Petition to Andrew B. Moore
Item
Identifier
Q134220 - Q134229
Title
Petition to Andrew B. Moore
Rights
This material may be protected under U. S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code) which governs the making of photocopies or reproductions of copyrighted materials. You may use the digitized material for private study, scholarship, or research. Though ADAH has physical ownership of the material in its collections, in some cases we may not own the copyright to the material. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in our collections.
Type
text
Creator
Moody, Y. M., et.al.
Date
1859
Description
Petition to Governor A.B. Moore from Mobile, Alabama, for the pardon of Martha Norris. The petition states that Norris was unable to be present at court due to her son's death and a yellow fever outbreak and so should her fine should be remitted.
Format
Petition
Language
English
Place
Mobile County (Ala.); Marengo County (Ala.)
Publisher
Alabama Department of Archives and History. (electronic version)
Contributor
Jessica Martin
transcription
Mobile May 16 1859
To his Excellency
Governor A.B. Moore
Dear Sir,
Accom-panying this letter I send you the petition of Mrs. Martha Norris to be releived of the payment of $200 recovered against her upon a forfeited bond in the Circuit Court of Marengo County on the 29th of Nov. 1858 - at the time when the principal - her son - was dead.
Also the certificate of the Shff. of Mobile showing when the notice was served and when execution was
[page break]
received — also the recommendation of a few gentleman in her favor.
The case is one of great hardship upon her & I trust your ex-cellency will see it in that light.
I shall forward these papers to Marengo for additional necessary certificates.
The return day of Marengo approaches soon & I must beg your excellency’s im-mediate attention
With great respect your friend & obt svt,
Chas. P. Robinson
[page break]
To his Excellency Andrew B. Moore
Governors of the the State of Alabama
Your petitioner Martha Norris would respectfully show to your excellency that she signed an appearance bond for her son William J. Norris to answer to an indictment against him for gaming (as she believes) in the Circuit Court of Marengo County
I would seem that her son failed to appear, for on the 31st of August A.D. 1858 (as she is Informed by the Sheriff of Mobile County and believing, but of which she has now no recollection) she was served with the notice of a sei.fa. to appear on the next term of said court of Marengo County to show why judgment against her would not be made final.
And, now the Sheriff of Mobile County has in his hands an execution from the Circuit Court of Marengo County, demanding of her the sum of 200 dolls
[page break]
Judgment and 14.00/100 dolls [?] upon what purports to have been a judgment final rendered against her on the 29th day of November A.D. 1858.
In view of the premises she begs leave to present the following facts & consideration
1 on the 31st of August 1858 when notice of the [sei.fa?] was served upon her she was living in a populous part of the City of Mobile — a lone widow — keeping a boarding house & having upon her sole and unassisted care a family with boarders amounting to 14 or 15 white persons, besides servants.
The yellow fever was then at its height & gloom and sadness shrouded this afflicted city. She had sick-ness at the time and in her family and under the care, anxiety and fear that oppressed her she. Must have lost sight of the noice given her, for she has now no recollection
[page break]
of the fact.
On the 11th of October her son William J. Norris, upon whose bond she had gone was taken down with the fever and died upon the 23d of the same month.
In her grief for his loss she never recollected that there was any earthly judgment to which he was required to appear.
From the 4th until the 15th of November sickness seemed alone to inhabit her house — so much so that it was closed to all but the entrance of friends and physicians.
Herself and daughter were [?] this [line?] pros-state with the fear & also two gentleman boarders (one of whom died ) and one servant were sick.
Your Excellency will not be surprised when she solemnly avers that she had not sufficiently re-
[page break]
covered from the depression and sorrow of her recent afflictions to be fully aware that the 29th day of November 1858 required her presence at the Circuit Court of Marengo to establish that her son was dead and relieve her upon the forfeiture while it seems she has incurred.
The whole matter had passed from her memory and she was only reminded of by the execution above referred to presented to her by the Sheriff of Mobile, at a time when she is informed it was too late to have relief by application to the Court from [?] the same issued.
