<title type="main">Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Wesley (a slave), Judgment 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 2 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, Apprehension of Fugitives from Justice Papers, 1859-1862 KYR-0001-021-0032 MG8-119

Caldwell County, Kentucky Wesley [Unknown] (Caldwell County, Kentucky, enslaved man) N00014506 1863-01-10 Categories: People

Caldwell County, Kentucky, enslaved man. Enslaved by Jesse Williams in Princeton, Kentucky. Commanded by Jesse Williams to shoot Edmund Stevens on May 25, 1859. Escaped the Caldwell County Jail on April 13, 1861. Sentenced to death for the murder of Edmund Stevens in Caldwell County on June 15, 1861. Sentenced to be hanged on September 6, 1861, in the Caldwelll Circuit Court on June 15, 1861. Death sentence commuted to life in prison on August 26, 1861. Died in the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Frankfort on January 10, 1863.

Relationships Legal: Jesse Stevens (Caldwell County, Kentucky, sheriff and farmer) Legal: Edmund P. Watkins (Caldwell Co, Kentucky, circuit court clerk) Legal: Caldwell Circuit Court Social: Jesse Stevens (Caldwell County, Kentucky, sheriff and farmer) Legal: Lemuel Pepper (Caldwell Co, Ky, attorney) Legal: James S. Lowey (Caldwell County, Kentucky, wagonmaker & county jailor) Legal: James A. Johnson (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: Thomas C. Dabney (Trigg County, Kentucky, attorney and judge) Legal: Edward P. Campbell (Caldwell County, Ky, 1865 Hopkinsville, Ky, attorney Comwlth Atty in late 1860) Political: Beriah Magoffin (Governor of Kentucky 1859-1862) Social: Edmund Stevens (Caldwell County, Kentucky, laborer)

Daily Journal (Louisville, KY), April 15, 1861, p. 3. Register of Prisoners, 1855-1861, Kentucky State Penitentiary-Frankfort, KDLA, Film #7009891. KYR-0001-021-0032. KYR-0001-021-0033. KYR-0001-021-0035. Jesse Stevens (Caldwell County, Kentucky, sheriff and farmer) N00012363 1802? Categories: People

Caldwell County, Kentucky, sheriff and farmer. Kentucky native. Married to Mary F. Stevens. Father of Mary A. Stevens, Susan A. Stevens, Joel C. Stevens, Sarah G. Stevens, Jesse T. Stevens. Farmer in Caldwell County, Kentucky, in 1850. Employed Joseph Tennill as a laborer in Caldwell County in 1850. Owned one enslaved person in Caldwell County in 1850. Sheriff in Caldwell County in 1860. Employed Hester Ann Prince as a domestic servant in Caldwell County in 1860. Owned three enslaved persons in Caldwell County in 1860. Sheriff in Caldwell County in 1861. Sheriff in Caldwell County in 1862.

Relationships Legal: Caldwell County, Kentucky Legal: Cornelius Bailey (Henderson County, Kentucky, assistant auditor of KY and attorney) Legal: James C. Barnes (Princeton, Kentucky, deputy circuit court clerk) Legal: Edmund P. Watkins (Caldwell Co, Kentucky, circuit court clerk) Legal: Caldwell Circuit Court Political: James Milton Dudley (Caldwell county, KY, produce dealer) Political: Turner A. Lowey (Caldwell County, Kentucky, carpenter & justice of the peace) Legal: Caldwell County Court

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Caldwell County, District 1, p. 307A. Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Caldwell County, District 1, p. 824. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Caldwell County, Princeton Division, p. 63. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Caldwell County, Princeton Division, p. 16. 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), 63. KYR-0001-017-0167. Edmund P. Watkins (Caldwell Co, Kentucky, circuit court clerk) N00003864 1824? Categories: People

Caldwell County, Kentucky, court clerk. Kentucky native. Son of Mrs. J. Watkins. Married to Susan T. Osborn Watkins in Crittenden County, Kentucky, on December 31, 1847. Married to Paulina Gary Watkins c1858. Father of Lucy Watkins. Clerk in Princeton, Kentucky, in 1850. Clerk of the Caldwell Circuit Court in Princeton from 1858 to 1865. Owned six enslaved persons in Caldwell County in 1860.

