The Congress of the United States passed the Indian Removal Act that had been signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 26, 1830. Tragically, too many Potawatomi were caught and forced to march the Trail of Tears." Frighteningly, one such march was called the "Trail of Death" by the Potawatomi because forty died on a forced walk to Kansas.

Chief Leopold Pokagon was not willing to accept this kind of treatment for his tribe. With a brilliant mind, and strategic planning abilities, he made the decision to change his tribe's current destiny. With cunning logic, he took steps to save his people. He knew he must fight this battle on the government's turf and within their rules. He moved his people to Silver Creek Township, Cass County, Michigan. Leopold lead his people to live upstanding lives, to create alliances with the white man (Chemokman), and to contribute to the local community.

Then he made a stunning move. Chief Leopold Pokagon renegotiated an Amendment to the Treaty of Chicago that protected his people from the Indian Removal Act. His people, the Pokégnek Bodéwadmik Band, continued to live on the land of their people in Silver Creek Township. The political connections he created, and the religious affiliations he made, were powerful credibility tools. He agreed to the concession that his people would abstain from the use of alcohol. His alliances with local influential whites strengthened his position even more.

Finally, his brilliant legal negotiations, won the Pokagon’s their freedom. The Chief used money that the Potawatomi received from the Treaty of Chicago to buy his tribe's ancestral land, complete with a legal government sanctioned deed. By the time the smoke of the tribe's camp fires cleared, the Pokagon’s owned one thousand acres of Silver Creek Township land, free and clear.

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Chief Leopold Pokagon and his Band of Potawatomi Indians built a log cabin church on this property in 1838. He then deeded the 40 acres of land it stood on to the Catholic Bishop of Detroit. Chief Pokagon and his wife, came to Silver Creek Township from his village outside of nearby Niles. He was buried on this site in 1841 at the age of 66. The log cabin church was replaced with a white frame church in 1861. In 1866 that church burned down and was rebuilt with a beautiful brick structure which still stands today.

Most of our ancestors and loved ones of the Peashway, Alexis, Cushway, and Gibson decent lived in the Silver Creek Township area and also rest in peace here with Chief Leopold Pokagon and many other Pokégnek Bodéwadmik.