July 13, 2025, approximately 20 people were gathered at City Park in the small town of Saunemin, Illinois, population 396, for the  Inaugural Pride Picnic, hosted by East Livingston County Pride Coalition.

With the typical accoutrement found in most towns in the USA, the picnic was full of both veggie and traditional meat options off the grill, and the attendees rounded out supper with a variety of sides like potato salad, cowboy caviar and brownies.

The picnic’s grill master, Jacob Vickers said, “My role in the pride coalition is to provide support for organizers and handle food for the events. I was motivated to work on the pride picnic to gain support and enjoy time with fellow LGBT+ people. We are not a small group and we exist in these small towns. Everyone deserves a space where they can feel comfortable and feel like they belong in this community.”

Nancy Smith, emcee and co-organizer of the Inaugural Pride Picnic, introduced Fenn Joy. Both folks were born and raised in the county and are the driving force behind Sunday’s picnic. Nancy Smith said of Sunday’s picnic, “I feel the event went well. People shared a meal and got a chance to meet others in a supportive, welcoming venue. I like that young people took such an active role in making it happen. I hope to contribute as an event sponsor in the future.”

While Fenn spoke of personal experience of growing up locally, they mainly focused on Albert DJ Cashier, a Civil War Veteran. We made our way to the nearby historical Albert DJ Cashier House, where Fenn read to us a children’s book based on Albert’s life; The Fighting Infantryman: The Story of Albert DJ Cashier, Transgender Civil War Soldier., by Rob Sanders and illustrated by Nabi H Ali.

Albert immigrated to the USA as a child, and with his first job being in labor, he dressed as a boy. For the rest of his life he chose to dress as a man. Both while fighting in the Civil War with Company G, to retiring alone in his hometown of Saunemin, Illinois,  Albert only wore jeans/slacks and shirts. This was against social convention at the time.

So when Albert was sent to a hospital, the hospital discovered that he was born female. Albert was then forced to wear the traditional petticoats and dresses and his pension was at stake. Due to his fellow soldiers, though, who fought for Albert, on February 10, 1915, the army declared that “the evidence in this case…shows beyond any doubt that the pensioner is the person who rendered the service…Identitfy may be accepted.

Not less than a year later, on October 10th, 1915, Albert died at the age of 72. Thanks to Company G and the Ninety-fifth Illinois Infantry, he was given a traditional military funeral and dressed in his “blue uniform with shiny gold buttons.” You can see his grave at the Sunny Slope Cemetery in Saunemin, Illinois, while his house is still standing near City Park, Saunemin, Illinois.

Fenn later said:

I was really excited to share the story of Albert Cashier. We should all be proud to have a local Civil War veteran who fought as bravely as he did for the freedom America claimed to embody. The fact he was also trans makes him a perfect representation of what Pride is for queer and trans people, especially locally. I also highlighted in my talk that Albert was able to live a good life that was true to himself in large part to his supportive community even back in the late 19th and early 20th century. I hope his story can inspire community love and solidarity in our time.

Joh King is a freelance writer and is available to cover Central Illinois events at johaunaking@gmail.com