<title type="main">Thomas Edwards, Affidavit Edition created from new transcripts of this manuscript. Initial upload of this work's facsimile images and metadata to FromThePage for editing Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections Administrator of the CWGK Migration transcription project on FromThePage Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections made 3 edits between June 21, 2025 and June 21, 2025. Dynamic TEI export from FromThePage (version 22.10)

This image and transcription is publicly accessible. The image appears courtesy of the repository named in the Source Description. The transcription and annotation were undertaken by Kentucky Historical Society staff, volunteers, and interns. If referencing this document title, accession number, and permanent URL.

 November 11, 2025 Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Requisitions for the Return of Fugitives from Justice, 1863-1867 KYR-0001-006-0020 BR6-22

Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky George D. McKinney (Mercer County, Ky, student & pvt 9th Ky Cav USA) N00005926 1843-01-10 1920-04-21 Categories: People

Mercer County, Kentucky, student and soldier. Kentucky native. Son of Hardin McKinney and Ellen Cole McKinney. Resident of Mercer County, Kentucky, in 1850. Attended school in Mercer County in 1860. Served in the 9th Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry Regiment (U.S.A.) as a private from August 22, 1862, to September 11, 1863. Charged with the murder of John J. Gritton in Mercer County in 1864. Fugitive from justice in 1864.

Relationships Legal: John Gritton (Mercer County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: John J. Gritton (Mercer County, Kentucky, farmer & murder victim) Legal: Mercer County Court

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Mercer County, District 2, p. 318B. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Mercer County, District 2, p. 673. Find A Grave, "George David McKinney (1843-1920)," Memorial #177893964, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177893964/george-david-mckinney (accessed July 14, 2021). Indiana Death Certificates, 1900–2011, Indiana State Department of Health and Vital Records, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, IN, Certificate #16542. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky, vol. 1, 1861-1866 (Frankfort: Kentucky Yeoman Office, 1866), 245. John J. Gritton (Mercer County, Kentucky, farmer & murder victim) N00005884 1819? 1864-01-19 Categories: People

Mercer County, Kentucky, farmer. Kentucky native. Married to Elizabeth McKinney Gritton in Mercer County, Kentucky, in December 1843. Father of Elizabeth Gritton, William Gritton, and Charles Gritton. Married to Mary Ann Reed Gritton in Mercer County, Kentucky, in December 1854. Father of Louisa Gritton and Matty A. Gritton. Farmer in Mercer County in 1850. Farmer in Mercer County in 1863. Murdered in Mercer County, Kentucky, allegedly by George D. McKeney, on January 19, 1864.

Relationships Legal: Mercer County Court

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Mercer County, District 2, p. 309A-B. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Mercer County, District 2, p. 672. Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War) NARA RG 110, Mercer County, KY, June and July 1863, p. 6. Kentucky Birth, Marriage and Death Records (1852-1910), KDLA, Frankfort, KY, Roll #994049: Mercer County Deaths. Kentucky Marriage Records, Madison County Courthouse, Richmond, Kentucky, Mercer County Marriages, Film #000191858. Kentucky Marriage Records, Madison County Courthouse, Richmond, Kentucky, Mercer County Marriages, Film #000191861. KYR-0001-005-0021. 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. Thomas Edwards (Mercer County, Kentucky, druggist & judge) N00003674 1806-09-29 1882-01-31 Categories: People

Mercer County, Kentucky, druggist and judge. Kentucky native. Married to Nancy E. Edwards. Father of William W. Edwards, Mary Y. Edwards, William H. H. Edwards, Alice Edwards, James Edwards, and Ann E. Edwards. Druggist in Mercer County in 1860. Presiding judge of the Mercer County Court in Harrodsburg from 1860 to 1865.

Relationships Legal: Mercer County Court Economic: Mercer Circuit Court Legal: Mercer Circuit Court Legal: Leticia Gray (Mercer County) Economic: Mercer County Court Political: Mercer County Court Social: Elison H. Carter (Mercer County, KY, blacksmith and private 9th KY Cav USA) Legal: George D. McKinney (Mercer County, Ky, student & pvt 9th Ky Cav USA) Legal: John J. Gritton (Mercer County, Kentucky, farmer & murder victim)

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Mercer County, Salvisa, p. 803-04. Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1862, Legislative Document Series, 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, Legislative Document Series, No. 10 (Frankfort, Ky.: Wm. E. Hughes, State Printer, 1864), 301-06. "Judge Thomas Edwards (1806-1882)," Find A Grave, Memorial #99947897, accessed August 30, 2017, http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/99947897. KYR-0001-004-0156. KYR-0001-005-0021. KYR-0001-005-0130. KYR-0001-029-0552. Corydon Sackett Abell (Mercer County, Kentucky, physician, Mercer Co Court clerk, State Rep) N00003678 1816-11-06 1903-04-20 Categories: People

