Milton Hamilton and William Grubbs to Thomas E. Bramlette

KYR-0001-004-1564.xml

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Accession Number

KYR-0001-004-1564

Document Genre

Petition

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867

Item Location

BR12-416 to BR12-417

Place of Creation

Burlington, Boone County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

1 March 1865

Dates Mentioned

1858

1858-09

1859-04

1865-03-01

1865-03-02

Milton Hamilton and William Grubbs to Thomas E. Bramlette, 1 March 1865, Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867, BR12-416 to BR12-417, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, KY. Accessed via the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, discovery.civilwargovernors.org/document/KYR-0001-004-1564, (accessed April 19, 2025).

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To His Excellency Tho. E. Bramlette
Gov^r of Kentucky; --

The petition of Milton Hamilton (Executor of Wickliffe Grubbs) and of William Grubbs, respectfully sheweth; --

That in the year 1858 Eveline -- a female slave -- the property of Mrs. Patience Grubbs of Boone county -- was held, by an examining court, to appear at the September (1858) term of the Boone Circuit Court, to answer a charge of Infanticide.

The negro woman being in bad and failing health; and also out of consideration offor her owner Mrs. Grubbs, who was a widow, and a relative of theirs; Wickliffe Grubbs and William Grubbs, to keep said negro woman from being incarcerated for about 6 months in the county Jail, became securities for her appearance at the April term for 1859 of said Circuit Court.

The woman, however, being frightened at the idea of appearance and trial in court, ran away from her mistress ^without her knowledge or that of either of said Grubbs'^ a few days before the April term for 1859, and has not since been heard from. Efforts were made to find her but without avail.

The bond for $100 Executed by Wickliffe and William Grubbs as securities of said negro woman Eveline was forfeited in April 1859.

Your petitions have been informed and verily believe that, though there were suspicions and unusual circumstances attending the case of this woman, she was not guilty of the charge preferred against her, and would certainly have been acquitted had she not run away, but appeared and stood her trial.

Mrs. Patience Grubbs died some years since, leaving little or no property.

Wickliffe Grubbs also departed this life some three years ago leaving Mr. Hamilton of Burlington Boone Co. his Executor.

Your petitioners have never been prosecuted, or called on to pay the above $100 bond; but they dislike to leave the same standing against them; and under the circumstances. pray that your Excellency will grant them a remission of the same.

M. Hamilton (Ex^r of W. Grubbs.)
W^m Grubbs

Burlington Ky.
March 1, 1865=

Commonwealth of Kentucky
Kenton County } ss

Personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid Robt. Richardson; and made oath as follows. --

At the April term for 1859 of the Boone Circuit Court a judgment on a forfeited recognizance was rendered in the amount of $100 against Wickliffe Grubbs and W^m Grubbs; securities for one Eveline, a female slave, the property of Mrs Patience Grubbs, charged with infanticide.

I had been retained as counsel for this negro; and managed the case.

At the previous September term she had been brought into court; and it then being impossible to dispose of her case, Judge Elijah Nuttall suggested that as a matter of humanity (the woman being in a delicate condition) she ought not to be kept 6 months or so in jail. Wickliffe and W^m Grubbs, relatives of the womans mistress, then stepped forward and became securities for her appearance at the next term.

A short time before the next term the woman ran away; and judgt was rendered as aforesaid against the Mess^rs Grubbs in the sum of $100. I remember I was
both displeased and disappointed at this elopement of the negroe's. I thought then and think still no case could have been made out against her; but presume she ran away influenced by fright. There were suspicious circumstances attending the delivery of her infant (an illegitimate one) which was found dead; but after an attentive examination of all the proofs I told the parties they need have no fears of the negroe's conviction. To the best of my remembrance the Grand Jury ignored the bill against this woman. But of this I cannot be positive; as it has been a long while ago. I remember disticntly, however, P. U. Major Esq., then Commonwealth's Attorney, told me he did not think the charge could be sustained, and the woman would have to be acquitted if tried; but she had then taken fright and ran away; and I believe has not since been heard from.

R: Richardson

Subscribed and sworn to before me by R. Richardson, March 2, 1865

Benj Egelston J. P. K. C.

{Revenue Stamp}< B, E, J, P, K C
Mar. 2^d 1865 >

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