By Tony Curtis & Patrick Lewis
On April 18, 1865, Thomas E. Bramlette, Governor of Kentucky, gave a speech at a meeting held in Louisville, Kentucky, “in memory of our late president.” Continue reading
Category Archives: Featured Article
Hard Money, Hard Winter
By Patrick A. Lewis
From what appears to be a spiritless case of operating a financial brokerage without a license in Thomas E. Bramlette’s pardon applications, we uncovered an unsung Civil War hero to the people of Bowling Green. Continue reading
Governor _____?_____ of Kentucky: “Please fill in the name of the person who is governor…”
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By Tony Curtis
In November 1862, William A. M. Van Bokkelen requested a commission as Commissioner of Deeds for Kentucky in the Nevada Territory. A series of letters discovered by the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition (CWG-K) shows his attempt to obtain a commission through politically connected Kentuckians, and a lack of response on the part of the governor. Continue reading
Patrick Lewis Interview on “Office Hours”
By Patrick Lewis
Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition director Patrick Lewis was interviewed on “Office Hours,” the radio show of the University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences. Continue reading
The “Ladies of Frankfort” Assert Their Right to Petition
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By Tony Curtis
March is Women’s History Month and the National Women’s History Project (NWHP) theme for 2015 is “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.” An appropriately themed document recently appeared in the form of an undated Franklin County, Kentucky, petition signed by the “Ladies of Frankfort.” Continue reading
Bramlette Authorizes University of Kentucky
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By Patrick A. Lewis
150 years ago this month, the Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation establishing the University of Kentucky. Continue reading
“The Shattered Limb of Slavery”
By Patrick A. Lewis
This month 150 years ago, white Kentuckians were debating the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which would end slavery. Governor Thomas E. Bramlette weighed in with a pragmatic—if not enthusiastic—endorsement for the amendment. Continue reading
“The Matter was Very Trivial”: The Value of Pardon Applications
By Patrick A. Lewis
Approximately half of each governor’s official papers are applications for pardons and remissions of fines—obviously a gold mine for historians of law and justice. Continue reading
Black Enlistment: Kentucky Was Against it, Before it Was Mostly Against it
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By Tony Curtis
White Kentuckians, including Governor Thomas E. Bramlette and most Kentucky political leaders, were adamantly opposed to Civil War-era black enlistment, until it benefited themselves. Continue reading
“As to My Own Views:” How Should We Label Civil War Politics?
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By Patrick A. Lewis
Loyalty was a complex idea for Civil War Kentuckians. It was layered, nuanced, and often contradictory—making it especially tricky for a historian to understand and interpret. Continue reading