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 November 11, 2025 Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Office of the Governor, James F. Robinson: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons, Remissions, and Respites, 1862-1863 KYR-0001-029-0518 R4-323

Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky James Fisher Robinson (governor, state senator, businessman, attorney, and farmer) N001004 1800-10-04 1882-10-31 Categories: People

Twenty-second governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, banker, and legislator. Son of Jonathan Robinson and Jane Black Robinson. Married to Susan D. Mansell Robinson on December 26, 1821. Father of Emilie Jane Robinson and James F. Robinson, Jr. Married Willina S. Herndon Robinson on May 30, 1842. Father of Scott Herndon Robinson, John McCracken Robinson, George Sidney Robinson, Madison Johnson Robinson, Stephen Gano Robinson, Willa Ewing Robinson, Philip Eldon Robinson, and Stephen Gano Robinson. Educated at Forest Hill Academy and Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. Trustee of Georgetown College. President of the Farmers' Bank of Georgetown. Represented Fayette and Scott Counties in the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 1851 to 1855. Owned thirty-five enslaved persons in 1860. Represented Fayette and Scott Counties in the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 1861. Speaker of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from September 3, 1861, to September 5, 1861. Speaker of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from August 16, 1861, to August 18, 1862. Governor of Kentucky from August 18, 1862, to September 1, 1863. Returned to practicing law and farming on retiring from politics in 1863.

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Scott County, District No 1, p. 216B, 230A. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Scott County, District No 2, pp. 235, 236, 252. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville Ward 4, p. 266. John David Smith, “James F. Robinson (1862-1863),” ed. Lowell H. Harrison, Kentucky’s Governors (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2004), 89-92. William Henry Engle, Pennsylvania Genealogies: Scotch-Irish and German (Harrisburg: Lane S. Hart, 1886), 553, 556-7. William H. Shmoddle (Driver and agent for C. W. Roback in Covington, Kentucky) N00000457 Categories: People

Driver and agent for C. W. Roback in Covington, Kentucky, in 1863.

Relationships Economic: Charles W. Roback (Cincinnati, Ohio, physician and medicine manufacturer) Political: C. A. Preston (Covington, Kentucky, attorney and mayor) Political: John Flavel Fisk, Sr. (Covington, Kentucky, attorney and politician) Legal: John Flavel Fisk, Sr. (Covington, Kentucky, attorney and politician) Political: John P. Harrison (Covington house painter and Justice of the Peace) Political: Benjamin Egelston (Covington, Kentucky, justice of the peace)

KYR-0001-029-0518. Charles W. Roback (Cincinnati, Ohio, physician and medicine manufacturer) N00000458 1816? Categories: People

Cincinnati, Ohio, physician and medicine manufacturer. Native of Sweden. Married to Mary H. Roback. Author of The Mysteries of Astrology, and the Wonders of Magic in 1854. Published Dr. Roback’s Scandinavian Almanac from 1855 to 1860. Owner of The Scandinavian Remedies in Cincinnati.

Relationships Legal: C. A. Preston (Covington, Kentucky, attorney and mayor) Political: C. A. Preston (Covington, Kentucky, attorney and mayor)

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Ohio, Hamilton County, Cincinnati, Ward 15, p. 64. Charles W. Roback, Dr. Roback’s Scandinavian Almanac (Cincinnati, OH: Charles W. Roback, [1860]). Charles W. Roback, The Mysteries of Astrology, and the Wonders of Magic: Including a History of the Rise and Progress of Astrology, and the Various Branches of Necromancy; Together with Valuable Directions and Suggestions Relative to the Casting of Nativities, and Predictions by Geomancy, Chiromancy, Physiognomy, &c. Also, Highly Interesting Narratives, Anecdotes, &c. Illustrative of the Marvels of Witchcraft, Spiritual Phenomena, and the Results of Supernatural Influence (Boston, MA: Charles W. Roback, 1854). George W. Hawes, Michigan State Gazetteer, and Business Directory, for 1860 (Detroit, MI: F. Raymond and Company, 1859), p. 445. Lewis H. Bond, Reports of Cases Decided in the Circuit and District Courts of the United States within the Southern District of Ohio, Volume II (Cincinnati, OH: Robert Clarke & Co., 1872), p. 36. C. A. Preston (Covington, Kentucky, attorney and mayor) N00000961 Categories: People

Covington, Kentucky, attorney and mayor. Mayor of Covington in 1863. Attorney in Covington in 1863 and 1864.

