Petition of Alexander Fisher and Others to Thomas Carlin, 2 April 18421
To his Excellency, Thomas Carlin, Governor of the State of Illinois–
The undersigned, your petitioners, respectfully represent that Michael Hill has, at the March term (now in session) of the Sangamon Circuit court, been tried on an indictment for manslaughter, and a verdict of guilty, and that
he be confined in the penitentiary for the term of one year and ten days found against
him; that your petitioners are the jurors that rendered the verdict; that, under their
oaths, they felt it their duty to render such verdict as they did, but that, considering
the circumstances, they deem Mr Hill a most fit subject for the Executive clemency; that he is an elderly, respectable,
and peaceful citizen, with a large and respected family; that he was highly provoked,
by oft repeated and long continued abuse, to strike the fatal blow, and that, when
he did strike, it is agreed by all, he had no [inten?] ^intention^ of killing, or very seriously hurting the unfortunate deceased– They therefore respectfully
request, that your Excellency will grant him a full pardon of the entire punishment
imposed by the law in the case–2
April 2. 1842–<Page 2>
[ certification
]
04/02/1842
per James H. Matheny D. C.[Deputy Clerk]
04/02/1842
| State of Illinois | } |
| Sangamon County | ss[scilicet] |
I John Calhoun Clerk of the Circuit Court in and for said County and state do hereby certify that
names signed to the foregoing [cert?] Petition were the Jurors that decided upon the case of the People vs Michael Hill
as more fully refered to in the said foregoing petition,
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court
at Springfield this 2nd day of April AD 1842
J. Calhoun clerkper James H. Matheny D. C.[Deputy Clerk]
[ endorsement
]
4
Peck, EbenezerMatheny, James H. (Matheany, Matheney)Brenholts, Jacob (Bernholts)Keyes, James W. (Keys)Wickersham, Milton F.Grimsley, Winslow P., Jr.Runyon, Samuel C.Elkin, William F.Wickersham, JosiahTinsley, Seth M.Weber, George R.Lanphier, Charles H.Webster, Bela C.Moffett, Thomas (Moffitt)Huntington, George L.Amos, Joshua F.Matheny, Charles W.Lavely, WilliamSpringer, Francis (Rev.)Edwards, Benjamin S.Conkling, James C.Ball, Japhet A.Powell, William B.Stapleford, E.Bunn, JacobCrowder, John C.Canfield, J. L.Roll, John E.Matlock, Samuel (Matlack)Bennett, BenoniEnsminger, JohnMallory, E. M. (Malley)Taylor, JohnLangford, J. P.Webster Jr., FrancisRucker, ThomasMoody, Seymour B.Ransdell, HenryDoyle, MauriceJankiewicz, Stephen J.VanBergen, Peter (Van Bergen)Corneau, John A.Whitney, JonasDiller, J. RolandCabiniss, Z. P.Johnson, John H.Wallace, William S.Paine, EnochThomas Jr., Jesse B.Robinson, Arnold R.Butler, WilliamLincoln, Abraham (President)Irwin, RobertLogan, Stephen T.Hill, Daniel B.Snyder, JohnJones, EdwardCondell, John S.Condell Jr., ThomasHerndon, William H.Levering, SeptimusGrimsley, Harry J.Taylor, EdmundChatterton, Charles W.Davis, AmosLoose, Jacob G.Williams, John (Springfield, IL)Paddock, OrvilleMyer, Friedrick (Myers)Spear, Isaac P.Cowgill, William M.Elkin, Thomas C.Hewett Jr., ThomasJewett, Benjamin F. (Jewitt)Davis, ThomasNicholson, CravenWatson, W. W.Lowry, George W. (Lowery)Watson, Benjamin A.Matheny, Noah W.Maxey, James M.Dresser, HenryReeves, Milford O.Bennett, William A.Little, Thomas S.Harvey, WilliamMarsh, William H.Oswald, HenryThayer, Edward R.Wood, GeorgeScott, GeorgeClinton, FrancisTalbott, BenjaminRiddle, JacobElkin, John G.Newcomer, ChristopherMoore, William S.Woods, GeorgeBoyce, H. G.Hill, James L.Francis, J. N.Keeling, Lewis (Keeland)Francis, AllenSpotswood, George W.Grubb, George G.Samuel Grubb, Sr.Saunders, George S.Roberts, H. E.Thompson, RobertMcKee, James (of Sangamon Co., IL)Sampson, ConsulCurran, Isaac B.Wash, Milton H.Bennett, Van S.Pius, Henry G. (Pins)Dunn, ThomasWelsh, GeorgeKelly, M. I.Cox, JohnHough, J. A.Gray, John W.Mallory, Egbert M.Carlin, Thomas
