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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-0001-004-1347 BR12-87

Covington, Kenton 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. Felix McDermot (Kenton County laborer and prisoner for grand larceny) N00004881 1829? Categories: People

Covington, Kentucky, laborer. Native of Ireland. Married to Ellen McDermot. Father of Mary McDermot and Bridget McDermot. Laborer in Covington in 1860.

Relationships Legal: Kenton Circuit Court Legal: Kentucky State Penitentiary

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Kenton County, Covington, Ward 2, p. 63. Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General's Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865), NARA RG 110, Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War), Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records), Kenton County, KY, June and July 1863, p. 149, (Accessed via ancestry.com). Ellen McDermot (Covington resident) N00004878 1833 Categories: People

Covington, Kentucky, resident. Native of Ireland. Married to Felix McDermot. Mother of Mary McDermot and Bridget McDermot. Resident in Covington in 1860.

Relationships Familial: Felix McDermot (Kenton County laborer and prisoner for grand larceny)

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Kenton County, Covington, Ward 2, p. 63. Ninth Manuscript Census of the United States (1870), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Campbell County, Newport, p. 503. Covington, Kentucky P00000936 Categories: Places

Seat of Kenton County, Kentucky. Located on the Ohio River and Licking River.

Relationships Economic: John R. Ricke (Covington, Kentucky, city clerk) Economic: Andrew H. Herod (Kenton County, Kentucky, jailer) Economic: C. A. Preston (Covington, Kentucky, attorney and mayor)

39.0837, -84.5086 "Covington, Kentucky," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed June 14, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. John E. Burns, "Covington," in The Encyclopedia of Kentucky ed. John E. Kleber (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 236. Kenton Circuit Court O00000410 1840 Categories: Organizations

Located in the 9th Judicial District of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Judge(s): S. M. Moore and Joseph Doniphan. Commonwealth’s Attorney(s): W. E. Arthur and R. B. Carpenter. Clerk(s): N. B. Stephens and B. W. Foley.

Relationships Legal: Samuel H. Bannister (Kenton co farmer) Legal: John B. Stephens (Kenton co farmer) Legal: Benjamin Wilshire (Independence, Kentucky, blacksmith.) Legal: Edward A. Lamb (Kenton co farmer) Legal: Richard Mann (Covington, Kentucky, shoemaker) Legal: James L. Valandingham (Kenton Co farmer) Legal: R. Lipscomb (Kenton Co.) Legal: G. W. Miller (Campbell County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: Jesse Halton Stephens (Kenton Co farmer) Legal: Samuel Fleming Jones (Kenton Co farmer) Legal: Jordan Harris (Kenton Co farmer) Legal: Andrew J. Morris (Kenton County, Kentucky, resident) Legal: Bernard Topmiller (Cincinnati, Ohio, machinist) Legal: Henry Topmiller (Cincinnati, Ohio, plasterer) Legal: Henry H. Hellmann (Covington, KY, grocery merchant) Legal: Isaac Sutton (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, mineral water maker and business owner) Legal: J.H. Meyers (Kenton County, Kentucky, brewer) Legal: James Steers (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, teamster) Legal: William W. Rogers (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, master brick mason) Legal: Michael Moore (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, contractor ) Legal: John O'Donnell (Covington, Ky, merchant) Legal: John Buckner Lendrum (Covington, Ky, justice of the peace, mayor pro tem, and bookkeeper) Legal: John Herold (Covington, Kentucky, carding machinist) Legal: James G. Arnold (Kenton County, Ky, merchant) Legal: John Wesner (Ludlow, Kenton County, Kentucky, shoe maker) Legal: Moses Swim (Covington, Kenton County, carpenter) Legal: Peter Longshore (Covington, Ky, medicine maker, teamster) Legal: Joseph Doniphan (Bracken County, Ky, circuit judge, state rep, mayor, and attorney ) Legal: Robert Carter Richardson (Covington, Kentucky, attorney, politician, and superintendent of public instruction) Legal: Simeon Sheppard (Kenton County) Legal: Samuel W. Bloom (Cincinnati, OH, police officer) Legal: Samuel B. Laird (Covington, Kenton County, KY, tobacconist and cigar maker) Legal: Napoleon B. Stephens (Kenton County, Kentucky, county and circuit clerk) Legal: William Chester (Kenton County, Kentucky, resident) Legal: William Bridges (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, tobacconist ) Legal: Green Clay Smith (Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky attorney, politician, and soldier) Legal: Robert K. Sumerwell (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, attorney) Legal: S. Smith (Kenton County, Kentucky, resident) Legal: Robert Center (Kenton County, Kentucky, resident) Legal: Lucien Smith (Kenton County, Kentucky, resident) Legal: Willis Daniel (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, master carpenter) Legal: Francis M. Rogers (Kenton County, Kentucky, bricklayer) Legal: Thomas Dempsey (Covington, Kentucky, master tobacconist) Legal: Adam Glore (Kenton County, Kentucky, resident) Legal: Hiram Bond (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, master stone cutter) Legal: James A. Bowen (Kenton County, Kentucky, tobacconist) Legal: William H. Taylor (Kenton County, Kentucky, clerk, 1st lieut & pvt 2nd Ky Inf, ) Legal: William Maloney (Kenton County, Kentucky, brick mason) Legal: Van B. Wood (Covington, KY, carpenter) Legal: Wilson H. Horn (Kenton County, Kentucky, resident) Legal: Alfred Brown (Kenton County, Kentucky, resident) Legal: James McPherson (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, Collector) Legal: Clinton Butts (Kenton County, Kentucky, tobacconist, merchant, marshal, and magistrate) Legal: James Calvert Foy (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, stable keeper and officer (U.S.A.)) Legal: Daniel W. Clark (Kenton County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: Samuel McClelland Moore (Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, circuit judge) Legal: Alexander Campbell Ellis (Kenton County, Kentucky, deputy circuit clerk) Legal: Bushrod W. Foley (Covington, Kentucky attorney and mayor.) Legal: John T. Levis (Kenton County, Kentucky, cotton manufacturer and railroad president.) Legal: Michael Swiere (Covington, Kentucky, carpenter.) Legal: Henry Mondiek (Covington, Kentucky, teamster and grocer.)

“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), 303-08. “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), 301-06. “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), 347-50. 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. Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky 1864-11-19 Correspondence English Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 2 of page "1": 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.
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Covington Ky Nov. 19 1864 Hon Thos. E. Bramlette:

At the late term of the Kenton Circuit Court Felix McDermot was convicted of grand larceny and is now in the penitentiary -- I was at the time of his conviction acting as Commonwealths attorney & consequently heard all the testimony- In my opinion the evidence of his guilt was conclusive, but at the same time he proved a previous good character by several respectable witnesses- I am informed by reliable parties that his wife and children are in very destitute circumstances. and in view of this fact and of the fact that this was his first offense, I unite with the petitioners who ask a pardon for him -- and would be gratified to see it granted

Resptfly Yours Later Sec. Treasury, Speaker House, & Senator)

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Kenton Cir Ct vs Felix McDormott 1 year Penitentiary Sept term/64 Pardoned 23rd Nov 1864