County of marker: Morgan County
Location of marker: Mauvaiseterre St., Central Plaza Park, Jacksonville
Erected by: The Morgan County Historical Society
"On foot, an Illinois native is trekking the 660 miles that the Potawatomi Indians were forced to do in the 1800s, which is now known as the “Trail of Death” march — one of the last forced removals by militia in 1838 that resulted in over 40 deaths during the two-month journey, most of them children.
“They referred to it as the ‘two month cycle’,” the Rev. Jeffery Geary said.
"Geary, who now resides in White Plains, New York, and is pastor of White Plains Presbyterian Church, is following the exact journey the Potawatomi Nation took, with Jacksonville being one of the locations where they camped.
“I’m walking to acknowledge the wrongs that were done,” Geary said of the forced removal from Indiana. “I’m also walking as a Christian."
"More than 800 members of the Potawatomi Nation did not want to leave their land, even after it was ceded to the federal government and the deadline to leave had passed, so 100 militia men were ordered to force them out of Indiana, making way for future immigrants to move in.
“It’s to acknowledge the great wrongs and distress that was caused,” Geary said of reasons to walk and experience what they had to endure. “It was the last of many removals.”
"Also recognizing his own heritage, he is doing the journey because his family history shows that they all lived on the land that the Potawatomi Indians were forced to leave — a natural occurence of English and Irish settlers heading west.
“Five generations have been on Potawatomi land,” he said of his lineage.
"During the journey that took place in the latter part of 1838, the stop in Jacksonville was significant because one of the deaths that occurred east of town — a girl of Chief Metteah’s family — is mentioned on the monument that is on display at Jacksonville’s Foreman Grove Park.
"For Geary, who has been visiting all the monuments along the journey that began May 8, he noticed that is the only one that mentions who actually died.
“That marker is unusual because there’s a name on it,” he said.
"During the Potawatomis’ stay at the location, the Jacksonville town band came to play for them.
"As Geary walked into town Thursday, and after viewing the monument, he found himself walking through Illinois College and quickly realized that the school, that was founded in 1829, had been open and those on campus likely saw the march.
"Averaging 20 miles a day, five days a week, Geary said that he has been humbled by churches that have allowed him to stay inside and places like fire departments allowing him to set up a tent and use their facilities.
“I have camped far less often,” he said.
"But along the way he has also experienced things like blisters stemming for walking in the rain and realized that he has had to buy larger walking shoes because of the swelling — all of which makes him experience what the Potawatomi Indians endured.
“I’m obviously very privileged,” he said of modern times and footwear, adding that he learned that the Potawatomi were gifted with shoes by cobblers to help them through their journey.
“That just boggled my mind,” Geary said.
"The story of the “Trail of Death” does live on, but so does the Potawatomi Nation.
"Since 1988, 88 markers have been erected along the route and every five years there is a pilgrimage of cars that caravan the journey, with the next one being in 2023 — something that is important to Geary because the tribe lives on today.
“The Gabrielle Garcia Marquez quote about belonging to a land when your body is in the ground speaks to how important the trail remains to Potawatomi today as a connection to the land and to ancestors,” he said.
"While walking, though, Geary said that “healing is the word I would use” regarding what he is experiencing.
“My feet need to teach what my head needs to learn,” he said. “The similarities and differences between my walk and the trail in 1838 is that when I am done I get to go home, and that I am not being forced to do this.” ~ Jacksonville Journal-Courier, by Darren Iozia, May 28, 2021