IL IL - Jacksonville, BlkMale 496UMIL, deaf, mute & blind teen, found 1945, died 1993 “Lewis”

anthrobones

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http://doenetwork.org/cases/496umil.html



Unidentified Black Male




  • The unknown man was discovered on October 11, 1945 in Jacksonville, Illinois
  • Unable to communicate, deaf and mute teenager
Case History
Police found John Doe in the early morning hours of October 11, 1945, in Jacksonville, Illinois.
Unable to communicate, the deaf and mute teenager was labeled “feeble minded” and sentenced by a judge to the Lincoln State School and Colony in Jacksonville.
He remained in the Illinois mental health care system for over thirty years and died at the Sharon Oaks Nursing Home in Peoria on November 28, 1993.
Deaf, mute, and later blind, the young black man survived institutionalized hell: beatings, hunger, overcrowding, and the dehumanizing treatment that characterized state institutions through the 1950s.
In spite of his environment, he made friends, took on responsibilities, and developed a sense of humor. People who knew him found him remarkable.

After reading a story about John Doe in the New York Times, acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter wrote and recorded “John Doe No. 24” and purchased a headstone for his unmarked grave.
Award-winning journalist Dave Bakke has written his story in the book; God Knows His Name
The True Story of John Doe No. 24

 
Bumping for this sweet man. I've read the above mentioned book a few times now, it is an incredible story and really makes you care for "John". If you haven't read it, I truly recommend it.

Now if only we could finally find out his true name.
 
John Doe No. 24 was found Oct. 11,1945 by police in Jacksonville,IL. He was found to be "feeble minded" and was sent to the state hospital. He was a black teenager. He was a deaf mute and was blind from diabetes they believed. He was taught sign language by caregivers and was eventually moved to a nursing home in Peoria where he pantomimed about foot stomping jazz and scrawled the name "Lewis". Was this his name? His caregivers did not believe he was feeble minded. He was happy in the nursing home. He carried a backpack from the day he found. Inside it had a collection of rings, glassware and silverware. He had a straw hat as well. He loved it and wore it all the time. He died of a stroke on Nov. 28,1993. He was aprox. 64 years old. Country singer/songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter after reading about in the New York Times wrote a song called "John Doe No. 24" for him and purchased a grave marker for him as well. Dave Bakke wrote a book about him called God Knows His Name: The True Story Of John Doe No. 24 in 2000. The title is derived from a statement his nurse made as he lay on his death bed. She said " God knows his name." He then died.

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/12/05/u...to-the-grave.html?sec=health&pagewanted=print

http://doenetwork.org/cases/496umil.html
 
Wow, sounds like such a beautiful person. I hate to think of what he endured in the mental facilities but at least he had the will power to rise above it. Thanks for posting this...it's amazing that no one ever looked for him. Perhaps they felt he was a hinderance...who knows. I hope someone is looking for him and knows who he is.
 
I hope so too,Lucy's Mom. Maybe someone in his family is doing genealogy. We have found folks in some weird places so you never know. I also can't imagine what he endured in the mental health system during those years. That system was so stone age then. We have read records of family who were in that system back in the day. YIKES! Awful.
 
I briefly worked in the nursing home that housed John back in 1974, he was my favorite patient, he was always so happy. I am so saddened by his death. It was thought that he was born to a female who had syphilis and he was abandoned because of his disablities. It is comforting to know that in his remaining years he was loved and cared for. I must find the song by Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Thanks for posting!
 
The article said that "Lewis" was beleived to be 64 when he died in 1993, which would put his year of birth at about 1929. I did a search of the 1930 census for a black male living in Illinois who was born between 1928 and 1930 and there was one match. I was looking to see if they collected disability information that year and unfortunately they did not ask if a person was blind, deaf, etc.

I am not sure of the propriety of posting the person's name here as I have NO idea if it was him. the fact he was found in Jacksonville, IL in 1945 did not mean that he was in IL in 1930.
 
I wonder where the collection of rings, glassware & silverware he carried in his backpack came from? I am thinking maybe his parents/parent died and he took their possessions and was left to fend for himself. I could be completely wrong of course!

Such a sad story - it would be wonderful to be able to give him his name back.
 
I have read "God Knows His Name: The True Story of John Doe No. 24" by Dave Bakke. When he was found, he was wearing t-shirt and a vest and that was in October. As for the backpack with stuff, that was much later as he has developed a hording habit from his days in institutions.

The eye doctor who examined his eyes, said that he think John Doe is much older from the looks of his eyes. At least 10 years older.

I would love to find out his true identity. I would love to find out if there is some tissue of his in storage that we can get DNA out of it. He had colon cancer and a surgery for that. Maybe we can find the closest match in the DNA tree if we have his DNA.
 