Mercer County, Kentucky, physician, politician, and court clerk. New York native. Son of Russell Abel and Thankful Hunter Abel. Married to Mary Lock Moore Abell. Father of Mary M. Abell and Thomas Russell Abell. Assistant surgeon in the 3rd United States Dragoons during the U. S. - Mexican War from April 1847 to July 1848. Physician in Mercer County, Kentucky, in 1850. Owned four enslaved persons in Mercer County in 1850. Physician in Mercer County in 1860. Member of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from Mercer County from 1859 to 1861. Clerk of the Mercer County Court from 1862 to 1864.

Relationships Economic: Mercer County Court Political: Mercer County Court Political: Thomas Edwards (Mercer County, Kentucky, druggist & judge) Legal: George D. McKinney (Mercer County, Ky, student & pvt 9th Ky Cav USA) Legal: John J. Gritton (Mercer County, Kentucky, farmer & murder victim)

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Mercer County, Harrodsburg, District No. 2, p. 367B. Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Mercer County, Harrodsburg, District No. 2, p. 913. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Mercer County, Harrodsburg, p. 6. Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1862, Legislative Document Series, No. 24 (Frankfort, KY: Wm. E. Hughes, State Printer, 1863), 303. Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1863, Legislative Document Series, No. 10 (Frankfort, KY: Wm. E. Hughes, State Printer, 1864), 306. Francis B. Heitman, Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, from It's _The Harrodsburg Herald (Harrodsburg, KY), April 23, 1903. Letters Received by the Office of the Adjutant General, Main Series, 1861-1870, NARA RG 94, Microfilm Series M619, Roll 0003. Lewis Collins and Richard H. Collins, Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky, vol. 2 (Covington, KY: Collins & Co., 1878), 604. Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903, vol. 1, part 2 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1903), 150. Gertrude B. Darwin and Sarah Hall Johnson, _Lineage Book of the Charter Members of the DAR, vol. 031 (Washington, DC: DAR, 1901) 266. "Dr. Corydon S. Abell (1816-1903)," Find A Grave, Memorial #55221621, accessed August 30, 2017, http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55221621. Mercer County, Kentucky P00000556 Categories: Places

County in central Kentucky. Seat at Harrodsburg. Located on the Kentucky River.

Relationships Political: Ephraim J. Polk (Mercer County, Kentucky, attorney and examiner for Mercer County)

37.7623, -84.8433 "Harrodsburg, Kentucky," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed September 25, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. Ron D. Bryant, “Mercer County,” in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, ed. John E. Kleber (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 627. Harrodsburg, Kentucky P00000555 Categories: Places

Seat of Mercer County, Kentucky.

37.7623, -84.8433 "Harrodsburg, Kentucky," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed July 9, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. Ron D. Bryant, “Mercer County,” in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, ed. John E. Kleber (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 627. 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. Mercer County Court O00000659 Categories: Organizations

Located in Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky. Administratively contains the county offices of the sheriff, coroner, surveyor, jailer, county assessor, county attorneys, and constables. Judge(s): Christopher Chinn (1860-1861), Thomas Edwards (1862-1865). Clerk(s): Thomas Allin, Corydon Sackett Abell, and Benjamin C. Allin.

Relationships Legal: James Duddleson (stub, mercer or boyle county)

Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1861, Legislative Document Series, 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, Legislative Document Series, 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, Legislative Document Series, 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, Legislative Document Series, 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, Legislative Document Series, 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, Legislative Document Series, No. 1 (Frankfort, KY: John H. Harney, Public Printer, 1866), 347-50. Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky 1864-02-23 Legal/Financial 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

Commonwealth of Kentucky Mercer County Sct. Feby 23rd 1864,

It appearing to the satisfaction of the undersigned Presiding Judge of the county court for the county aforesaid that on or about the 19th day of January 1864 one George W. McKinney murdered John J Gritton in the county of Mercer and that said George W, McKinney is now a fugitive from justice; these are therefore respectfully to request his eExcellency the Governor to offer a reward of five hundred dollars for the apprehension of the said McKinney and his safe delivery to the legal authorities of the county for trial.

Given under my hand at Harrodsburg in said county this 23d Feby. 1864.

Thos Edwards Presiding Judge of Mercer County Court

Attest C. S. Abell clerk Mercer CO. Court Ky

2

Mercer Co $250 Reward for Geo W McKinney 24th Feby 1864