This article lists the various minor fictional characters who appear in the State of Jefferson Stories. These characters are identified by name, but play at best a peripheral role in the series. Most were simply mentioned or had a very brief, unimportant speaking role that did not impact the plot, and never appeared again.
Harry Turtledove has not made clear whether the series is complete. If installments continue to be produced, certain characters listed here may increase in importance.
Albert[]
Albert was a Greek-born restaurateur who owned Fat Albert's in Yreka, Jefferson. In addition to fancy burgers and salads, Albert sold Greek dishes like spanakopita and keftedakia and dolmades. As Fat Albert's was around the corner from the Jefferson State Governor's Mansion, Governor Bill Williamson ate their regularly, and was friendly with Albert.
In February, 1981, Williamson lunched at Fat Albert's with Mark Gordon, a sasquatch who'd been held hostage in Iran. Upon recognizing Gordon, Albert made clear that their lunch was on the house that day. While Williamson was mindful of how such a favor might prove to be a headache politically, Albert prevailed in the end, jokingly threatening to fight the two sasquatches if they argued further.
Albert bragged about his two VIP customers to Asianto Supandy, a fellow restaurateur, who also served as the honorary Indonesian consul to Jefferson.[1]
Annie[]
("Typecasting")
Annie was a reporter with the Ashland Daily Tidings. In 1980, she covered Governor Bill Williamson's press conference announcing an annual state grant of $15,000 to the Ashland Shakespeare Festival. She asked Williamson whether the fact that his daughter, Nicole, had been part of the festival had anything to do with this grant. Williamson allowed that Nicole's participation in the festival put Ashland on his radar. When she asked whether Nicole's sudden casting change had any part of his decision, Williamson indicated he had no artistic control over the festival. While that wasn't wholly true, it was a feel-good story, and the press didn't want to push the issue.[2]
Vicky Bishop[]
Vicky Bishop was the wife of game warden Eric Bishop. She attended the press conference which presented the specimen of Speartooth salmon with her husband, though she stayed in the press room during the actual conference.[3]
Captain of the Heiwa Maru[]
The skipper of Heiwa Maru escorted the Yeti Lama from Japan to Eureka, Jefferson in 1979. Judging by his age, he had probably fought for the Empire during World War II. The skipper welcomed Governor Bill Williamson aboard his ship, then joined the Governor, the Lama, the Governor's publicist Barbara Rasmussen, and several monks and sailors for a photo op.[4]
Bonnie Gordon[]
(TaYR)
Bonnie Gordon (c. 1960) was the youngest sister of Mark Gordon. She joined her family in welcoming him home from Iran in February 1981. She also joined her family at a dinner at Governor Bill Williamson's invitation. As Mark described his time as a hostage and that his captors once described him as an animal, Bonnie exclaimed that they, the captors, were the animals. She joined her sister Samantha in celebrating Iran's war with Iraq, which was a large factor in the release of hostages.[5]
May Gordon[]
(TaYR)
May Gordon was the wife of Tim Gordon and the mother of Mark, Samantha and Bonnie. Mark, an analyst with the U.S. State Department, had been one of the Americans held hostage in Iran from November 1979 to January 1981. The family welcomed him home from Iran in February 1981. She also joined her family at a dinner at Governor Bill Williamson's invitation. As Mark described his time as a hostage, May made several comments expressing disgust and horror at his ordeal. She also scolded him when he refused to leave by claiming he was a yeti.[6]
Samantha Gordon[]
(TaYR)
Samantha Gordon (b. c. 1955) was the younger sister of Mark Gordon. She joined her family in welcoming him home from Iran in February 1981. She also joined her family at a dinner at Governor Bill Williamson's invitation. As Mark described his time as a hostage and that he'd been able to share intelligence with the government, Samantha cheered. She joined her sister Bonnie in celebrating Iran's war with Iraq, which was a large factor in the release of hostages.[7]
Tim Gordon[]
(TaYR)
Tim Gordon was the husband of May Gordon and the father of Mark, Samantha and Bonnie. Mark, an analyst with the U.S. State Department, had been one of the Americans held hostage in Iran from November 1979 to January 1981. Tim joined his family in welcoming him home in February 1981. He also joined their family at a dinner by Governor Bill Williamson's invitation. As Mark described his time as a hostage, May made several comments expressing disgust and horror at his ordeal. She also scolded him when he refused to leave by claiming he was a yeti, though Tim briefly defended Mark's decision. After the meal, Tim personally thanked Governor Williamson, describing Williamson's actions as umglatch.[8]
Hank[]
Hank was one of the reporters who covered a meeting between Governor Bill Williamson, State Department analyst Mark Gordon, and Indonesian petty diplomat Asianto Supandy, in February 1981. When he got the three into a group photo in spite of their varying sizes, Gordon feared he would caption it "The long and short of it".[9]
Ellen Halvorsen[]
(ASN)
Ellen Halvorsen accompanied her husband, anthropologist Steve Halvorsen, at the press conference which announced the discovery of the speartooth salmon.
