Inside the Pardon Palace

  by Tom Goodman

Kathy Bates as Ma Ferguson in The Highwaymen

Why let your loved one languish in a Texas prison when you could seek a pardon from the governor?

For a price.

That was the accusation leveled at Miriam “Ma” Ferguson. You may remember her from The Highwaymen. Kathy Bates portrayed the woman who became Texas’s first female governor in 1924—less than a decade after women gained the right to vote.

No Texas governor before or since has come close to her record on pardons granted. But it was a record shadowed by persistent rumors that Ma and her husband, James “Pa” Ferguson, operated a mercenary “Pardon Palace.”

Ma ran for governor after Pa was impeached and banned from office. Once elected, she made headlines—and enemies—through her expansive use of executive clemency. By the end of her first year, she had granted more than 1,200 pardons and commutations. The figure is striking when set against a Texas prison population of roughly 3,700 inmates at the time. 

Many more would follow.

Ferguson insisted this flood of mercy sprang from compassion and a belief in second chances. She and Pa condemned the brutality of Texas prisons and styled themselves reformers. Ma described her pardons as acts of Christian charity and later called her mercy toward “poor and unfortunate convicts” her proudest achievement.

That posture earned her loyal support, especially in rural communities where she was seen as a maternal figure. But resentment grew whenever a pardoned inmate reoffended.

One notorious example was Marvin “Buck” Barrow, brother of Clyde. Within weeks of his release, Buck reunited with Clyde and Bonnie Parker, returning to violent crime before dying in a bloody shootout that summer.

Another case proved even more damaging. In 1927, two men pardoned by Ferguson—Marshall Ratliff and Henry Helms—joined the gang responsible for the Santa Claus Bank Robbery in Cisco. Both had served only two years of long sentences for armed robbery. The daytime heist left two officers dead. Prosecutors argued that without Ferguson’s pardons, the killings would not have occurred. Juries gave both men death sentences. (To learn more about this infamous event, get a copy of my book, The Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery.)

In hindsight, Ferguson’s legacy cuts both ways. Her willingness to extend mercy, especially to nonviolent offenders, looks progressive for her era. Yet rumors of pay-for-pardons never faded. One popular Austin story had Pa offering to sell a desperate father a shabby horse—hinting that if purchased, the man’s son “might ride home on it from Huntsville.”

Ma denied the accusations, but later investigations and memoirs proved the rumors true.

By the end of her second term in 1935, she had pardoned nearly 4,000 inmates. The following year, Texans amended the constitution to create an independent pardons board.

Her pardon record is an outlier that has never been matched by any other Texas governor before or since. In fact, historians often cite her as one of the most mercy-giving (or, to critics, most abusive) chief executives in American history.

For more on the Fergusons, check out Carol O'Keefe Wilson’s excellent book, In the Governor's Shadow: The True Story of Ma and Pa Ferguson.

Mrs. Amelia Stewart Wright Knight and her Oregan Trail Diary

 

I enjoy reading true stories, especially diaries. I purchased the book, Lillian Schlissel's Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey. Inside are wonderful excerpts from pioneer women's diaries. Their words bring their overland journeys across America to life.

 

Amelia Stewart knight was born in 1817 in Boston, Massachusetts. She married Dr. Joel Knight (b.1808) an English immigrant, in September,1834. They moved to Iowa after their first child was born. Dr. Knight hated the climate in Iowa. He took his family (now seven children) to Oregon Territory, where the climate was milder. They left Iowa April 18,1853 and arrived near Milwaukie, Oregon Territory, on September 17,1853. Six months on the trail. Can you imagine primitive camping with seven children for six months?

Amelia's diary shared a mother's view of their trip. Her diary focused on her children, the weather, and the rough terrain. She had an entry at least once a week. The Wrights had three covered wagons for their supplies and their seven children. Dr. Knight hired men to tend the wagons and their livestock. She had the daunting task of feeding everyone on their journey.

The Knights had more resources than other travelers because they had paid help. Also, like many who traveled the Oregon Trail successfully, they had uprooted and relocated before. Their trip by wagon from Massachusetts to Iowa years before gave the experience they needed to be prepared for the undertaking.

Primitive camping in all kinds of weather

Can you imagine walking in the rain, sleeping in a tent on muddy ground? (Tents didn't have flooring at this time.) Sounds miserable, especially with children. Walking over a variety of terrains, usually taking the miles on foot. One day it's freezing cold in the higher altitudes; within a week the dry desert heat is unbearable. Amelia had to feed her family, their hired help and her children, no matter the weather.