We the Citizens of Springfield and of Sangamon County do concur and with the aforesaid Jurors and do most earnestly request you to use your clemency
in the premises refered to in the foregoing Petition
| E Peck | |
| James H. Matheny | Jacob Brenholts |
| James W Keyes | M F Wickersham |
| Winslow. P. Grimsley Jr | Sam C Runyon |
| Wm F. Elkin Shff. S. C[Sheriff Sangamon County] | Josiah Wickersham |
| S. M. Tinsley | Geo R Weber |
| C H Lanphier | |
| B. C. Webster | Thomas Moffett |
| George L Huntington | Joshua F Amos |
| C. W. Matheny | Wm Lavely |
| Francis Springer | B. S. Edwards. |
| N H Foster | Jas C. Conkling |
| Japhet. A. Ball | Wm B Powell |
<Page 3>
⋄
⋄
| [L?]. B. Ogden | |
| C. W. Chatterton | Amos Davis |
| J. G. Loose | Marsh N Crow |
| [J?] H Doyle | Alexander N Hamilton |
| John Williams | O Paddock |
| Friedrich Myer | Isaac. P. Spear |
| W. M. Cowgill | |
| Thos C. Elkin | Thomas Hewett Jr |
| Benjn F Jewett | |
| Thomas Davis | Craven Nicholson |
| W. W. Watson | Geo W. Lowry |
| B. A. Watson | |
| N W Matheny | James. M Maxcy |
| Samuel Martin Jr | Henry Dresser |
| M O Reeves | Wm A Bennett |
| Thos. S. Little | W. Harvey |
| Wm H Marsh | J A Hay |
| [I. G.?] Jones | |
| R. G. Stevens | |
| Henry Oswald | L C Brown |
| Edwd R. Thayer | |
| George Wood | George Scott |
| F. Clinton | Benjamin Talbott– |
| Jacob Riddle | John G Elkin |
| C. Newcomer | W. S. Moore |
| George Woods | H G Boyce |
| James L Hill | |
| J. N. Francis | Lewis keeling |
| A Francis | Geo w spotswood |
| Geo. G. Grubb | Geo. S. Saunders |
|
<Page 4>
|
|
| H E Roberts | |
| R Thomson | |
| Wm [Nobbe?] | |
| James McKee | |
| John. S. McKenzie | |
| Consul Sampson | |
| Isaac. B. Curran. | |
| Milton H. Wash | |
| Van. S. Bennett | |
| H. G. Pius | |
| Thomas Dunn | |
| G Welsh | |
| M. I. Kelly | |
| Saml [Chandler?] | |
| John Cox | |
| J. A. Hough | |
| John W Gray |
<Page 5>
| E Stapleford | Jno A. [Lowry?] |
| J. Bunn. | John. C. Crowder |
| J L Canfield | John E Roll |
| John Morgan5 | S. Matlack |
| Benoni Bennett | John Ensminger |
| E. M. Mallory | A S. Thompson |
| John Taylor | |
| H. D. H. Webster | J P Langford |
| F Webster Jr | Isaac Wickersham |
| Thos Rucker | S. B Moody |
| Henry Ransdell | |
| Maurice Doyle | S. J. Jankiewicz |
| P. V. Bergen | John A. Corneau |
| Jonas Whitney | J Roland Diller |
| Z. P. Cabaniss | |
| John H Johnson | Wm S. Wallace. |
| Enoch Paine | |
| A M Hayes | J. B Thomas |
| A. R. Robinson | J V Betts |
| John W Boyd | D. M. Irwin |
| William Butler | A. Lincoln |
| Rob Irwin | S. T. Logan– |
| D. B. Hill | |
| N. Lindsay | |
| W. T. Pride– | |
| John Snyder | |
| W. T Bennett | |
| Edward Jones | |
| John S. Condell | |
| Thos. Condell Jr | |
| W H Herndon | |
| [J?] W Meacham | |
| Septimus Levering | |
| H J Grimsley | |
| W W Sanford | |
| Edmund Taylor |
<Page 6>
To His Exelency Thomas CarlinQuincyIllinois[ docketing
]
04/07/1842
04/07/1842
1842
Petition for the pardon of Michael Hill convicted of Manslaughter. Sangamon Co—[County]
Petition for the pardon of Michael Hill convicted of Manslaughter. Sangamon Co—[County]
[ docketing
]
Granted
[ docketing
]
04/07/1842
04/07/1842
Filed Apl 7. 1842
1Abraham Lincoln wrote the main body of the document and signed his and Stephen T.
Logan’s names. James H. Matheny authored and signed the certification and the endorsement
following it.
2Illinois Governor Thomas Carlin granted the pardon and the court discharged Hill on
April 11.
Order, 11 April 1842, Lincoln et al. petitioned for pardon of Hill, Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, 2d edition (Springfield: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 2009), http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=141548.
Autograph Document Signed, 6 page(s), Illinois State Archives (Springfield, IL).