Henry Pinney's Application for Presidential Pardon

Henry Pinney was my 5th great grandfather. He was born in December 1799 in Litchfield, Connecticut, to Grove Pinney and Mercy Case. On January 12, 1825, he married Delina Riggs. They had two children, Elbert and Adeline. He later moved to Texas, where he died in 1872.  He was the postmaster in Tidwell Creek, Hunt County, Texas when the Civil War broke out.  I recently came across his petition for presidential pardon.  Here's the text:

Hunt County

Henry Pinney

Petition for Special Pardon

1^st Exception, Postmaster

Executive Office

Austin Texas

March 29^th 1866

I respectfully recommend the Pardon prayed for in the within petition.

A J Hamilton (signed)

Provl Gov of Texas

April 11^th 66

THE STATE OF TEXAS

COUNTY OF HUNT.

Personally before me, Hardin Hunt, Chief Justice of Hunt County, appeared Henry Pinney, a citizen of said county, who in my presence took and subscribed the following oath:

I do solemnly swear, in the presence of Almighty God, that I will hereafter faithfully defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Union of the States thereunder, and that I will in like manner abide by and faithfully support all laws and proclamations which have been made during the existing rebellion, with reference to the emancipation of slaves. So help me God.

Henry Pinney (signed)

To certify which I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office, at Greenvile, this 30^th day of October A.D. 1865.

Hardin Hunt (signed)

Chief Justice of Hunt County

State of Texas

County of Hunt

This certifies that H. Pinney has this day taken the oath of amnesty as a preliminary step for making application to the President of the United States for special pardon as prescribed by the President of the United States in Proclamation of May 29^th 1865

Witness my hand and the Seal of the County Court this 30^th day of October AD 1865

Hardin Hunt (signed)

Chief Justice of H. Co. Texas

Attest

A Cameron (signed)

[illegible] Texas

The State of Texas

County of Hunt

To his Excellency Andrew Johnson, President of the United States of North America.

Your Petitioner, Henry Pinney, a citizen of the County Hunt and State of Texas, would respectfully represent unto your Excellency that as early as the Spring of A.D. 1857, he was duly appointed Postmaster at Tidwell Creek in Said County of Hunt, and held said office under the Authority of the Government of the United States, until sometime in the Summer of A.D. 1861 when, without Solicitation on his part, he received from the so called Confederate States Government the appointment of Postmaster for the said office at Tidwell Creek. Petitioner further alledges that he accepted said appointment and held said office, under the authority of the So Called Confederate States Government during its continuance. That said office is a small county office, the annual income of which does not Exceed the Sum of Fifteen dollars.

Petitioner further Says that in accepting said office, from the So Called Confederate Government or in holding the Same under the authority of the Said Government he had not the least thought or intention of committing treason against the Government of the United States but that his sole object was to accommodate his neighbors & the community in which he resided with mail facilities near home.

Your petitioner would further state that he is now Sixty Five Years old, that he did not engage in the late rebellion in any way, except to hold the office of Post Master, as aforesaid. And that he has no property, money or means of Support.

Your Petitioner would most respectfully pray, the promised considered, that your Excellency would grant to him Special Pardon, and that he may be restored to the privileges, immunities and rights of citizenship in the Government of the United States of America, and as in duty bound petitioner will ever pray.

Sworn to and Subscribed before In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County Court hereon impressed at Office in Greenville on the 14^th day of November 1865

A Harrison Clerk County Court Hunt Co Texas (signed)