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Elodie Todd Dawson Monument in Selma’s Old Live Oak Cemetery

Churches and Cemeteries, Civil War, Historic Markers & Memorials, Selma Live Oak Cemetery | Selma in Dallas County  

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Elodie Todd Dawson (1844-1881) was a staunch Confederate supporter and sister-in-law of Abraham Lincoln. Her husband, Col. N.H.R. Dawson (1829-1895), was a Confederate colonel who later was appointed U.S. Commissioner of Education. He was also a member of the Alabama legislature and served as Speaker of the House. Many of the magnolia and live oak trees in Old Live Oak Cemetery are those that Col. Dawson obtained from Mobile in 1879.

The monument that’s shown is located at the gravesite of Col. and Elodie Dawson. The statue was carved in Italy. When it arrived in Selma, Col. Dawson wasn’t satisfied with the hair, as it was not as beautiful as his wife’s, so he returned it to Italy to be redone.

Old Live Oak Cemetery is located beside Dallas Avenue approximately 0.7 mile west of downtown Selma. (GPS coordinates: 32.405306, -87.032028). The cemetery contains many beautiful monuments and it is the resting place of several prominent Selmaians. Tour maps of the cemetery are available at the Selma Welcome Center located at downtown Selma on Broad Street.

Source: “Old” Live Oaks Cemetery Tour Guide, published by the Selma – Dallas County Tourism & Convention Bureau.

Tags: alabama, black belt, cemetery, dallas county, gravesite, memorial, monument, selma

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Welcome to rural southwest Alabama. This website is dedicated to twelve counties located in rural southwest Alabama which includes a large portion of Alabama’s Black Belt area. This region is known for its rich and diverse heritage, historic homes and churches, and natural beauty. This website contains details about historic and interesting places that you will find in this area of Alabama.

PLEASE NOTE THAT MOST OF THE HOMES INCLUDED ARE PRIVATE RESIDENCES AND, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ARE DRIVE BY ONLY.

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Dedicated to the memory of Stacy Milstead Henson (1978-2008) & Inez “Sis” Watts (1924-2007).

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