May 6,1809

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Michael Bright and eight others for obstructing justice].

Countersigned by Secretary of State Robert Smith. Pardoned by Madison because their crimes arose from a sense of duty, not disobediance. The recipients of the pardon were Michael Bright, James Atkinson, William Cole, Charles Westfall, Samuel Wilkins, Abraham Ogden, Daniel Phyle, Charles Horey and John Knife. They were convicted in Philadelphia.

GLC00045.01

June 5, 1812

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Caleb Overton for selling "spiritous liquors" without a license].

Countersigned Secretary of State James Monroe. Sentenced to pay a fine of tobacco and court costs. Pardoned since the crime was unintentional and he was of good character.

GLC00045.02

January 12, 1814

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Joseph Butler for larceny].

Countersigned by Secretary of State James Monroe. Convicted of larceny in the District of Columbia in April, 1838. Butler had been sentenced to be "publicly whipped 54 stripes" and pay a fine and court costs. Madison pardoned him because he continued to be imprisoned, as he was too poor to pay the fine.

GLC00045.03

May 23, 1818

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Enoch Spaulding for breach of the peace]

Countersigned by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. Pardoned from paying fine and court costs and freed from imprisonment due to his poverty and his family's dependence upon him.

GLC00045.04

July 1, 1823

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Daniel Easterbrooks for smuggling coffee]

Countersigned by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. Easterbrooks was convicted in Bristol, Rhode Island, in 1822 and pardoned since it was his first offense, expressed regret for the crime, and was unable to pay the fine.

GLC00045.05

December 11, 1829

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Document signed

Title: [Remission of balance of sentence of Orrin Sherman for stealing money from the U.S. Mail]

Sherman's sentence was remitted upon payment of costs by President Jackson because he had shown repentance. Accompanied by a four page petition dated September 1829 with signatures, testimonials and a one page certification of Connecticut citizenship by Connecticut Governor Gideon Tomlinson, dated 31 October 1829. Name on Jackson's remission is spelled "Schearman."

GLC00045.06

April 2, 1847

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Thomas Gardner, convicted of burglary. Also, includes petitions and receipt of pardon.

Convicted of burglary; sentenced to 3 years hard labor at a penitentiary. Pardoned due to Polk's petition by the jury and judge, and for "...divers other good and sufficient reasons..." (c/s N.P. Trist)

GLC00045.07

January 13, 1848

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Document signed

Title: [Presidential authority to the Secretary of State to affix the seal to the pardon of Samuel Howard].

Convicted of passing counterfeit coin; sentenced to 3 years imprisonment. Pardoned due to age, previous honesty, family's dependence, small amount of counterfeited money involved, and judge's request. Countersigned by Secretary of State James Buchanan. Also, includes petitions and receipt of pardon.

GLC00045.08

June 24, 1848

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Document signed

Title: Pardon of John Paterson, John Smith & Peter Johnson, convicted of larceny on high seas.

Convicted of larceny on high seas; sentenced to 4 months imprisonment and a fine of $30 each. Pardoned after serving prison sentence, as "they are seafaring men, dependent upon their monthly wages for support, have no property, and are wholly unable to pay the fine...". (c/s James Buchanan) "Duplicate" written on top.

GLC00045.09

March 3, 1849

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Seth B. Horton, convicted of violating a seamen protection act. Includes petitions, transmission letters and pardon receipt.

Horton, late master of the Barque "T.O. Brown," was convicted of violating a seamen protection act [3rd Section, 9th Chapter, concerning consuls and vice consuls] of Feb. 1803. Conditionally pardoned because the violation was not willful, Horton must pay court costs. (c/s James Buchanan) Signed on Polk's last day of office.

GLC00045.10

May 25, 1849

Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Nelson C. Marselis, convicted of robbing from the mail. Includes petitions, certifications and pardon receipt.

Marselis, a postal clerk, was convicted of stealing from the mail. No reason for pardon. (c/s John M. Clayton)

GLC00045.11

January 27, 1852

Fillmore, Millard, 1800-1874

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Bernhardt Taucke, convicted of over-boarding his Brig "Caroline." Inlcudes certification letter.