Relationships Economic: Caldwell Circuit Court Legal: Caldwell Circuit Court Legal: James C. Barnes (Princeton, Kentucky, deputy circuit court clerk) Legal: William Howell Edmunds (Caldwell County, Kentucky, attorney, judge, and state representative) Legal: Turner A. Lowey (Caldwell County, Kentucky, carpenter & justice of the peace) Social: Thomas C. Dabney (Trigg County, Kentucky, attorney and judge) Social: Edward P. Campbell (Caldwell County, Ky, 1865 Hopkinsville, Ky, attorney Comwlth Atty in late 1860) Political: Beriah Magoffin (Governor of Kentucky 1859-1862) Political: Caldwell Circuit Court Legal: Linn B. Baker (Trigg County, Kentucky, farm laborer and soldier in 1st Ky cav, CSA) Legal: Edna Gresham Baker (Trigg County, Kentucky, farmer and housewife) Legal: Leander Baker (Trigg County, Kentucky, farmer and soldier in 47th Ky Mounted Infantry) Legal: John Newt Turner (Caldwell County, KY, merchant and county judge)

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Caldwell County, District 2, p. 345A. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Caldwell County, Princeton, p. 112. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Caldwell County, Princeton, p. 8. Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1859 (Frankfort, Ky.: Jno. B. Major, State Printer, 1860), 290. 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), 305. 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), 11. Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War) NARA RG 110, Caldwell County, Kentucky, June 1863, p. 23. Kentucky Marriage Records, Madison County Courthouse, Richmond, Kentucky, Crittenden County Marriages, 1818-1886, Film #000558428, p. 35. Caldwell County, Kentucky P00002472 Categories: Places

County in western Kentucky. Seat at Princeton.

Relationships Political: Beriah Magoffin (Governor of Kentucky 1859-1862)

37.1092, -87.882 "Princeton, Kentucky," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed August 21, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. Robert M. Rennick, Kentucky Place Names (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1984), 45. 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. Caldwell Circuit Court O00000363 1809 Categories: Organizations

Located in the 2nd Judicial District of Kentucky. Judge(s): Thomas C. Dabney and Richard T. Petree. Commonwealth’s Attorney(s): Edward P. Campbell. Clerk(s): Edmund P. Watkins and James C. Barnes. Deputy clerk(s): William E. Mitchusson.

Relationships Economic: Edmund P. Watkins (Caldwell Co, Kentucky, circuit court clerk) Legal: Edward Baker, Jr. (Caldwell County, Kentucky, soldier and saloon owner) Legal: Theophilus Cooksey (Caldwell County, Kentucky, carpenter and veteran) Legal: James A. Johnson (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: William Wells (Caldwell County, Kentucky, blacksmith) Legal: John Lewis (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: Newman Estes (Caldwell County, Kentucky, grocery merchant) Legal: James C. Weller (Caldwell County, Kentucky, resident and county clerk) Legal: William E. Mitchusson (Caldwell County, Kentucky, deputy circuit court clerk & farmer) Legal: James C. Barnes (Princeton, Kentucky, deputy circuit court clerk) Legal: William J. Wadlington (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farm laborer. ) Legal: Thomas B. Wadlington (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: Edmund P. Watkins (Caldwell Co, Kentucky, circuit court clerk) Legal: Henry J. Stites (Christian County, Kentucky, Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals) Legal: James W. Blalock (Caldwell Co, Ky, farm laborer; pvt 8th Cav, sgt 12th Cav) Legal: John W. Prince (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farm laborer) Legal: Milton A. Cartwright (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: William Wadlington, Sr. (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farmer) Legal: Thomas C. Dabney (Trigg County, Kentucky, attorney and judge) Legal: Mary A. J. Cartwright Wadlington (Princeton, Kentucky, governess) Legal: John R. Boyd (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farmer and pvt 17th KY Cav USA) Legal: John J. Crittenden Boyd (Caldwell County, Kentucky, farmer, corp & musician 48th Ill Inf and corporal 17th KY Cav USA) Legal: Linn B. Baker (Trigg County, Kentucky, farm laborer and soldier in 1st Ky cav, CSA) Legal: Edna Gresham Baker (Trigg County, Kentucky, farmer and housewife) Legal: Leander Baker (Trigg County, Kentucky, farmer and soldier in 47th Ky Mounted Infantry)

Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1860, Legislative Document Series, No. 1 (Frankfort, Ky.: Jno. B. Major, State Printer, 1861), 355-59. 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. Caldwell County, Kentucky 1861-06-15 Legal/Financial English Version 1 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 2 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "1": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile.
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TheCommonwealth of Kentucky Caldwell Circuit Court Sct June Term 1861. Saturday 15th June 1861. The Commonwealth of Kentucky Plaintiff Against } Indictment for Murder Wesley (a Slave) Defendant

The Defendant was this day brought into Court and being informed of the nature of the Indictment plea and verdict was asked if he had any legal cause to show why Judgment should not be pronounced against him and none being Shown It is adjudged by the Court that the defendant be taken to the Jail of Caldwell County and therefore safely Kept until the 6th day of September 1861. On which day between sunrise and sunset thesheriff of Caldwell County shall hang him by the neck until he is dead.

A Copy. Testo E. P WatkinsClk c. c. c