"Your child has been born tonight, Mr Wilkerson."
"My child, I'm not sure what you mean..."
"Has been born and mercifully has died. Goodnight, Mr Wilkerson."
Jonas Wilkerson (died 1866) was the overseer of Tara, who later became Head of the Freedman's Bureau. Because of his post-war succes and sympathy for the Yankee cause, he is seen by the South as a "carpetbagger", an opportunist.
Biography[]
At some point, Gerald O'Hara hired Jonesboro's Jonas Wilkerson as overseer of his plantation Tara. Since he is sometimes referred to as a "Yankee overseer" it is possible he was born in the north and moved to Georgia later, but it may also be a reference to his Yankee sympathies. He is a friend of Mr Hilton, the overseer on Pine Bloom, the Calvert family's plantation.
While working on Tara, Jonas began an affair with the O'Hara's poor neighbour Emmie Slattery, who became pregnant with his child. She gave birth to a stillborn child in 1861, which was delivered by Ellen O'Hara, who then convinced her husband to fire Wilkerson, despite him being a fine overseer. Jonas denied being the father.
His actions during the war are unknown, though he most likely avoided service because of his sympathy for the Yankee cause. When the Yankees won, Jonas used his connections to be appointed Head of the Freedman's Bureau. Now having acquired wealth and a position, he marries Emmie. His friend Mr Hilton also works at the office and marries Cathleen Calvert.
He tries to purchase Tara from Scarlett O'Hara as Emmie wants to live there, but after he is denied this he raises the taxes on Tara. It takes Scarlett's second marriage to Frank Kennedy to keep her house.
After making a speech, in which he promises Black people they will be able to vote legally and marry white women if they want to, Jonas catches the attention of the Ku Klux Klan. Its member Tony Fontaine uses a knife to kill Jonas after he's killed his former slave Eustis.
Trivia[]
- While looking at the list of deceased soldiers, searching for Ashley Wilkes' name, Scarlett mentions a Wilkerson. This may be a male relative of Jonas who died in the war.