Charles J. Jenkins

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Charles Jones Jenkins (January 6, 1805 – June 14, 1883) was a politician from Georgia, USA.

Jenkins was born in South Carolina. His family moved to Jefferson County, Georgia, and Jenkins attended the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens at a young age; however, his exact dates of attendance are not known. Jenkins left UGA before graduating and finished his education in 1824 at Union College in Pennsylvania.

He first gained widespread attention as the author of "The Georgia Platform", a proclamation by a special state convention that cautiously endorsed the Compromise of 1850. During the American Civil War, he was appointed by Governor Joseph E. Brown as a justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. After a state constitutional convention in 1865 re-established Georgia's state government, he ran as the only candidate for governor. He served as the Governor of Georgia from 1865 to 1868, during Reconstruction. In 1868, he refused to allow state funds to be used for a racially integrated state constitutional convention that was supervised by the U.S. military occupation. In response, General John Pope installed Brig. General Thomas H. Ruger as military governor and Jenkins fled the state, though he later returned. In the 1872 Election, he received 2 electoral college votes. In that election, Democratic candidate Horace Greeley died after the elections but before the electors convened and so two of the electors from Georgia cast their vote for Jenkins.

He died on June 14, 1883. He was interned in Summerville Cemetery in Augusta, Georgia. Jenkins County, Georgia is named in his honor.

[edit] References

• History of the University of Georgia by Thomas Walter Reed, Thomas Walter Reed, Imprint: Athens, Georgia : University of Georgia, ca. 1949, pp. 188-190

[edit] External Links

• Jenkins at Our Georgia History
• Jenkins at The New Georgia Encyclopedia
• Jenkins at Find A Grave

Preceded by James Johnson

Governor of Georgia 1865–1868

Succeeded by Thomas H. Ruger

Governors of Georgia

Walton • Bulloch • Gwinnett • Treutlen • Houstoun • Wereat • Walton • Howly • Heard • Davies • Brownson • Martin • Hall • Houstoun • Elbert • Telfair • Mathews • Handley • Walton • Telfair • Mathews • Irwin • Jackson • Emanuel • Tattnall • Milledge • Irwin • Mitchell • Early • Mitchell • Rabun • Talbot • Clark • Troup • Forsyth • Gilmer • Lumpkin • Schley • Gilmer • McDonald • Crawford • Towns • Cobb • H. Johnson • J.E. Brown • J. Johnson • Jenkins • Ruger • Bullock • Conley • J. Smith • Colquitt • Stephens • Boynton • McDaniel • Gordon • Northen • Atkinson • Candler • Terrell • H. Smith • J.M. Brown • H. Smith • Slaton • J.M. Brown • Slaton • N. Harris • Dorsey • Hardwick • Walker • Hardman • Russell • E. Talmadge • Rivers • E. Talmadge • Arnall • Thompson • H. Talmadge • Griffin • Vandiver • Sanders • Maddox • Carter • Busbee • J.F. Harris • Miller • Barnes • Perdue