John S. Nixon to Beriah Magoffin

KYR-0001-020-1452.xml

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Accession Number

KYR-0001-020-1452

Document Genre

Correspondence

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Beriah Magoffin: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons and Remissions, 1859-1862

Item Location

MG22-17 to MG22-18

Place of Creation

Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

19 October 1861

Dates Mentioned

1861-10-19

John S. Nixon to Beriah Magoffin, 19 October 1861, Office of the Governor, Beriah Magoffin: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons and Remissions, 1859-1862, MG22-17 to MG22-18, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, KY. Accessed via the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, discovery.civilwargovernors.org/document/KYR-0001-020-1452, (accessed April 18, 2025).

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To His Excellency,
Beriah Magoffin;
Governor of Ky.
Dear Sir;

I herewith transmit to you the papers in reference to the pardon of William Nichols, a convict now confined in the penitentiary at Frankfort, and in the name of humanity implore your Excellency to give them your attention, at your very earliest convenience.

The papers are three several petitions, which I have numbered 1, 2, and 3; and also the letter of Hon. John F. Fisk, and my late partner M. M. Benton. The petition N^o 1. is signed by several members of the bar, the clerk of the court, (M^r Ellis) the Mayor of ths city (Hon John A. Goodson) the city Marshall, (Clinton Butts) and others, who happened to be present and heard the evidence. This is the petition of which M^r Benton speaks in his letter. -- N^o 2 is signed by the immediate neighbors of Nichols, M^r ~~Geo Phillips~~ and the description of persons who have signed it certified to by the book=keeper of Messrs. Phillips & Son, his employers. -- N^o 3 is signed by all the jurors who tried Nichols' case but one, and by divers others respectable and well known citizens, among whom is George Phillips, in whose rolling mill Nichols has worked for the last three years.

I had intended to have the jurors sign N^o 1, but the person who had N^o 3. had obtained the first four jurors' names, before I was aware of the fact, and I thought best to have them all sign the same paper.

I trust it may be consistent with your Excellency's Sense of duty, to restore this man to his distressed and helpless, and now worse than orphan, little children, and "the blessing of those ready to perish shall rest upon you"

Yours truly
John S. Nixon.

Covington Ky. Oct. 19. 1861.

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