<title type="main">A. P. Gorsuch 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 5 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-0001-020-1812 MG23-184 to MG23-185

Jefferson County, Kentucky Jefferson County, Kentucky 1862-04-26 Petition English Version 1 of page "6": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "6": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 0 of page "5": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. 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 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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Hon. Beriah Magoffin Govr. of Kentucky,

Your Petitioner, A. P. Gorsuch, would respectully petition that during the summer of 1861, his son James G. Gorsuch being a captain of a company of the Kentucky ^State^ Guard, was invited by several of his friends to bring his company out in the neighborhood of Elizabethtown to drill in camp for instruction. He returned to the City, leaving his company with their arms there, when he was arrested for misapproing state arms there, and I was called upon to go, with several others, legal gentlemen, on his recognisance, to appear at the next term of the Jefferson Circuit Court. I was informed by some of the attorneys that he had the right to hold Camp for instruction in the neighborhood, and that he violated no law by so doing. I am satisfied he had not violated ^any law^ in so doing. I knew others as well as himself had done the same thing in this neighborhood before.

Upon the time of the holding the Oct. term 1861, of the said Court, the war was rageing to such an extent here, the Federal Government recruiting with great vigor in this City, that it became very unsafe for anyone who did not endorse the acts of the Administration to

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remain. Some had been arrested without any cause known to them; and the said Gorsuch became frightened and did not appear, and the recognisance was forfeited. One other ^party^ besides myself was summoned upon the forfeiture and you have remitted same; the others and more responsible parties have gone away, leaving me as the only remaining one to pay the whole claim of Eight Hundred Dollars, the amount of the forfeiture taken 24th Octr. 1861. Petitioner understands that said J. G. Gorsuch has never taken up arms against the Government, and what has become of the arms he is not informed. They may have been restored to the County Court, as to this he does not know however. Your petitioner would state that he is an old and feeble man of 69 years, with a helpless family to support, and that he is verry poor, and totally unable under the pressure of the times to pay this debt if judgement be rendered against him. Indeed if he be compelled to pay it, his family and himself will be left entirely destitute of everything.

He prays that you may take the previous into consideration and grant him a remission of said forfeiture before judgement is taken, and he will ever pray. A P Gorsuch

A. P. Gorsuch says he believes the statments

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contained in the foregoing petition are true.

A P Gorsuch

Sworn to before me the 26th day of Apr. 1862 Jeff Brown Notary Public Jefferson County

We the undersigned petitioners join in the prayer of A. P. Gorsuch for Executive Clemency

Shortly after the Judgement above was rendered the legislature repealed the law making it a Felony to remove &c public arms & under all the circumstances I would be glad to see this Judgement remitted

Geo. W. Johnston C. C. Spencer Henry Wolford Jas P Chambers William Cromey

I know Mr Gorsuch well for many years he is poor but industrious & I would be glad to see him released of the Bond as it will take all he has to pay the Bond & has a Family

Z, M, Sherley

I know nothing of the facts stated in the above petition & must not be understood as endorsing or approving the statements therein, yet I hope the prayer of the petition may be granted.

P. B. Muir

I know nothing of this case; but I have known Mr. Gorsuch, the petitioner for several years, and I think him a clever man, and would be pleased to see him released from this penalty.

Henry Pirtle Isaac Caldwell Geo A Caldwell Bidermann duPont

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J C Buckles ola Reliable A M. Gill D. S. Benedict & E. W. Benedict Jeff. Brown. T. M. Ervin J. L. Lithgow Wm Gay E L Huffman Wm E Glover

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Jefferson Cir Ct $800. } Forfeiture A. P. Gorsuch Remission Issd May. 1. 1862