Traveling with seven children

She carried her youngest child when the ground was rough. Add to this: sickness. She doesn't dwell on her children's sicknesses, only mentioning which child had the mumps, scarlet fever, or was covered in poison ivy. And she noted the youngest had fallen out of the wagon twice because he was so active. All the other children had daily responsibilities on the journey. She related one fear-induced moment. When they lost their daughter, Lucy. She was watching wagons cross the river while waiting the Knight's turn. These crossings could take days depending on the size of the wagon train. Amelia assumed Lucy was in the wagon with her sister as normal, and the sister thought she was with her mother getting her hair combed. After they crossed the river, they discovered her missing. Lucy had been found by another family. They'd made sure she crossed the river and was reunited with her parents.

The seven Knight children

Indians- not what she expected

Her view of Indians changed as she traveled. Most information regarding the Indian tribes along the trail were based on half-truths and racism. Amelia found the tribes were very helpful. They assisted with their livestock while the wagons forded rivers. Some would swim and guide the horses and livestock for a fee or goods. She writes of a time the wagon train traded with the Indians. She was very impressed with their beadwork. Indians often requested gifts of their supplies or cash in order to pass through their land safely. Most of their requests were reasonable.

Whites took advantage of the travelers

 While the cost the white men charged to ferry them over rivers reached three dollars a wagon near the end of the trip. (Equal to $126.28 in 2026) Remember they had three wagons. These unexpected costs forced Dr. Knight to sell a prized horse in order to have the funds needed to cover the remaining river crossings. The average cost of a horse was one hundred dollars—at least those purchased to pull a wagon. His horse must have sold for far more to secure the rest of their passage to Oregan Territory.

Interesting Trivia

An interesting fact I'd never read before was what they fed their cattle when there was no grazing or hay available. A mash consisting mostly of flour. She was very worried about their oxen and did what she could to help care for them.

 This strong woman wept when one of their oxen died and had to be left by the side of the road with many other. The carnage along the more desolate areas also brought tears. But she remained steadfast and determined.

Cost of living in 1853

To give some context for the diary entry below, let me share a few facts regarding the cost of living in 1853. The average income was between $300 and $500 a year. ($8,418.75-21,046.88 in 2026). The cost of their trip included wagons, supplies, oxen and or mules and horses. A family of four would need $1000 to supply their wagon for the six-month journey. (This doesn't include any additional fees.) The Knights had three wagons pulled by at least two oxen, a family of nine plus an undisclosed number to men to drive the additional wagons and livestock. Oxen valued $25 each ($1,052.34) while mules or horses at around $100 each ($4,229.38). Dr. Joel Knight, we can assume, probably made a bit more money than the average traveler. But still, things got tight. All numbers in bold were added by me to compare to 2026.

She shared the cost of items at a trading post near the end of their journey.  (Tuesday, September 13^th… Drove over some muddy miry ground, and through mud holes and just halted at the first farm to noon and rest awhile and buy feed for the stock, Pay 1.50 per hundred for hay.($61.18) Price of fresh beef 16 to 18 cts a pound,(6.79-7.58) butter ditto one dollar, eggs, one dollar a dozen,($42.09)  onion 4 or 5 dollars per bushel,($149-210.47) all too dear for poor folks, so we have treated ourselves to some small turnips at the rate of 25 cents per dozen,) ($10.53)

Constant wagon upkeep

Amelia did what needed to be done and accepted every difficulty as part of the journey. Often after rains they had to empty their wagons to dry out supplies and make wagon repairs before continuing. Amelia seemed to accept emptying her goods along the road to lighten the load as they travel a part of the price needed to get her family safely to Oregon Territory.

Reading between the lines

It is shocking, yet appropriate for the era, to discover Amelia was pregnant with her eighth child when they left Iowa. She makes no reference to her condition directly until the day her child is born. She mentions stopping on the trail to give birth and then walking with a newborn to their new home.

Think about all the difficulties along the trail and multiply that by ten as her girth grows. She mentions smells bothering her, she gets very emotional over the death of their oxen, and headaches and backache plague her. But speaking about being with child was taboo in 1853, and I suppose writing that in her diary was too. Her husband was a doctor, so that may have given her a bit of peace traveling pregnant. And she'd already traveled from Massachusetts to Iowa years earlier, so she had some idea what to expect. Still, pregnant with eight children to keep safe. Not to mention feeding the hired help. Place her family with a community of at least forty wagons and stress and anxiety abound.

