<title type="main">Dennis C. Keley 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-0001-020-1099 MG20-204 to MG20-206

Jefferson County, Kentucky Jefferson County, Kentucky 1861-05-07 Petition English Version 1 of page "5": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "5": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "3": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "4": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "3": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. 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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To His Excellancy Governor McGoffin

Your petitioner D. C. Kelly would respectfully state that, say a Couple of terms ago of the Jefferson Circuit Court one P. E Kelly was indicted for a felony in sd Court -- that sd P. E. Kelly has a fimily consisting of a wife & several one children who were entirely dependant on him for a support.

That at the earnest solicitations of his family and purely as an act of Kindness to them, your petitioner was induced to become surety and did become surety for the accused in the final sum of six hundred dollars for, his appearance to stand his trial.

The accused did appear at the previous term to wit the January term 1861 -- that for some cause or other the cause was Continued to the present May term thereof. Your petitioner would further state that the accused had always evinced a disposition to appear and surrender himself into the custody of the court purposely to stand his trial. That your petitioner within a few days last past saw him daily & felt quite certain that the accused would appear and surrender himself into custody.

Your petitioner would further state that to his utter astonishment & surprize the accused a few days since (as he learned with great regret) left the state of Kentucky, has abandoned his family, and Consequently did not appear and surrender himself in the custody of the court upon the calling of

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docket thereof which sd calling as had on Monday the 6th of May 1861.

That a forfeiture of the recognizance was had and a scire facias was ordered thereon

Your petitioner would respectfully state that he has a family consisting of a wife & five children entirely dependant on him for a support, that he is a poor man, is dependant on his daily earnings from quite a small business to support them with. He would further state that should a judgment be had against him on the forfeited recognizance & he have to pay the same it will strip him of all his hard earnings & leave him & his family in a destitute condition.

In view of the facts your petitioner has no other alternative left but to askrespectfully to ask your Excellancy to extend to him such relief as would be right & proper by asking your Excellancy to remit sd forfeiture or so much thereof as your Excellancy may think right & proper in view of the premises; again respectfully reiterating that should he be obliged to pay the amount of sd forfeited recognizance it will take all of his hard earnings to liquidate the same & leave him utterly destitute of the means necessary to support his family with. Hoping that your Excellancy will favorably consider his case as in duty bound he will ever pray &c

State of Kentucky Jefferson County } Sct

Dennis C Kelly says the

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statements made in the foregoing petition are true as he verily believes

Dennis. C. Kelly

Subscribed & sworn to before me this 7th day of May 1861

Jos Clement J. P J C

We the undersigned state that we are acquainted with D. C. Kelly and would say that he is a worthy man and in our opinion deserving of any clemancy that his Excellancy the Governor of Kentucky may think proper to extend to him.

Louisville, May 7th 1861.

Fred Webber J. A. Cord M Mitchell W. H. Sparke Jno T. Gaughan W. C. Perrin R. C. Mathews A W Kayes John Guinan John. C. Gils. Edw A Preuss. John Kuhbanck W P Boone James McDermott C. Ripley Wm Musselman Jno. S. Carpenter R. McKee WilliamConway W. H. Stokes W. N. Haldeman John Snyder Chas G Smith

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Respite 12 mo B, M. Jefferson Cir. Ct $600 } Recog D. C. Kelly IssdMay 13. 1861