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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-0001-004-2258 BR15-92

Frankfort, Franklin 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. A. Seaton (Frankfort, Kentucky, imprisoned) N00011421 Categories: People

Frankfort, Kentucky, imprisoned. Became ill during his sentence in the Kentucky Penitentiary in 1865. Penitentiary inspectors and physician appealed for his release in August 1865.

Relationships Legal: John L. Phythian (Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky, physician) Legal: John S. Hays (Nashville, Tennesse, and Frankfort, Kentucky, minister) Legal: John M. Mills (Frankfort, Kentucky, physician) Legal: Kentucky State Penitentiary

KYR-0001-004-2258. John M. Mills (Frankfort, Kentucky, physician) N00005126 1823? Categories: People

Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky, physician. Kentucky native. Son of Mary B. Mills. Married to Keturah H. Weisiger in Franklin County, Kentucky, on December 23, 1852. Father of Jane W. Mills. Physician in Franklin County in 1850. Served as the Grand Master of the State of Kentucky Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows from July 18, 1855 to July 14, 1856. Physician in Frankfort in 1860. Served as an Inspector of the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky, in 1865. Member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Relationships Political: Kentucky State Penitentiary Economic: Kentucky State Penitentiary

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Franklin County, District 1, p. 49A. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedule, Kentucky, Franklin County, Frankfort, p. 261. Ninth Manuscript Census of the United States (1870), Population Schedule, Kentucky, Franklin County, Frankfort, p. 111B. Kentucky Birth, Marriage and Death Records – Microfilm (1852-1910), KDLA, Roll #994027-58, Franklin County Marriages, p. 1 of 29 on microfilm (accessed via Ancestry.com). Lewis Collins and Richard H. Collins, Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky, vol. 1 (Covington, KY: Collins & Co., 1874), 532. KYR-0001-008-0002. John S. Hays (Nashville, Tennesse, and Frankfort, Kentucky, minister) N00005127 1830? 1899-01-07 Categories: People

Nashville, Tennesse, and Frankfort, Kentucky, minister. Washington County, Pennsylvania, native. Married to Frances M. Hays. Father of John L. Hays, Mary Bell Hays, Florence Hays, and Fannie Hays. Graduate of Jefferson College in Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1850. Graduate of Western Theological Seminary in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, in 1853. Clergy of the Old School Presbyterian Church. Minister in Charleston, Indiana, from 1853 to 1856. Minister of the Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville from 1856 to 1861. Minister of the Presybterian Church in Frankfort from 1862 to 1867. Served as an Inspector of the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky, in 1865.

Relationships Political: Kentucky State Penitentiary Political: John M. Mills (Frankfort, Kentucky, physician) Social: John M. Mills (Frankfort, Kentucky, physician) Economic: Kentucky State Penitentiary

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedule, Tennessee, Davidson County, Nashville, Ward 2, p. 351. Ninth Manuscript Census of the United States (1870), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville Ward 11, p. 542B-543A. "Reverend J.S. Hays D.D." The Frankfort Roundabout (Frankfort, Ky.), January 14, 1899, p. 4. KYR-0001-008-0002. John L. Phythian (Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky, physician) N00004530 1832 1896 Categories: People

Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky, physician. Pennsylvania native. Son of Charles G. Phythian and Eliza Phythian. Married to Mary Bell Taylor Phythian in Franklin County, Kentucky, in 1856. Father of William H. Phythian and Harry B. Phythian. Clerk in Franklin County in 1850. Household owned five enslaved persons in Franklin County in 1850. Physician in Frankfort in 1860. Owned one enslaved person in Franklin County in 1860.

Relationships Political: Beriah Magoffin (Governor of Kentucky 1859-1862) Economic: Kentucky State Penitentiary Familial: Charles E. Phythian (Woodford County, Kentucky, farmer) Military: Beriah Magoffin (Governor of Kentucky 1859-1862) Military: Kentucky State Guard

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Franklin County, District 1, p. 43A. Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Franklin County, District 1. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Franklin County, Frankfort, District 1, p. 81. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Franklin County, Frankfort, District 1, p. 489B. Ninth Manuscript Census of the United States (1870), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Franklin County, Frankfort, p. 105A. Kentucky Birth, Marriage and Death Records – Microfilm (1852-1910), KDLA, Roll 994034, Franklin County Marriages. "John Linton Phythian (1832-1896)," Find A Grave, Memorial 90053816, accessed November 21, 2022, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90053816. 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. 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. Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky 1865-08-22 Correspondence English Version 1 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 2 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "1": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile.
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Frankfort August 22nd 1865 Hon Thomas E. Bramlette Governor of Ky Sir

We respectfully reccommend to you, the release from confinement ^of^ A. Seaton, a prisoner in the Kentucky Penitentiary. He has been confined to the hospital for five months past, sinking from a chronic disease of consumptive character. His relatives have expressed a willingness and ability to take care of him.

In cases like the above, where the ends of justice can no longer be subserved by retaining the prisoner, and he can be well provided for outside, and his impaired physical condition being an impediment in the way of further transgression, we consider the liberation a benefit to the institution as well as humanity to the unfortunate inmate.

Very Respectfully J. M. Mills John S. Hays } Inspectors Ky Penitentiary

I concur in the above recommendation

J. L. Phythian Physician to the Ky Penitentiary