Taucke's vessel, the Danish Brig. "Caroline," was seized for it being over the 11 passenger limit. Remission of fine of $150, which has been noted on p. 3 by P. Riley of Boston. (c/s Daniel Webster)

GLC00045.12

March 23, 1855

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Charles Bentz, convicted of perjury.

Convicted of perjury; sentenced to 4 years imprisonment in March of 1851. No reason for pardon. (c/s William L. Marcy)

GLC00045.13

November 22, 1855

Pierce, Franklin, 1804-1869

Document signed

Title: Pardon of John Marders, convicted of assault.

Convicted of assault; sentenced to 3 months imprisonment and to pay a $1 fine and court costs. No reason given for pardon. (c/s W. L. Marcy)

GLC00045.14

December 14, 1859

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Deborah Wise, convicted of petty larceny.

Convicted of petty larceny; sentenced to 4 months imprisonment and a $5 fine. Pardoned due to her advanced state of pregnancy. (c/s Lewis Cass)

GLC00045.15

March 20, 1860

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of John Litzer, David Frank, William Schmidt, Herman Julius and Charles Hoffman for rape].

Countersigned by Secretary of State Lewis Cass. The men were sentenced in March, 1858. Pardoned by Buchanan for insufficient evidence after a petition was presented to him stating that Victoria Fugleman, who had said the men had raped her, had recanted her testimony.

GLC00045.16

July 30, 1860

Buchanan, James, 1791-1868

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of John Rollins, alias Whit Cissel, for larceny and arson].

Countersigned by Acting Secretary of State William Henry Trescot. Convicted in June, 1854, Rollins was pardoned by Buchanan near the end of his sentence. The reasons given were that Rollins was of good character before his imprisonment, he conducted himself well during his confinement, one of the witnesses against him appeared to have perjured himself, and the petition of the warden and other citizens of the District of Columbia favored the pardon.

GLC00045.17

November 1, 1865

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Caroline Kulf, who had been covicted of grand larceny]

Pardoned due to assurance by judge and the jury that she was a fit object of clemency. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC00045.18

June 2, 1866

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Henry A. Stoneall., who had been indicted for stealing from the U. S. Mail in New Jersey].

Pardoned by Andrew Johnson on the petition of respectable citizens. With Stoneall's acceptance written on a card and glued to p. 2. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC00045.19

August 18, 1866

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Lockwood L. Gibbs, convicted of counterfeiting].

Lockwood L. Gibbs, alias Libbeus L. Gibbs, convicted of passing counterfeit money; he was sentenced to two years and two months imprisonment. He was later pardoned after serving over half of his prison term due to his good behavior. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC00045.20

January 4,1867

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Edward Miles, convicted of larceny].

Miles was convicted of larceny; sentenced to one year imprisonment. Pardoned due to advanced age, ignorance of the law, and previous good conduct. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC00045.21

May 31, 1869

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Charles Eletson Jr., convicted counterfeiting.

Convicted of passing counterfeit money; sentenced to 6 years imprisonment. Pardoned after serving 3 years of his prison term due to his youth, good behavior and was worsening "monomania" [a pathological obsession with a single subject or idea] while imprisoned. (c/s Hamilton Fish)

GLC00045.22

June 23, 1869

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Jackson Bolin, convicted of distilling spirits without paying tax. Inlcudes case report, legal forms, letters regarding petition.

Convicted of distilling spirits without paying tax; sentenced to 6 months imprisonment and to pay a $1000 fine and court costs. Pardoned since he was poor, ignorant of the law and had a good military record in wartime. (c/s Hamilton Fish)

GLC00045.23

May 3, 1870

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Document signed

Title: Pardon of William H. Gannaway, convicted of distilling without a license. Includes case letters.

Convicted of "illicit distilling;" sentenced to 6 months imprisonment and to pay a $1000 fine. Pardoned due to his poverty and had a dependent family. (c/s Hamilton Fish)

GLC00045.24

May 6, 1874

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Document signed

Title: Pardon of William Semmes, convicted of bigamy.

Convicted of bigamy; sentenced to 2 years imprisonment. Pardoned after serving out most of his prison term by recommendation of prominent Virginian citizens. (c/s Hamilton Fish)

GLC00045.25