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.