Hello, I am new to the list. My question is about the "Trail of Tears".   I read that it took place during the spring and summer of 1838. Did the Indians only follow the trail that year or did they continue to leave Georgia and places in the south and travel over it for years to come? I read the following piece that was posted on the internet from SMITHVILLE REVIEW, Smithville, Tennessee, September 8, 1927. It said and I quote from the paper: "Immediately following the Civil War the last of the Cherokee's who had lingered in Georgia were removed to Indian Territory. Bands of these on the way to the West passed through Smithville. They were in no hurry, strolling along in little groups, stopping in the towns and giving demonstrations of their fine marksmanship with the bow. On the square at Smithville they stepped off a number of paces, then producing a sour-wood switch the end was split and the challenge given for some one to put a dime or other coin in the split and this set up edge-wise would be shot out with the arrow, the coin going to the marksman. They did this numerous times to the great wonderment of the boys, and numerous others of that age, to say nothing of the slightly younger fellow s who joined in the craze. . . HYPERLINK "http://www.tngenweb.org/dekalb/dekarm12.htm"http://www.tngenweb.org/dekalb/ dekarm12.htm If any one knows I would like to find out the latest that the Native Americans might have followed the trail. My ancestors have a story that includes the finding of a 10 year old Cherokee girl between 1890-1894. I thought this was a "mis-remembrance" until I read the article in the SMITHVILLE REVIEW. Now I am not so sure. Thanks for any help. Trish Swallows Carden Nashville, Tennessee Trish@tcarden.com HYPERLINK "http://www.tcarden.com/tree/ensor/" \nhttp://www.tcarden.com/tree/ensor/                  [] ____    ¸...¸    __/ ____ \ ,·´º o`·,/__/ _/\_ //____/\ ```)¨(´|´ | |  | | | | | || |l±±±± ¸,.-·~°´ ¸,.-·~·~·-.,¸ `°~·-. :º° As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Soli Deo Gloria   -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.12/266 - Release Date: 2/21/2006