Petition of Peter McCartney and Others to Augustus C. French, 19 May 18471
To the Honorable the Governor of the State of Illinois–Whereas Sigler H. Lester was, at the May Term 1847 of the Cumberland Circuit court, by said court, convicted of an assault with intent to commit murder, and sentenced
to confinement in the Penitentiary for the term of one year, and whereas there are circumstances, which in our opinion,
render it proper, that the Executive clemency should be extended to him, therefore
We, the undersigned, respectfully recommend that Your Excellency, grant a pardon of
said offence to said Lester–2
May 19th 1847–| A. Kitchell | Peter McCartney |
| James Ewart | James Gill |
| S W Moulton | Wm Cullen |
| Philip Shipen | John R Kirkling |
| P William Kirkling | Alexander Byrd |
| [T?]. [?] | Henry Howser |
| Charles Haris | |
| Loyd Frizzell juror | Elija Watters |
| Jno. Cook | Jackson gill |
| Thos Janes | John Campbell |
| Drury Wall | Wm Hutton |
| John Veach | A. G. Freeman– |
| Jesse Price | Levi Cook |
| Samuel. A. Veach | William Davis |
| D. C. Davies | J. D Johnston |
| E. H. Starkweather | Victor B Bell |
| Orlando B Ficklin | Thomas Brewer |
| A. Lincoln | William Jones |
| Thos Sconce | Henry C [Beers?] |
| Wm [B?] Dunn | William [B?]ecker <Page 2>
|
| John. L. Berry– | |
| John monroe | John H Frizzell |
| J. F. Parcels | David Walling |
| N. Ellington | Benjamin Allen |
| B N Mayer | Eli Nees Juror |
| Dan Butt | Mathias Roberts |
| J. C. Miller. | A. G. Lacon |
| Joseph Miller | Seth Starbuck Juror |
| Wm B Miles | Samuel Starbuck |
| David Dryden | Wm J Short |
| H. R. Norfolk | Charles A Dotson |
| Henry Mullin | |
| John Maddock | [?] |
| N Webb | |
| J Buzan | |
| Wm Hart | Eligha Edwards |
| C S Morton | Johnson Webb |
| Benj M Nul | J M Eastin |
| John Kennedy | Albert Compton |
| William Gilman | |
| A M Walker | Elisha D Bennet |
| Baker Waters | Oliver Sallee |
| James Galbreath | Simon Sundry |
| John Knock | Bnj [Carter?] |
| John Mills Jr | John Wilkinson |
| William owens | Elisha. W. Huntington |
| Wm Eastin | T C Farris |
| Wm Ham | Edmond Curd |
| John Whitley | James Von |
| Thos Brask | [James Seelly?] |
| Wm Callam | Wm Moore3 |
| Wm Martin4 | H Benedict |
| Seelye Hays Jr | James. M. Faris |
| D. F. Hanks | A. R. A. Faris |
| John Galbrath <Page 3>
|
|
| J. M. Miller | Isaac D Vanmeter |
| J. B. Harris | |
| W C Bailey | Gideon Henson |
| Drury Jones | |
| E. G. [Parnheart?] | Levi L Smith |
| C. H Morton | Samuel Yarnall |
| David Hoots | |
| R H Simpson | Tomas Bragg Jr |
| Gregory R Hawkins5 | |
| Andrew [Jones?] | James Jones |
| N W Chapman | N. Parker |
| orroson Gilett | F. G. Thompson |
| Van S Eastin | Z. Crist |
| T. A. Marshall. | Thomas Stoddert |
| Martin price | R Stoddert |
| Fields Whitley | R H Allison |
| R. [S?]. Hackett | Philander Curtis |
| Jehue Gray | A E Dunbar |
| Robt. S. Mills | I. Wilson Ross |
| W. D. Latshaw | James Martin Jn. |
| Aron monfert | George N [Downs?] |
| C Glassco | William [Starney?] |
| John Bates | Thomas Lindsey |
| Wm S Rigsby | Lowery Hoskins |
| Jon Walker | Abraham [Downs?] |
| Stephen. Miller | Allen [Downs?] |
| F. L. Moore | Eleaney Bright |
| L R Hutchason | James Porter |
| William J West Sr. | S R Metcalf |
| Aaron Moore | |
| John. J. Moore | E B Hawkins <Page 4>
|
| John James | |
| James W Ellis | |
| James Kendall | |
| David martin | |
| Jacob [teel?] | |
| Jesse Veach | |
| Alfred Alexander | |
| William Willson | |
| John [Wheldone?] | |
| Thomas Bole | |
| Isaac Linder | |
| Wilie Jones | |
| J. H. Apperson | |
| J A. Love | |
| J C. Gray | |
| J. W. Hill | |
| A Highland | |
| John Waltrip | |
| G. P Clark | |
| James [Gabin?] | |
| L. E. Cartright | |
| Adam Coon6 | |
| George Wells | |
| thomas. H. Bates | |
| Robert Level | |
| James Adkins | |
| Isaac Lewis | |
| Arick A Sutherland | |
| B Monroe |
1Abraham Lincoln wrote the petition and signed his own name. Signers without hyperlinks
could not be identified.
2In 1847, Sigler H. Lester assaulted Samuel Johnson with a knife in retaliation for
mischief and damages inflicted on Lester’s farm. Lester was indicted and convicted
of assault with intent to commit murder, and sentenced to one year in the penitentiary.
Abraham Lincoln defended Lester in both the criminal trial as well as a civil trial
brought by Johnson for assault and battery. Governor Augustus C. French pardoned Lester
before his term in the penitentiary began.
History of Douglas County, Illinois (Tuscola, IL: Converse & Parks, 1876), 59-60; Johnson v. Lester, 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=135864; People v. Lester, Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=135719.
3There were multiple men with this name living in Coles and Cumberland counties at this time; editors were unable to determine which man signed the petition.
Autograph Document Signed, 4 page(s), Illinois State Archives (Springfield, IL).