Trail of Death

[W. Gray]

I recently took this photo on the edge of the business district of Independence, Mo. at a spring which was a pioneer gathering place for wagons destined to travel the California, Oregon, and Santa Fe trails.

The 1838 initiative to move the Potawatomi tribe was taken by the state of Indiana to move 860 tribal members from Indiana to what is now Osawatomie, KS. The tribe used Independence as a rest stop before moving on to their destination. The route was 660 miles and only 756 members arrived in Kansas. The Indians were moved from Indiana to Kansas to free their land for white settlement.

The forced move took place from September through November 1838.

In 1861, the Potawatomi were again moved, some went to Oklahoma. However, others moved to Jackson County, Kansas, and their descendents live on an 8 x 11 mile land tract, one of four Indian reservations in modern day Kansas.

[Judy Harder]

I am very familiar with the Reservation in and around Mayetta Kansas. My cousins and earlier relatives, can't tell you how we are connected, just that I grew up visiting in the area and playing with some of the kids. Mayette is just north of Topeka and if you play the Casino at Hoyt the next town is Mayetta. I also was married to a man with 1/4 indian in him and think that his great-granddad was one of the peaceful tribes that settled there.
I can't remember the tribe, either Pawnee or Potawatomi maybe......I was too young to know it was a reservation until after
I married and we just accepted it. Yes, there speaks a white man.......I am ashamed of all who shoo-ed them off the land just to gain more land for the whites. I just hate unfairness of any kind and not the first and I know not the last.........just makes me sad.......and know that "pay-back" will happen.