| Wilfram Jones | |
| Fictional Character | |
| 1632 series POD: May, 1631 | |
| Appearance(s): | Ring of Fire II Grantville Gazette XVI Grantville Gazette XXIII Ring of Fire III |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct |
| Nationality: | England |
| Occupation: | Soldier, horse-trader, former mercenary |
| Parents: | William Jones (deceased) |
| Relatives: | Robert (brother), Andrew (brother, deceased), Jane (sister-in-law), Will (nephew) |
| Created by: | Karen Bergstralh |
Wilfram "Wilf" Jones was an English mercenary who served in the employ of Count Tilly during the Battle of the Crapper. He was taken prisoner along with his friends Reichard Blucher, Christian du Champ, and Dieter Wiesskamp before being approved for a pardon by Gretchen Richter for their good behavior. Jones and his former mercenaries became farm workers before they became partners in Ev and Lanie Parker's draft horse breeding operation—all in the space of two years. During his stay, Jones became interested in watching movies, particularly military-themed movies such as Zulu.
Prior to becoming a mercenary at age sixteen, Jones came from a family that had raised war horses. His family fell into harsh financial times, which was the reason Jones left to become a mercenary.
Horse Thieves[]
In the fall of 1633, Jones and his friends were returning to Grantville following their horse trading in France before encountering two armed soldiers who demanded that they turn their horses over to them. However, Blucher and du Champ quickly killed the horsemen. Upon examining the dead soldiers and their belongings, they discovered that they were based on American Civil War era fashions. Realizing that there were more soldiers nearby, Blucher and the others went to find the rest of these soldiers.
The four, accompanied by Sam O'Reilly and Klaus Goltz, eventually discovered an encampment, numbering about a hundred, that was closely modeled on Civil War military doctrines. They quickly learned that the soldiers may have learned these new military styles from a book on the Civil War, but that they had only had pictures and drawing of horse gear. Figuring that the enemy soldiers were preparing to raid Badenburg, Jones decided to stay and observe the soldiers with Blucher while the others would warn Grantville and Badenburg; however, O'Reilly opposed this and decided to take Jones' place, arguing that he possessed superior firearms. Jones consented to this.
Following a skirmish at the Badenburg road which eliminated the enemy army, Jones attended the Thuringen Gardens with his friends and Ev Parker. There they were angrily confronted by patrons of the 250 Club, who believed that Reichard was responsible for O'Reilly's death - he had been killed in harrying the enemy army. Though outnumbered, the men ably fought the mob which ended with one of the patrons being killed. Reichard came out with a broken arm, but he and the others were not charged, as they had acted in self-defense.
Duty Calls[]
In March of 1634, Jones, Dieter Wiesskamp, Reichard Blucher, and Rob Clark were sent by Major Stieff to Oberschwartzwald to investigate a series of bandit attacks on the nearby villages, under the guise of horse trading. Prior to reaching Oberschwartzwald, they were forewarned by Lutheran Pastor Borstorf that the inhabitants were heretics and thieves.
Jones and the quartet were coming to Oberschwartzwald, expecting to find the thieves they looking for. Jones and the former mercenaries recognized the thieves, as mercenaries led by Captain von Schor, a hated man they had once associated with. They killed Captain von Schor and his men, saving a mother and son who were being harassed by von Schor. Despite killing the mercenaries that were holding Oberschwartzwald under their control, the villagers were very distrustful of Jones and his friends. They were offered housing with the mother they had saved, Marta Altboters, and learned from her that Captain von Schor's men had been paid to stay in Oberschwartzwald. Jones and his friends searched the house that Captain von Schor's men had stayed in, and discovered maps of German towns and cities written in French. According to Rob Clark's translation, the maps had notes on the locales' military strength. Thereafter, having the needed information, the quartet left Oberschwartzwald along with Altboters and her son, who did not want to stay with her family, as they had placated Captain von Schor.
Jones and his companions were debriefed by Major Stieff and eventually learned that the mercenaries may have been working for Henri de la Tour d'Auverge, Vicomte Turenne, in order to gain military information in the area.