| Charles Hudson "Chip" Jenkins, Jr. | |
| Fictional Character | |
| 1632 series POD: May, 1631 | |
| Appearance(s): | 1632, Grantville Gazette IV, Grantville Gazette VI Grantville Gazette VIII, 1635: The Dreeson Incident |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct |
| Nationality: | United States of Europe (born in the United States of America) |
| Religion: | Methodism |
| Date of Birth: | 1982 |
| Occupation: | Student, football player, soldier |
| Parents: | Charles Jenkins, Deborah Jenkins |
| Spouse: | Katerina von Ruppersdorf |
| Relatives: | Missy Jenkins (sister), Eleanor Anne Newton Jenkins (grandmother) |
| Created by: | Eric Flint |
Charles "Chip" Jenkins, Jr. was the captain of the Grantville High School football team and the boyfriend of Julie Sims at the time of the Ring of Fire. They both joined the army. However, after Julie became a hero at the Battle of Jena, Chip, rather than feeling pride for his girlfriend, clearly felt jealousy.
As none of Julie's friends and immediate family liked Chip (including her father, her uncle, or town leader Michael Stearns), they began grooming Scots mercenary Alexander Mackay as a replacement. After Julie spoke with Rebecca Abrabanel, she broke up with Chip.
In November 1631, after a period of bragging about Mackay's hunting prowess by Julie, Chip challenged the soldier to a duel in the Thuringen Gardens. He then initiated it by punching Mackay in the face. Mackay, who expected to have choice of weapons, drew his saber and chased Chip. Police Officer Fred Jordan was off-duty, and ruled that Chip must be given a saber. When Chip protested he didn't know how to use one, Mackay agreed to pistols. Chip's courage had already wilted, and he protested that Mackay was trying to kill him. Police Chief Dan Frost arrived and ordered no dueling within town limits. Mike Stearns also arrived and ordered no dueling in American territory, period. Afterward, even Chip's friends Kenny Washaw and Steve Early, turned on him.
At some point, Chip left Grantville, moved to Jena, became a student at the university there, and later became a docent at the university. While there, he met Joachim von Thierbach, and the two became friends. He would later become an organizer for Jena's Committee of Correspondence.
Chip played the violin with at least some skill, though he considered himself a poor player. In a bit of cross-historical circularity, he was responsible for introducing a version of the Christmas carol "Silent Night" into the Germany of the 1630s.[1]
He later became engaged to Katerina von Ruppersdorf.