In view of the above facts she must rely upon the clemency of your Excellency to releive her from the payment of the said judgment & one will ever pray & c.
[?]
[?] May 16, 1859
William Brooks JP[?]
Martha Norris
[page break]
I do hereby certify that on the 31st day of August 1858 Notice of a sei fa from Marengo County was swerved on Mrs. Martha Norris of Mobile and on the 18th of September 1858 a notice of hte same was served upon Wm. J. Norris,
Also, an execution in favor of the State of Alabama to the [?] of Marengo County claiming of Martha Norris the sum of $200 judgement and 14.00/100 [?] costs was received by the Sheriff of Mobile County on the 20th day of March 1859 and was served upon or notice of hte same given a Martha Norris some time before the first of April 1859. The said execution was issued from the Circuit Court of Marengo County at the same shows on the 5th of December A.D. 1858.
Jas T Shelton
Sheriff of Mobile County
[page break]
The State of Alabama
Marengo County
I Y.M. Moody Clerk of the Circuit Court of said County hereby certify that the exe-cution referred to in the foregoing petition was duly issued by me as clerk of aforesaid on a Judgement induced in favor of the State of Alabama and [?] said petitioner at the Fall Term 1858 of the Circuit Court of said Marengo County.
YM Moody
Clk Cir Ct
Marengo County
[page break]
I am acquainted with the Petitioner Mrs. Norris & think the circumstances such as to render the interposition of Executive Clemency highly proper.
With great deference & respect for the Governor—
I am & c.
C.W. Rapier
I have some acquaintance with the party set forth in the petition of Mrs. Norris, and I believe them to be as she has stated them. Respfly
Jno. A Hitchcock
WS Dargon
EM Godbold
May 16th 1859
[page break]
Martha Norris
Mobile
Fine $150.00
Remitted May
31 1850
Sent to Shff of
Mobile Co
Remitted
Executive Department
Montgomery 30 May 1859
It appearing to my satisfaction from the enclosed petition and affi-davit of Martha Norris, the [?] certificate attached, that at the time Judgement final was [?] of on the forfeited [?] of Wm J Norris [?] Martha Norris, that the defendant William J Norris was dead, & that Martha Norris was prevented by sickness & the [?] produced by [?] in Mobile, from appearing at Court to make the proof of the death of her son Wm J Norris for these reasons one hundred & fifty dollars of the judgement is remitted upon the payment of fifty dollars [?]
A.B. Moore
To his Excellency
Governor A.B. Moore
Dear Sir,
Accom-panying this letter I send you the petition of Mrs. Martha Norris to be releived of the payment of $200 recovered against her upon a forfeited bond in the Circuit Court of Marengo County on the 29th of Nov. 1858 - at the time when the principal - her son - was dead.
Also the certificate of the Shff. of Mobile showing when the notice was served and when execution was
[page break]
received — also the recommendation of a few gentleman in her favor.
The case is one of great hardship upon her & I trust your ex-cellency will see it in that light.
I shall forward these papers to Marengo for additional necessary certificates.
The return day of Marengo approaches soon & I must beg your excellency’s im-mediate attention
With great respect your friend & obt svt,
Chas. P. Robinson
[page break]
To his Excellency Andrew B. Moore
Governors of the the State of Alabama
Your petitioner Martha Norris would respectfully show to your excellency that she signed an appearance bond for her son William J. Norris to answer to an indictment against him for gaming (as she believes) in the Circuit Court of Marengo County
I would seem that her son failed to appear, for on the 31st of August A.D. 1858 (as she is Informed by the Sheriff of Mobile County and believing, but of which she has now no recollection) she was served with the notice of a sei.fa. to appear on the next term of said court of Marengo County to show why judgment against her would not be made final.
And, now the Sheriff of Mobile County has in his hands an execution from the Circuit Court of Marengo County, demanding of her the sum of 200 dolls
[page break]
Judgment and 14.00/100 dolls [?] upon what purports to have been a judgment final rendered against her on the 29th day of November A.D. 1858.
