[In1945ayoungblackboywasfoundaloneonthestreetsofJacksonvilleIllinoismuteandunabletohearHewasconfusedandfrightenedandhehadnowaytoidentifyhimselfTheonlycluehecouldofferwasthename”Lewis”writtenonapieceofpaperDespitethisnooneevercameforwardtoclaimhimandformorethan30yearstheboylaterknownasJohnDonNo24wasforgottenbytheworldashelivedininstitutionswherehesufferedneglectandabuse[1945मेंएकयुवाअश्वेतलड़केकोइलिनोइसकेजैक्सनविलेकीसड़कोंपरअकेलामूकऔरसुननेमेंअसमर्थपायागयाथा।वहभ्रमितथाडराहुआथाऔरउसकेपासअपनीपहचानबतानेकाकोईरास्तानहींथा।एकमात्रसुरागजोवहपेशकरसकावहथा”लुईस”नामजोकागजकेएकटुकड़ेपरजल्दबाजीमेंलिखागयाथा।इसकेबावजूदउनपरदावाकरनेकभीकोईआगेनहींआया30सेअधिकवर्षोंतकवहलड़काजिसेबादमेंजॉनडोनंबर24केनामसेजानागयादुनियाद्वाराभुलादियागयाथावहउनसंस्थानोंमेंरहरहाथाजहाँउसेउपेक्षाऔरदुर्व्यवहारकासामनाकरनापड़ा।
The beginning of the mystery
On that cold morning in October 1945, police officers found a young boy wandering aimlessly in Jacksonville. When they tried to interrogate him, they discovered that he was both deaf and dumb. Unable to tell his name or origin, the boy simply wrote the word “Lewis”, leaving a fleeting hint that led to no reply.
With no one to identify him, the courts declared him “feeble-minded” – a cruel term of the era – and committed him to the state mental health system. From then on, he became known as John Doe No. 24, a label that followed him throughout his life as he moved from one institution to another.
A life in institutions
For decades, John Doe lived at No. 24 Lincoln State School and Colony, part of a system where neglect and abuse were rampant. Despite these harsh conditions, he managed to survive. In 1978, after years of being known only as John Doe, a judge renamed him “John Doe Boyd”, allowing him to apply for Social Security. But the name wasn’t really his – only he knew who he really was. Questions regarding his identity and life on the streets of Jacksonville remained unanswered.
The Silent Life of John Doe Boyd
As the years passed, John Doe Boyd’s story became one of resilience. Eventually going blind due to an unknown condition, he was moved to the Smiley Living Center in Peoria, where those around him described him as funny, gentle, and full of heart. Although his life was lived largely in silence, John Boyd found solace in small comforts, such as his straw hat and his backpack full of trinkets, rings and silverware – small symbols of the life he might have once known.
He often pantomimed stories of jazz clubs and circus parades, providing rare glimpses of his past. But no one knew what life he left behind. What memories did he keep in his heart? What secrets did he have in the days before he became John Doe No. 24?
A forgotten life, and musical legacy
On November 28, 1993, John Doe Boyd died of a stroke at the age of 64. He lived most of his life without a name, and the truth of his identity remained a mystery. His death marked the end of a long, lonely journey, but it also inspired a moment of recognition.
When singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter read his story in The New York Times, she was moved by the tragedy of his life and decided to honor him. She wrote a song, “John Doe No. 24,” and bought a tombstone for him – ensuring that he would never again be buried without a name. His memory, once lost to the world, was now being recognised.
a call to answer
Despite his passing, the mystery of John Doe Boyd remains unsolved. Who was that boy who roamed the streets of Jacksonville? Where did he come from? What was his real identity?
The Jacksonville Police Department continues to search for answers. If anyone has any information about the identity of John Doe No. 24 or his life before that fateful day in 1945, they are urged to come forward.
Contact Information:
If you know anything – anything – about who this boy was, please contact the Jacksonville Police Department at 217-479-4630. Everyone deserves to know. Everyone deserves to come home.
conclusion:
John Doe Boyd may have carried his secret to his grave, but his story lives on today, reminding us all of the importance of recognition, identification, and compassion. His life, though filled with mystery and loss, is now honored by those who refused to forget him.
