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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-0001-004-2289 BR15-157 to BR15-158

Fredonia, Caldwell County, Kentucky Fredonia, Caldwell County, Kentucky 1865-08-17 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 1 of page "3": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "3": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "2": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "1": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile.
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Fredonia Kentucky Govenor T. E. Bramlette Sir

Enclosed I send you a copy of some Indictments with a petition for the pardon of one of the accused Jas, W, Wilson, As as I am informed that you are a father you will believe me, when I say that it is with confusion of face and saddened heart, that I approach Your Excellency to ask, that you pardon my son from Indictments for Larceny.

Fifty years ago oweing to the fluctuations of commerce my father was forced to leave his native heather, and seek in new clime, support for a large & helpless family, but hardly had his foot pressed Amercan soil before he fell a victim to disease and as I was the eldest and a boy of ten it devolved upon me to support my widowed mother and

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orphaned brothers and sisters, I strove manfully to do my duty, and I tha^n^k God that I was enabled to do it. I fed and educated them, all were esteemed and were good citizens.afnd fortune smiled kindly upon me, by energy and industry I was enabled to amass a large fortune and I have nine sons and daughters of whom I have good reasons to be proud, and there is no blight upon their name, save the one accused above, And I believe there is some apology for him, it is within Your Excellency knowledge, with what relentless fury the waves of revolution swept over this part of Ky. and with ^what^ industry the Rebel Leaders worked upon the passions of the people and how successful in reduceing them to crime.

In the latter part of the Spring 1864 a Lt, Col. Cunningham commanding colored troops at Paducak Ky,

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was makeing raids in this part of the State for the purpose of pressing negroes into the service and in one of his raids he went to my farm pressed several of my negroes into the service threw down my fences, carried several of my mules and horses away and when my wife remonstrated with them, the officer & men cursed her. my son (who was at College at the time) when he heard of the indignity offered his mother was highly and justly incensed. and by the wicked manifestations of of the rebel sypathisers he was induced to go into the rebellion, but he was away from ^home^ only three day's he surrendered himself to the federal authorities and was immediately released. As to my own views I was a Whig then and a Know Nothing (though a foreigner) then Anti Lecompton supporting Bell for President, Your Excellency for Govenor

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and in the late election ^for^ the Amendment. I have always tried to do my duty as a citizen and if I had been at home I believe that I could have prevented my son from takeing so false and wicked a step.

And I humbly ask your excellency to pardon my son from the inclosed Indictments if you do not deem it in violation of your duty (my son is not in custody) and if you cannot pardon him please be so kind as to let me know so that me and mine can go to that dear old land that gave me birth, and whatever your decision may we please direct it to R. L. Wilson at Princeton Ky.

Believe your esteemed servent Jas. Wilson August 17" 1865.