Why I love diaries

Her diary gave me a better picture of life on the Oregon Trail. The bravery and stamina it took to reach their destination. Modern day travelers complain about flight delays, or traffic congestion. If our vehicle breaks down, help is a phone call away. And usually at the end of our journey, we're sleeping in a warm home or hotel with easy access to food and medical facilities.

As you can imagine, they didn't move into a house when they staked their claim. It took time to build a cabin and plant a garden and do what needed to be done.

    Do you think you'd be willing to relocate across country enduring the             same travel conditions as the Knights?

Cindy Ervin Huff, is a multi-published award-winning author in Historical and Contemporary Romance.  She’s a 2018 Selah Finalist. Cindy has a passion to encourage other writers on their journey. When she isn’t writing, she feeds her addiction to reading and enjoys her retirement with her husband of 50 plus years, Charles. Visit her at www.cindyervinhuff.com.

 

 

 

COST OF PERSERVERANCE (CONCLUSION)

 

By Catherine Ulrich Brakefield

        After praying with Reverend Jacques, Abraham Lincoln's Bible was his constant companion. 

Self-educated, Lincoln said of ambition:
      

 “Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. Whether it be true or not, I can say for one that I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men.”

Lincoln’s self-confidence was in the people themselves:
    
        “It is upon the brave hearts and strong arms of the people of the country that our reliance has been placed in support of free government and free institutions.” (Abraham Lincoln said this on May 13,1862.)

You can imagine how Lincoln felt, watching his beloved nation torn apart, brother fighting against brother. With hope in God, he pushed on, often devising humorous antidotes to the challenges he faced.

“The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as a liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty.”  (Abraham Lincoln said this on April 18,1864.) 

        Lincoln said of his cherished part of the Declaration of Independence, “I believe the declaration that ‘all men are created equal’ is the great fundamental principle upon which our free institutions rest.”

With faith in God, Abe continued to believe that "in giving freedom to the slaves, we assure freedom to the free." He was the Great Emancipator and freed four million slaves.

However, most importantly, Lincoln kept the nation unified. The United States of America remained as our founding fathers initiated.

With humor and patience, Lincoln attempted to reason with the obstinate:

        “In great contests, each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong.” (Lincoln, September 2,1862.)

        Lincoln’s reliance on God was always obvious in his speeches.

        “If God be with us, we will succeed; if not, we will fail.”

        Lincoln knew someone would lose, and he understood the consequences.

        “If God now wills the removal of a great wrong, and wills also that we of the North as well as you of the South, shall pay fairly for our complicity in that wrong, impartial History will find therein new cause to attest and revere the justice and goodness of God. “(Abraham Lincoln, April 4, 1864)

        With blatant common sense, he offered them a bit of humor and thoughtful contemplation:

        “Both [sides in the war] read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other.” … Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.” (Lincoln, March 4, 1865.)

Before the jubilation of freedom and the reuniting of the states could be attained, there was the war to win and the dead to bury.

 The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Lincoln had been called to speak over the dearly departed.

His powerful voice spoke with the accent of his backwoods heritage. Humbly, earnestly, and sincerely:

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

“Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

“But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and  that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” (Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863.)

Silence greeted his words. No applause, just silence. Lincoln resumed his seat. He would never know the impact his words had on those who heard, nor the nation that, in time, would grow to respect and love him.

Over 750,000 people were killed in the Civil War. That was two-and-one-half percent of the population and twenty-five percent of its soldiers.

Lincoln repeatedly faced impossible, heart-wrenching trials and tribulations. With faith and perseverance, he pushed on. Not understanding but accepting the challenges that stretched before his lanky stride.

 Today, we see the hero, President Abraham Lincoln, etched in stone at Mt. Rushmore. In marble at the Lincoln monument in Washington, D.C. But what we do not see is the struggles of that person, those inner scars of a hero's hardships and rejections he faced before he achieved his ultimate success. That culmination of God-given talent that led them to their ultimate destination.

Killed by an assassin's bullet, Lincoln never heard the praises of men. But that was not what Lincoln cared to hear. What he cared about most of all was what he heard upon his last breath on earth and his first breath into his new life everlasting. "Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord." (Matthew 25:23NKJV) However, God also bequeathed to Lincoln the esteem of his fellow men, Abe's ambition in life. 

Abraham Lincoln always knew God. His devoted mother had taught him well. He went to church every Sunday. But it wasn't until this lanky backwoodsman took a leap of faith, praying to Jesus Christ to forgive his sins, and asked Jesus into his heart, that Abe became born-again. Only then was Lincoln able to fight the good fight of faith and fulfill his destiny and America’s as well. How about you? "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3NKJV) That is the faith step everyone takes to fulfill their God-given talent and destiny.