Steve Halvorsen[]
(ASN)
Steve Halvorsen was a professor of anthropology at Jefferson State Ashland. In November 1980, Halvorsen's friend, ichthyologist Mervin McDougald, took part in the rediscovery of the speartooth fish. He brought Halvorsen to speak at the press conference which announced the rediscovery. When a reporter asked how the speartooth could have inspired the old legends which speak of it flying and breathing fire, Halvorsen explained that such was the nature of legends to take a small truth and exaggerate it. As an analogy, he stated that the historical Trojan War was probably much less impressive and mystical than the Iliad would lead one to believe.
Bill Williamson thought of Halvorsen as someone it would be fun to take a class from.
Iona[]
(ASN)
Iona was the evening receptionist at the Jefferson State Governor's Mansion in November 1980, beginning her shift after Phyllis Ward's had ended. She probably voted for Republican candidate Ronald Reagan in the election. Although erstwhile Governor Bill Williamson and all his cabinet were staunch Democrats, the state's culture of live-and-let-live (or at least of leave-me-the-hell-alone-and-I’ll-do-the-same-for-you) made coexisting fairly easy.[10]
Dave Jenkins[]
("Peace is Better")
Dave Jenkins was a car salesman at Nobuo Fujita's Datsun dealership in Port Orford, Jefferson. He was present for the meeting between his employer and Jefferson governor Bill Williamson in September 1979. He greeted Williamson when he first arrived. Williamson found Jenkins' manner of dress to be straight out of central casting.[11]
Kertosudiro[]
(TaYR)
Kertosudiro was the Indonesian consul-general in Los Angeles. In February 1981 he forwarded President Suharto's message of international to goodwill to junior assistant consul Asianto Supandy in Yreka, to deliver to Bill Williamson, the Governor of Jefferson.
Literary comment[]
This character shares a name with Suharto's father, but does not appear to be him.
Mayor of Port Orford (Peace is Better)[]
(PiB)
The mayor of Port Orford, Jefferson, greeted Japanese visitor Nobuo Fujita in 1962. Fujita presented to the mayor his family's four-centuries-old samurai sword as contrition for his World War II-era act of bombing the town, 20 years earlier. However, seven years later, in 1969 Fujita decided to settle in the town and open a car dealership. The mayor returned the sword to Fujita at this time.[12]
Donna McDougald[]
(ASN)
Donna McDougald was the wife of Professor Mervin McDougald. She attended the press conference where he helped announce to the world the discovery of the Speartooth salmon, though she watched in press room.[13]
Mike[]
(T)
Mike was a member of the Jefferson State Legislature. He was the head of the Appropriations Committee in 1980. Privately, Governor Bill Williamson admitted that he and Mike lied to each other all the time, as required by the game of politics.
Pete[]
(T)
Pete was a reporter with the Port Orford Post. In 1980, he covered Governor Bill Williamson's press conference announcing an annual state grant of $15,000 to the Ashland Shakespeare Festival. Pete asked what strings were attached to the grant. Williamson assured him that there were none.
Al Rafferty[]
(ASN)
Al Rafferty, a Democrat, served as Lieutenant Governor of Jefferson under Governor Bill Williamson, coming to office in the late 1970s. His face resembled a map of Ireland.