Relationships Legal: Charles W. Roback (Cincinnati, Ohio, physician and medicine manufacturer) Political: Covington, Kentucky

U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918, Ancestry, Kentucky, 1863, Collection District 4, Division 4, p. 54; U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918, Ancestry, Kentucky, 1864, Collection District 4, Division 4, p. 55; KYR-0001-029-0521; KYR-0001-004-0065. John Flavel Fisk, Sr. (Covington, Kentucky, attorney and politician) N00000460 1815-12-14 1902-02-21 Categories: People

Covington, Kentucky, attorney and politician. Genesee County, New York, native. Married to Elizabeth S. Johnson Fisk on October 14, 1842. Father of Charles H. Fisk, Virginia Fisk, Sarah C. Fish, Robert Fisk, Isabella Fisk, John F. Fisk, Jr., and Elizabeth Fisk. Attended common schools in New York and Cary’s Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio. Principal of the Germantown Academy in Mason County, Kentucky. Principal of the Mason Academy in Mason County. Studied law under Frank Hord, James T. Morehead, and James Pryor in Maysville and Covington. Attorney in Covington in 1850. Member of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from Kenton County from 1857 to 1865. Speaker of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Attorney in Covington in 1860.

Relationships Political: Beriah Magoffin (Governor of Kentucky 1859-1862) Legal: William Nichols (Covington, KY steel mill worker) Political: William W. Boswell (Covington, Kentucky, hotel and tavern keeper) Political: William H. Shmoddle (Driver and agent for C. W. Roback in Covington, Kentucky) Military: William W. Mosher (General Merchant) Political: N. E. Kingsbury (Cincinnati, Ohio) Social: Simeon Sheppard (Kenton County) Social: Lorenzo Dow Croninger (Covington, Kentucky, master printer) Legal: Richard B. Carpenter, Jr. (Covington, Kentucky, commonwealth's attorney) Legal: Lorenzo Dow Croninger (Covington, Kentucky, master printer) Legal: John Boyle (Edgar County, Illinois, attorney, soldier, and Adjutant General.) Legal: Leonidas Metcalfe (Nicholas County, KY, farmer and colonel 7th KY Cav (USA)) Legal: Richard J. C. Bocking (Indianapolis, Indiana resident and former soldier) Legal: Thomas Davis Kennedy (Kenton County, Kentucky, farmer, enslaver, engineer) Legal: Thomas T. Sharp (Covington, KY, capt 7th KY Cav USA) Legal: William Potts (Agent in the requisition of George Burkhamer (George Burkheimer) from Louisiana to Kentucky in 1864.) Legal: George Burkhamer (George Burkheimer) (Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, steam boat captain.)

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Kenton County, Covington, Ward 2, p. 240A. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Kenton County, Covington, Ward 4, p. 702. Ninth Manuscript Census of the United States (1870), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Kenton County, Covington, p. 235B. Greg Perkins, “Fisk, John Flavel,” in The Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky, eds. Paul A. Tenkotte and James C. Claypool (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2009), p. 342. Lewis Collins and Richard H. Collins, History of Kentucky, vol. 2 (Covington, KY: Collins and Company, 1878), 421. Benjamin Egelston (Covington, Kentucky, justice of the peace) N00000960 1799? Categories: People

Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky, magistrate and justice of the peace. New York native. Married to Margaret Egelston. Father of Addison Egelston and Benjamin Egelston, Jr. Married to A. D. Stapleton Egleston in Covington on November 5, 1865. Justice of the peace in the 2nd District of Covington from 1855 to 1865. Magistrate in Covington in 1860. Magistrate in Covington in 1865.

Relationships Social: Lewis Richardson (Covington, Kentucky, teacher, soldier, and justice of the peace) Legal: William H. Shmoddle (Driver and agent for C. W. Roback in Covington, Kentucky)

Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedule, Kentucky, Kenton County, Covington Ward 5, p. 251. Kentucky Marriage Records, Madison County Courthouse, Richmond, Kentucky, Kenton County Marriages, Film #001943299, p. 262. "Kenton.," The Louisville Daily Courier (Louisville, Ky.), May 9, 1855, p. 1 KYR-0001-007-0357. John P. Harrison (Covington house painter and Justice of the Peace) N00000459 1807? Categories: People

Covington, Kentucky, painter. Kentucky native. Married to Sarah Harrison. Father of George Harrison and Sarah Harrison. Enslaved one person in 1860. Justice of the peace in Covington in 1860. Confirmed as a notary public in Kenton County on February 5, 1861.

Seventh Manuscript Census of the United States (1850), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Kenton County, Covington, Ward 1, p. 221. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Kenton County, Covington, Ward 1, p. 23. Eighth Manuscript Census of the United States (1860), Slave Schedules, Kentucky, Kenton County, Covington, Ward 1, p. 1. Ninth Manuscript Census of the United States (1870), Population Schedules, Kentucky, Kenton County, Covington, Ward 1, p. 37. C. S. Williams, Williams’ Cincinnati Directory, City Guide and Business Mirror, for 1860 (Cincinnati: C. S. Williams, 1860), p. 328. Covington, Kentucky P00000936 Categories: Places

Seat of Kenton County, Kentucky. Located on the Ohio River and Licking River.

