Jenkins History

[Karl the Mad]

Disjointed and vaguely ordered, until such time as I feel like writing it out proper.

-Jenkins lineage has roots far back in Scandinavia, with the mythical warlord Jansik, better known as the Mad King Jan. A long-lived warrior of fearsome strength, he brought all the Nordic lands under his reign; none since have done so, and his story is still whispered as a warning against hubris and lust for power. Unusual talent and longevity are remarkable in their prevalence in the lineage; this is countered by inclinations toward instability and madness.
-In more modern concerns, the notable American presence of the family began in 1644, when Horatio Jenkins became the first white man to cross what would be known as the Green Fall River; where he crossed became the center of his farmstead as he brought his family over from Europe, and other frontier settlers would eventually set down here as well (strength in numbers and all that).
-Hostility on all sides; native tribes, fauna (sometimes the flora too!), the British, the Spanish and the taxmen; perhaps the only people they weren't at war with were the French, and their fellow Americans. Eventually, as the colonies revolted and gained independence, hereditary instincts prevailed and Horatio's Crossing became a sort of stronghold for the warlike and the predatory, those who couldn't let go of the war or the profits war could bring.
-Vice and crime were quickly adopted; slave trading, liquor and gun smuggling, sex. The warrior tradition held true as well, and they garnered a reputation as mercenaries and muscle for other crime families across the East Coast; vineyards were established as the area grew popular for its wine, and legitimate service in America's military kept nosy law away (as did a small succession of farmers, lawyers, clerks, administrators and politicians; one couldn't be at war with everyone forever, after all).
-At the onset of the Civil War, the Crossing officially gave up the slave trade and threw in with the North; not so much out of concern for the slaves but because the Union had more guns and more money for mercs. Most of them joined General Sherman for his rapacious sacking of Georgia, and brought back all kinds of booty and spoils, as well as more then a few Southern wives.
-The aftermath of WWI saw the birth of Charles Jenkins III, who seemed posed to take up the mantle of his grandfather (over a hundred years old and still no sign of letting up!). The family's fortunes boomed during Prohibition, when mercenary criminality was in high demand; they ran booze, stood guard, acted as bodyguards and soldiers and muscle, and despite his youth Charles III was in the thick of it (at least until he got snapped up and shipped off for WWII).
-Today, Horatio's Crossing is a sprawling town of perhaps 6,000 souls, straddling the border between Connecticut and Rhode Island; Cynthia Jenkins currently stands as mayor, always making much ado of how tasty the wine is and luring tourists all year round. They still take to vice and crime as casually as they always have, although they know enough to keep a facade up for the feds; some curiosity is always drawn by how well-equipped the police force is, and what such a small town needs with two full SWAT teams, but such curiosity is never high enough for much to be done.
-As far as Hope is concerned, Charles III is the only noteworthy Jenkins so far, although eventually some drama may arise when superstar corporate shark Katherine Starr is discovered to be his daughter.