Destiny of Heart: Confusion and uncertainty hover around Ruby McConnell Meir's skirts like the dust storms and droughts, weakening her faith. Will her husband live—or die?

The Roaring Twenties dive into the Great Depression. Collina faces insurmountable odds to rescue Shushan. Rough Rider Franklin Long loses what money couldn’t buy. Is it too late to make right his failings?

        “…I read it on my Kindle but bought copies in paperback for gifts. My friends loved it… A great book historically and a great testimony of God's faithfulness… Catherine's books just keep getting better and better.” Amazon Reader

Catherine is the award-winning author of Wilted Dandelions, Swept into Destiny, Destiny’s Whirlwind, Destiny of Heart, Waltz with Destiny and Love's Final Sunrise. She has written two pictorial history books, The Lapeer Area and Eastern Lapeer, and short stories for Guideposts Books, CrossRiver Media Group, Revell Books, Bethany House Publishers. Catherine and her husband of fifty-three years live on a ranch in Michigan and have two adult children, five grandchildren, four Arabian horses, three dogs, two cats, one bunny, and six chickens. See CatherineUlrichBrakefield.com for more information.
https://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov/lincoln-quotes/?sort=1a&pg=44&sz=10&q=

Mid-Month Madness!

 

We really appreciate you coming by!

We will be giving away books so be sure to pay attention about how to enter. To enter for a chance to win, you MUST leave a comment WITH your EMAIL and you MUST ask one or more of the authors a question you’d like to know about them, their writing, or their books.

We are looking forward to getting to know you better and hope you’ll get to know us better, too!

Be sure to drop by the Facebook Party for a chance to mingle with the authors 

and nab even more great giveaways!

The party is today from 5:00 to 6:30 PM Eastern Time.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1770933813056488

A hybrid author, Donna Schlachter writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed writers eager to tell their story.

Denise M. Colby writes historical romance sweetened with faith, hope, and love. She loves history and finds herself contemplating how it was to live in the 1800’s. Only sitting still when reading a book, watching movies with her family, or taking in the latest musical theater show, Denise resides in Southern California where she enjoys date nights with her husband at their happy place. Every year Denise chooses a word to focus on. She loves to share her learnings about that word throughout the year on her blog and social media.

 

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII.

 

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who seeks to encourage and inspire through story. With over 15 years in ministry, he brings a unique perspective on people and Biblical history. He holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, focusing on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship. Married with three children who bring him joy and inspiration, Matthew treasures sharing stories they can learn from. In his writing, he aspires to minister with love, equip with encouragement, and use his God-given gift to help readers encounter HIM in real and meaningful ways.

Cactus Lil and the City Slicker: 

A rough-and-tumble cowgirl, “Cactus” Lil Duncan longs for true love, but is afraid to let down her prickly exterior when a city slicker from New York City, with less-than-honorable intentions, tries to win her trust and her hand.

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When Plans Go Awry: 

She planned on independence. He vowed never to love. God had other ideas.

 

Olivia Carmichael flees her past to become the schoolmarm in the small ranching town of Washton, determined to live quietly and never depend on anyone again. Luke Taylor chose a mail-order bride to help care for his sisters. He didn’t plan to have to guard his heart—or the beautiful new teacher who unsettles his carefully laid plans. As Olivia’s resolve is tested and Luke’s expectations unravel, the meddling town—and its infamous rooster—may help them discover that God’s plans are far better than their own.

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Love’s Rescue

Sold by her parents to settle a debt, Rolande Bisset is forced into prostitution. Years later, shunned by her family and most of society, it’s the only way she knows how to subsist. When the Germans overrun Paris, she decides she’s had enough of evil men controlling her life and uses her wiles to obtain information for the Allied forces. Branded a collaborator, her life hangs in the balance. Then an American spy stumbles onto her doorstep. Is redemption within her grasp? Inspired by the biblical story of Rahab, Love’s Rescue is a tale of faith and hope during one of history’s darkest periods.

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The Cyprus Journal

One Young Man. His Significant Story. A Witness of the Early Church.

Many knew him as the young cousin to Barnabas the Encourager, the son of Mary who offered her home to honor the Savior and those who followed Him, or even the man who abandoned Paul on his First Missionary Journey, but there is more to his story. His story is one of new beginnings, a promise fulfilled, and a man who overcame fear of the unknown.

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