More long shots... but looking in the census I found the following (based on the idea that the dentist report could put his birth date earlier than 1929). I didn't search for a Lewis, but did find this:

Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota 1920 Census - William Lewis (b about 1905), attending the school for the deaf. He is noted as being born in Iowa, father born in Georgia and mother born in Kansas.
 
What a remarkable tale! Very bitter sweet. Maybe there’s hope still for him to get his name back!

CASE NUMBER - 496UMIL
3D1165E7-5C1E-462A-9631-EFD0DC7C0C4F.jpeg0F236166-042B-4861-9244-6A196C8ED6C0.jpeg975C1B0A-8054-4476-A220-36E637A1CE35.jpeg
Image of the victim in 1945 and 1983; Headstone purchased by Mary Chapin Carpenter

Date of Discovery: October 11, 1945
Location of Discovery: Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois
Estimated Date of Death: November 28, 1993
State of Remains: Alive when located
Cause of Death: Stroke

Physical Description
Estimated Age: Teens
Race: Black
Gender: Male
Height: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Hair Color: Black or brown
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Unable to communicate: deaf and mute. Mentally handicapped

Identifiers
Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown

Clothing & Personal Items
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Discovery
Police found a teen-age boy in the early morning hours of October 11, 1945, in Jacksonville, Illinois. Unable to communicate, the deaf and mute teenager was labeled "feeble minded" and sentenced by a judge to the Lincoln State School and Colony in Jacksonville.

He remained in the Illinois mental health care system for over thirty years. Deaf, mute, and later blind, the young black man survived beatings, hunger, overcrowding, and the dehumanizing treatment that characterized state institutions through the 1950s. In spite of his environment, he made friends, took on responsibilities, and developed a sense of humor. People who knew him found him remarkable. He had a straw hat he loved to wear, and carried a backpack with his collection of rings, glasses, and silverware with him everywhere.

Possible hints to his identity include his 'scrawling "Lewis"' and his 'pantomimed, wild accounts of foot-stomping jazz bars and circus parades.'

He died after having a stroke at the Sharon Oaks Nursing Home in Peoria on November 28, 1993. Officials believe he was around 64 years old at the time.

After reading a story about him in the New York Times, acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter wrote and recorded "John Doe No. 24" and purchased a headstone for his unmarked grave. Award-winning journalist Dave Bakke wrote God Knows His Name: The True Story of John Doe No. 24.

Investigating Agency(s)
Agency Name: Unknown
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: N/A
Agency Case Number: N/A

NCIC Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: N/A

Information Source(s)
The New York Times: John Doe No. 24 Takes His Secret to the Grave (December 5, 1993)
Southern Illinois University Press Archives

God Knows His Name | siupress.siu.edu

John Doe No. 24

http://theunidentified.forumotion.com/t1002-jacksonville-john-doe-bm-deaf-mute-found-in-1945-died-28-november-1993
 
John Doe No. 24
Song by Mary Chapin Carpenter

I was standing on this sidewalk
In 1945 in Jacksonville, Illinois
When asked what my name was there came no reply
They said I was a deaf and sightless, half-wit boy
But Lewis was my name though I could not say it
I was born and raised in New Orleans
My spirit was wild, so I let the river take it
On a barge and a prayer upstream
They searched for a mother and they searched for a father
And they searched till they searched no more
The doctors put to rest their scientific test
And they named me John Doe No. 24
And they all shook their heads in pity
For a world so silent and dark
Well, there's no doubt that life's a mystery
But so too is the human heart
And it was my heart's own perfume
When the crape jasmine bloomed on St. Charles Avenue
Though I couldn't hear the bells of the streetcars coming
By toeing the track I knew
And if I were an old man returning
With my satchel and pork-pie hat
I'd hit every jazz joint on Bourbon
And I'd hit every one on Basin after that
The years kept passing as they passed me around
From one state ward to another
Like I was an orphaned shoe from the lost and found
Always missing the other
They gave me a harp last Christmas
And all the nurses took a dance
Lately I've been growing listless
Been dreaming again of the past
I'm wandering down to the banks of the Great Big Muddy
Where the shotgun houses stand
I am seven years old and I feel my daddy
Reach out for my hand
While I drew breath no one missed me
So they won't on the day that I cease
Put a sprig of crape jasmine with me
To remind me of New Orleans
I was standing on this sidewalk
In 1945 in Jacksonville, Illinois

 
This would be a great case for DNA Doe and it sounds as though there would be many who would contribute to a a Doe Fund Me.
I definitely agree!!

It would be a unique case to solve but still just as deserving as any other. There must be relatives who would be glad to know ‘Lewis’! He sounds like an endearing man who made the best of a terrible situation!
 

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