In view of the premises she begs leave to present the following facts & consideration
1 on the 31st of August 1858 when notice of the [sei.fa?] was served upon her she was living in a populous part of the City of Mobile — a lone widow — keeping a boarding house & having upon her sole and unassisted care a family with boarders amounting to 14 or 15 white persons, besides servants.
The yellow fever was then at its height & gloom and sadness shrouded this afflicted city. She had sick-ness at the time and in her family and under the care, anxiety and fear that oppressed her she. Must have lost sight of the noice given her, for she has now no recollection
[page break]
of the fact.
On the 11th of October her son William J. Norris, upon whose bond she had gone was taken down with the fever and died upon the 23d of the same month.
In her grief for his loss she never recollected that there was any earthly judgment to which he was required to appear.
From the 4th until the 15th of November sickness seemed alone to inhabit her house — so much so that it was closed to all but the entrance of friends and physicians.
Herself and daughter were [?] this [line?] pros-state with the fear & also two gentleman boarders (one of whom died ) and one servant were sick.
Your Excellency will not be surprised when she solemnly avers that she had not sufficiently re-
[page break]
covered from the depression and sorrow of her recent afflictions to be fully aware that the 29th day of November 1858 required her presence at the Circuit Court of Marengo to establish that her son was dead and relieve her upon the forfeiture while it seems she has incurred.
The whole matter had passed from her memory and she was only reminded of by the execution above referred to presented to her by the Sheriff of Mobile, at a time when she is informed it was too late to have relief by application to the Court from [?] the same issued.
In view of the above facts she must rely upon the clemency of your Excellency to releive her from the payment of the said judgment & one will ever pray & c.
[?]
[?] May 16, 1859
William Brooks JP[?]
Martha Norris
[page break]
I do hereby certify that on the 31st day of August 1858 Notice of a sei fa from Marengo County was swerved on Mrs. Martha Norris of Mobile and on the 18th of September 1858 a notice of hte same was served upon Wm. J. Norris,
Also, an execution in favor of the State of Alabama to the [?] of Marengo County claiming of Martha Norris the sum of $200 judgement and 14.00/100 [?] costs was received by the Sheriff of Mobile County on the 20th day of March 1859 and was served upon or notice of hte same given a Martha Norris some time before the first of April 1859. The said execution was issued from the Circuit Court of Marengo County at the same shows on the 5th of December A.D. 1858.
Jas T Shelton
Sheriff of Mobile County
[page break]
The State of Alabama
Marengo County
I Y.M. Moody Clerk of the Circuit Court of said County hereby certify that the exe-cution referred to in the foregoing petition was duly issued by me as clerk of aforesaid on a Judgement induced in favor of the State of Alabama and [?] said petitioner at the Fall Term 1858 of the Circuit Court of said Marengo County.
YM Moody
Clk Cir Ct
Marengo County
[page break]
I am acquainted with the Petitioner Mrs. Norris & think the circumstances such as to render the interposition of Executive Clemency highly proper.
With great deference & respect for the Governor—
I am & c.
C.W. Rapier
I have some acquaintance with the party set forth in the petition of Mrs. Norris, and I believe them to be as she has stated them. Respfly
Jno. A Hitchcock
WS Dargon
EM Godbold
May 16th 1859
[page break]
Martha Norris
Mobile
Fine $150.00
Remitted May
31 1850
Sent to Shff of
Mobile Co
Remitted
Executive Department
Montgomery 30 May 1859
It appearing to my satisfaction from the enclosed petition and affi-davit of Martha Norris, the [?] certificate attached, that at the time Judgement final was [?] of on the forfeited [?] of Wm J Norris [?] Martha Norris, that the defendant William J Norris was dead, & that Martha Norris was prevented by sickness & the [?] produced by [?] in Mobile, from appearing at Court to make the proof of the death of her son Wm J Norris for these reasons one hundred & fifty dollars of the judgement is remitted upon the payment of fifty dollars [?]
A.B. Moore
Subject
Moore, A. B. (Andrew Barry), 1807-1873; Governors--Alabama; Alabama--Politics and government--To 1865; United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1867