On November 4, 1980, both men, and State Attorney General Hyman Apfelbaum, sat watching the national election results on television in the Governor's Mansion in Yreka. As all three men had favored Jimmy Carter, they were dismayed when Ronald Reagan was declared the winner. While Williamson remained fairly calm, Apfelbaum cursed loudly in Yiddish. Rafferty exhibited even worse conniptions, downing copious amounts of bourbon and declaring that the United States was irredeemably doomed. Williamson, who had encountered Reagan when the latter was Governor of California, tried to reassure Rafferty that the new President-elect was quite capable, but Rafferty only began to fear that Reagan would set the country back 100 years.[14]
Ray[]
(VftE, T, TaYR)
Ray was the steward at the Jefferson State Governor's Mansion in Yreka during Bill Williamson's term. He was attentive to his duties, providing early morning breakfasts to Williamson and keeping track of Williamson's schedule.
Rex[]
(ASN)
Rex was Greg and Kelly Ann Donovan's dog. Kelly taped shut the trash bags containing the remains of a newly discovered speartooth salmon to keep Rex out.
Stu[]
(PiB)
Stu was a TV reporter from Jefferson. In September 1979, he covered Governor Bill Williamson's meeting with Nobuo Fujita in Port Orford. He greeted Williamson when he arrived. When Williamson observed that it was good to get out and let the people take a look at him, Stu replied off-handedly that that there was lot of Williamson to see. Under normal circumstances, Williamson would have taken offense, but he realized Stu was just talking, and so let it go.[15]
Haystack Thornton[]
(VftE, TaYR)
Haystack Thornton was a marijuana grower in Eureka, Jefferson. While he was a little person, he was still quite big at almost 7 feet tall and wide in proportion, suggesting he had a sasquatch somewhere in his woodpile. He benefited from Jefferson's policy of refusing to prosecute marijuana growers and refusing to cooperate with United States government. When Governor Bill Williamson was in Eureka in 1979, to meet the Yeti Lama, Thornton approached him and thanked him for the state's position.[16]
Thornton traveled to Yreka in February 1981, and joined the crowd which came out to meet the returning Iran hostage Mark Gordon.
Jackie van Herpen[]
(T)
Jackie van Herpen was an actress. Reggie Pesky initially cast her as Miranda in the Ashland Shakespeare Festival production of The Tempest, with sasquatch Nicole Williamson as Caliban. Pesky admitted to Nicole's father, Governor Bill Williamson, that Nicole gave Pesky the opportunity to cast a Caliban without the need for make-up.
When Bill Williamson found out about Pesky's decision, he asked Nicole if Pesky was sleeping with Jackie. Nicole confirmed that Pesky was gay, and that Jackie wasn't much of an actor. Later, Pesky himself admitted he'd cast Jackie as Miranda because she was a "double-breasted mattress thrasher."[17]
Phyllis Ward[]
("Something Fishy," TaYR)
Phyllis Ward was an administrative assistant at the Jefferson State Governor's Mansion during the governorship of Bill Williamson. She had a filing cabinet for a mind — anything out of place distressed her, and she was not fond of Williamson's spontaneous manner.
References[]
- ↑ https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/tie-a-yellow-ribbon-harry-turtledove/
- ↑ http://www.tor.com/2016/06/15/typecasting/
- ↑ https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/always-something-new-harry-turtledove/
- ↑ Thirty Days Later, pgs. 21-23.
- ↑ https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/tie-a-yellow-ribbon-harry-turtledove/
- ↑ https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/tie-a-yellow-ribbon-harry-turtledove/
- ↑ https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/tie-a-yellow-ribbon-harry-turtledove/
- ↑ https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/tie-a-yellow-ribbon-harry-turtledove/
- ↑ https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/tie-a-yellow-ribbon-harry-turtledove/
- ↑ https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/always-something-new-harry-turtledove/
- ↑ Thirty Days Later: Steaming Forward: 30 Adventures in Time, loc. 2310-2323, p. 139.
- ↑ Thirty Days Later: Steaming Forward: 30 Adventures in Time, p. 141.
- ↑ https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/always-something-new-harry-turtledove/
- ↑ https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/always-something-new-harry-turtledove/
- ↑ Thirty Days Later: Steaming Forward: 30 Adventures in Time, loc. 2299-2310, pgs. 138-139.
- ↑ Thirty Days Later: Steaming Forward: 30 Adventures in Time, p. 20 pb, loc. 436.
- ↑ See, e.g., http://www.tor.com/2016/06/15/typecasting/
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