<title type="main">John H. Groom, Jr. to Beriah Magoffin 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 4 edits between June 22, 2025 and June 22, 2025. Dynamic TEI export from FromThePage (version 22.10)

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 November 11, 2025 Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Office of the Governor, Beriah Magoffin: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons and Remissions, 1859-1862 KYR-0001-020-0510 MG18-291 to MG18-292

Clinton County, Kentucky Clinton County, Kentucky 1861-01-21 Petition 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 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "3": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. 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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To his Excellency Honorable Beriah Magoffin Governor of Kentucky:

Your petitioner John Groom Jr respectfully represents that at the June Term 1860 of the Clinton Circuit court, he was indicted for taking and carrying away a horse not his own and at the same term of said court he was tried and found guilty and fined one hundred dollars. He further represents that, at the Same term, he filed grounds for a new trial, and to Sustain his motion he filed (among others) an affidavit of John J Denton (the main witness in the case for the Commonwealth) stating that he (Denton) had not been sworn before testifying -- Said motion for a new trial was continued till the next term of the court at which time, the motion was overruled -- But the Commonwealth,s Attorney agreed to have the judgment set aside if your petitioner would confess judgment for fifty dollars, and in order to make his fine as small as possible he did confess judgment for that amount.

Your petitioner would respectfully represent that he did not take or have anything to do with the horse, and that it was said Denton who took and rode the horse instead of your petitioner, and that he (petitioner) never touched the horse unless it was to place the bridle over the horses head when turned loose by Denton -- The fault of your petitioner was that he was young and inexperienced and caught in bad company, and got in a spree one night with Denton who rode the horse and turned it loose in the morning

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He thinks he ought not to be fined for other peoples faults, he therefore petitions your Excellency to remit said fine -- Besides being young and poor and desirous of having a good name and becoming a useful member of society, he does not want to be cut down in his youth and before he arrives to the age of manhood --

Very respectfully and humbly Submitted

John H. Groom Jr

Sworn to before me by John H. Groom this 21st day of January 1861

Wm Nann P J. C. C. C

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To the Govenor of Kentucky:

Your petitioners would respectfully State to your Excellency that your petitioner John Groom jr is a boy of very good intellect and capable of becoming a useful member of society and that we believe him entitled to full credit on oath -- Neither he nor Denton do we Suppose intended to injure the property of any man further than they wanted fun and the horse was rode by some person (one of them) We would be glad if you could if you feel it in your power and duty to remit the fine against said Groom, believing that the cost in the case will be a Sufficient chastisement --

Wm Vonn C P Gray J J Wood G. W. Braswell J W Gwinn J. M. Harper M S Wheeler E V Trammell J M Elder

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Clinton Cir. Ct $100 } Misdemeanor John Groom Remission Issd Jany 30. 1861

Remitted B. M