, 1867. Owned law firm of Bramlette & Van Winkle in partnership with Ephraim L. Van Winkle.

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Clinton County, District No. 1, p. 181A. Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Clinton County, District No. 1, p. 335 (p. 2 of 2 on microfilm). Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Adair County, The Town of Columbia 1st Division, p. 13 (p. 2 of 3 on microfilm). Ninth Manuscript Census of the United States (1870), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville Ward 8, p. 83B. Ross A. Webb, “Thomas E. Bramlette (1863-1867)” in Lowell H. Harrison, ed., Kentucky’s Governors (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2004), 93-97 Lowell H. Harrison, "Bramlette, Thomas Elliott" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, John E. Kleber, ed. (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 112-13. William M. Bartley (Ripley, OH laborer) N00005427 1840? Categories: People

Ripley, Ohio, laborer. Kentucky native. Son of George Bartley and Narcissa Bartley. Married Sarah E. Bartley. Laborer in Ripley in 1860. Convicted of grand larceny in the Mason Circuit Court in Maysville, Kentucky in August 1863. Imprisoned in the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Frankfort, Kentucky, from August 1863 to November 1863. Pardoned by Thomas E. Bramlette on November 5, 1863.

Relationships Familial: Sarah C. Bartley (Ripley, Ohio) Social: Richard W. Watkins (Mason County, Kentucky, grocer) Social: Samuel Hemphill (Ripley, OH, grocer) Social: James Wilson Frost (Ripley, OH merchant) Social: Harvey Palmer (Ripley, OH, house carpenter)

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Ohio, Brown County, Ripley post office, p. 3; KYR-0001-004-0035; KYR-0001-004-0038. Sarah C. Bartley (Ripley, Ohio) N00005423 1842? Categories: People

Ripley, Ohio, resident. Virginia native. Married William M. Bartley.

Relationships Legal: Elijah Connor Phister (Mason County, KY, circuit court judge, attorney, and later? mayor) Familial: William M. Bartley (Ripley, OH laborer)

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Ohio, Brown County, Ripley post office, p. 3; 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. Elijah Connor Phister (Mason County, KY, circuit court judge, attorney, and later? mayor) N00005415 1822-10-08 1887-05-16 Categories: People

Mason County, Kentucky, attorney and judge. Maysville, Kentucky, native. Son of Conrad Phister and Mary W. Conner Phister. Married to Jane A. Phister. Father of Anna E. Phister, Mary S. Phister, Amelia N. Phister, Thomas R. Phister. Graduated from Augusta College in Augusta, Kentucky, in 1840. Studied law with John Sargent in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Admitted to the bar in 1844. Practiced law with the firm of Payne & Waller in Mason County. Circuit court judge in Maysville in 1860. Employed two enslaved persons owned by Joseph B. Lindsey in Mason County in 1860.

Relationships Legal: William M. Bartley (Ripley, OH laborer) Legal: Sarah C. Bartley (Ripley, Ohio) Legal: Matthew Warnock (Greenup County, KY, farmer) Legal: L. D. Ross (Greenup County, KY, attorney) Legal: Arnold Snider (Greenup County, KY, farmer and soldier) Legal: Greenup Circuit Court Political: Thomas A. Respass (Mason County, Kentucky, attorney) Political: Isaac Nelson (Maysville, Kentucky merchant) Political: John C. Adams (Greenup County, Kentucky, judge and lawyer) Legal: Erastus "Tuce" Lambden (Maysville, Mason County, Kentucky, saloon keeper) Legal: Mason Circuit Court

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Mason County, District 2, p. 172. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Salve Schedules, Kentucky, Mason County, District 2, p. 21. Paul A. Tenkotte and James C. Claypool, eds., The Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2009), 715. Maysville, Kentucky P00001219 Categories: Places

Seat of Mason County, Kentucky. Located on the Ohio River.

38.6412, -83.7444 Jean W. Calvert, "Maysville" in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, ed. John E. Kleber (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 621-22. " Maysville, Kentucky," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed October 21, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. Frankfort, Kentucky P00000308 Categories: Places

Capital of Kentucky. Seat of Franklin County, Kentucky. Located on the Kentucky River.

38.2009, -84.8733 "Frankfort, Kentucky," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed July 16, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. Robert M. Rennick, Kentucky Place Names (Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1987), 108. Ripley, Ohio P00005430 Categories: Places

Town in Brown County, Ohio. Located on the Ohio River.

38.7456, -83.8449 Ripley, Ohio: Its History and Families (Indiana University, 1965). USGS: Earth Explorer, “Ripley, Ohio," https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ (accessed on August 4, 2020). Mason Circuit Court O00000426 Categories: Organizations

Circuit court located in the 10th Judicial District of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Judge(s): E. C. Phister and L. W. Andrews. Commonwealth’s Attorney(s): R. H. Stanton and George M. Thomas. Clerk(s): Keith Berry and John M. Duke, Jr.

Relationships Legal: William Carr (Mays Lick, Kentucky, hotel keeper) Legal: James C. Brookover (Maysville, Kentucky, grocery merchant) Legal: James Hessen (Maysville, Kentucky, drayman) Legal: Arthur F. Dobyns (Mason County, Kentucky, magistrate) Political: William H. Savage (Mason County, Kentucky, retail clerk and attorney)

“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), 304-305 “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. Maysville, Mason County, Kentucky 1863-09-29 Correspondence English Version 1 of page "4": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "4": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 2 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 2 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "3": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. 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.
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Maysville Ky Sept 29th 1863. Govr Bramlette Frankfort Ky Dr, Sir.

Enclosed I send you a copy of an Indictment in the Mason Circuit Court Ky against Wm. M. Bartley for grand larceny, also the verdict of the Jury in said case, which recommended your Excellency to pardon him; all duly certified by the Clerk. I also send to you the Petition of to the same effect- and his wifeof a large number of the best citizens of Ripley Ohio, whom I know by reputation to be such and some of them I know personally. I send also two letters from his wife to me on the same subject.

I will say in addition to what is presented in the enclosed documents, that the health of his wife is quite delicate- that her father is a very poor man and lost one of his hands in a saw mill and is unable to support her- and that the prisoner's father is also a poor man, hard-working, industrious & respectable; but unable to support her and the children. She is in a very helpless and forlorn condition without her husband. I think the ends of justice have

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been subserved by his conviction and incarceration in the Penitentiary up to the present time

The trial and verdict and recommendation of the Jury were in August 1863, before the close of Gov. Robinson's term. But knowing that he would have an accumulation of more important duties at the close of his term, and that the same would be the case with yourself in the beginning of your term; I have not troubled you with this application until the present, when I supposed you would have time to attend to it.

I recommend it to your favorable consideration

Respectfully Yours

E. C. Phister.

P.S. The prisoner is in the Penitentiary- and if you should conclude to pardon him, please have the Pardon delivered to him.

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Nov 5th 1863

The Jury having recommended a Pardon in their verdict, and the reasons otherwise presented make a case for Executive clemency A pardon is ordered

Tho E Bramlette Govr of Ky

Mason Cir. Ct vs Wm M. Bartley Grand Larceny