Relationships Economic: John R. Ricke (Covington, Kentucky, city clerk) Economic: Andrew H. Herod (Kenton County, Kentucky, jailer) Economic: C. A. Preston (Covington, Kentucky, attorney and mayor)

39.0837, -84.5086 "Covington, Kentucky," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed June 14, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. John E. Burns, "Covington," in The Encyclopedia of Kentucky ed. John E. Kleber (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992), 236. Cincinnati, Ohio P00001208 Categories: Places

Seat of Hamilton County, Ohio. Located on the Ohio River.

39.1031, -84.512 "Cincinnati, Ohio," USGS: Earth Explorer, accessed August 13, 2019, https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. History of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio; Their Past and Present, Including Biographies and Portraits of Pioneers and Representative Citizens (Cincinnati: S.B. Nelson, 1894), 17. 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. Kenton County Court O00000645 Categories: Organizations

Located in Independence, Kenton County, Kentucky. Administratively contains the county offices of the sheriff, coroner, surveyor, jailor, county assessor, county attorneys, and constables. Judge(s): Lafayette Shaw. Clerk(s): S. C. Perrin, James Ayars, Jr., and A. C. Ellis.

Relationships Economic: James Ayars, Jr. (Covington, Kentucky, insurance agent and county court clerk) Economic: Andrew H. Herod (Kenton County, Kentucky, jailer) Economic: William E. Ashbrook (Covington, Kentucky, sheriff and merchant) Legal: William H. Shmoddle (Driver and agent for C. W. Roback in Covington, Kentucky) Economic: Benjamin Egelston (Covington, Kentucky, justice of the peace) Economic: John Flavel Fisk, Sr. (Covington, Kentucky, attorney and politician) Legal: Felix McDermot (Kenton County laborer and prisoner for grand larceny)

“Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1861,” in 1862 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document No. 1. (Frankfort, Ky.: Jno. B. Major, State Printer, 1862), 303-308. “Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1862,” in 1863 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document 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,” in 1864 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document No. 10. (Frankfort, Ky.: Wm. E. Hughes, State Printer, 1864), 301-306. “Annual Report of the Auditor of Public Accounts of the State of Kentucky, for the Fiscal Year Ending October 10, 1864,” in 1865 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document 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,” in 1865/66 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document 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,” in 1866 Kentucky Documents, Legislative Document No. 1. (Frankfort, Ky.: John H. Harney, Public Printer, 1866), 347-350. Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky 1863-08-06 Petition English Version 2 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 2 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

To His Excellency, James F Robinson-- Governor of Kentucky:

Your Petitioner respectfully represents that he is the Driver or Agent for C. W. Roback in the Sale of "Roback's Bitters", and was arrested while so employed in the City of Covington and fined $50 and costs. He showed a City License to C W Roback to peddle said Bitters in said city on which was an endorsement that Petitioner was the Agent of said Roback. The Magistrate however decided that no one but Mr Roback himself could drive the waggon and furnish said Bitters in said City, and differed with the City Mayor in the Construction of the City ordinance. Petitioner sends herewith the statements of the Mayor, Magistrate and Hon J F Fisk the acting County Attorney, who Join in the prayer of this Petitioner to have said fine cancelled and your Petitioner pardoned. Your Petitioner was tried before B Eggleston J. P, K C and it is admitted that if said magistrate decided the law correctly, that the offence was caused by the mistaken advice

2

of the Mayor who issued the License. The establishment of C. W. Roback is in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Petitioner acted as his driver in bringing over his Bitters to various persons in the City of Covington, and believed that under the License of Mr Roback which Petitioner carried with him, and on which was endorsed that he was the Agent of Mr Roback, that he was legally authorized to do so under the instructions of the Mayor.

Your Petitioner respectfully prays that said penalty or fine be cancelled by the exercise of the Executive Clemency. And your Petitioner will ever pray -- Covington August 6, 1863.

W. H. Schmoddle

I was acting for the County Atty in prosecuting the defendant, The facts are correctly set forth in the above. I am of the opinion that petitioner's employer was misled by the Mayor-- that had he not been informed that his driver could peddle under his employer's License & that the offense would not have bean committed hence I ask that the fine be remitted.

John F. Fisk

Wm. Shmoddle Pettn fine remitted J F Robinson

send John P. Harrison Covington

Kenton J P Ct. $50 } Peddling IssdAug 15 1863