Charlie Clark

Charles "Charlie" Clark was the town janitor for Elizabeth, Virginia. A Negro, Clark appeared to be a goodnatured person, content with his station in life.

In truth, Clark was as angry at the hierarchy of Virginia which placed whites on top as much as every other Negro. In the lead-up to the war between Virginia and Ohio, Clark, among other Negroes, received a substantial number of firearms from Ohio. Before he could put them to use, however, Clark was killed on Jephany Knob when he was hit by ligthening during a storm. Justin Monroe and Beckie Royer discovered the body, and dutifully called the sheriff, Chester Cochrane. Cochrane was surprised that Clark, who seemed trustworthy, was involved in such a plot.

Most people didn't appear to know Charlie Clark's last name. Beckie Royer didn't learn it until after his death. For both Beckie and Justin, Charlie Clark was a symbol of everything wrong with the Virginia system. Beckie had the luxury broach that subject. Justin, the denizen of another timeline, did not have that luxury.